CFB GAME GUIDE WEEK 4: IS THIS THE START OF A VOLS PLAYOFF RUN?
Week 4 of college football arrives and we are finally getting some clarity in regards to where teams stand. Scrutiny will intensify on coaches feeling the heat, conference matchups will seperate pretenders from contenders. This week’s game guide will help you navigate your way through it.
Early Kickoff Window
Big Screen Billing: Florida Gators @ Missisippi State Bulldogs
It seems unfair to watch on with morbid fascination as the leash shortens on Billy Napier in Florida. But, here we are, the early slate is slightly underwhelming leaving Napier’s struggles as one of the bigger draws of the afternoon. Perhaps he stands somewhat of a fighting chance against a Mississippi State team who are coming off an embarrassing loss against Toledo.
The Bulldogs have an excuse in that they are searching for stability after losing the late, great Mike Leach as head coach. Jeff Lebby has some work to do in order to bring them back to relevance. Their leaky defense should offer hope that the Gators can get the ground game working and perhaps boost the confidence of DJ Lagway.
Knowing Napier, we’ll probably see Graham Mertz instead!
Upset Potential: James Madison Dukes @ North Carolina Tar Heels
North Carolina snuck through the opener against Minnesota before having two relatively easy runouts to start the season at 3-0. That should give them confidence and also optimism considering the rest of the ACC, bar Miami, looks a mess. The QB situation remains cloudy with Conner Harrell and Jacolby Criswell sharing snaps. One thing that is for sure is that dynamic back Omarion Hampton will be worth watching.
I have this down as a potential upset because James Madison has been really impressive since moving up from the FCS. Curt Cignetti has coached the Dukes to two winning seasons in the Sun Belt, doing enough to earn a bowl berth through exemption last year. The Dukes are only a 10.5 point underdog in this one, coming in fresh off a bye.
Primetime Window
Big Screen Billing: USC Trojans @ Michigan Wolverines
The first premier matchup of the evening takes place at the Big House. Michigan could be starting a new QB, with Alex Orji likely to replace the lackluster Davis Warren. A potential athletic spark could be what’s needed to kickstart this offense. As improved as this USC defense has been, there’s potential to get at them.
Michigan’s defense, despite an array of stars, has been rather disjointed to start the year. They will need to be at their best against Miller Moss and one of the most talented wide receiver groups in the nation. Zach Branch is a dynamic speedster and the rest of the room offers an array of talents. Will Johnson can’t cover all of Kyron Hudson, Ja’Kobi Lane and Duce Robinson.
This matchup should tell us how serious USC is about a playoff berth.
Keep an eye on: Utah Utes @ Oklahoma State Cowboys
The hope in this one is that Cam Rising manages to recover from a finger injury to start for Utah. Presumably the thought was that the Utes could survive a test from Utah State without their talisman, which they did. If he plays it will be a ‘Dinosaur Derby’ between the QBs, their combined age of 49 will be older than some of the matchups in the NFL on Sunday.
It will also be the first indicator of who may take a grip on the Big 12 conference. Both sides are 3-0 and this showdown is set up perfectly. Utah goes in as slight favourites, but I fancy the Cowboys given Rising’s injury and home field advantage. Could this be a game where State’s running back Ollie Gordon can finally hit his stride?
After Dark Window
Big Screen Billing: Tennessee Volunteers @ Oklahoma Sooners
The main event takes place in the evening for US viewers and early Saturday morning for those in the UK. This is a chance to see if the Tennessee Volunteers are legitimate challengers for the SEC crown. Second-year QB Nico Iamaleava has impressed along with running back Dylan Sampson. It’s also an opportunity for head coach Josh Heupel to beat the team he won a national title with.
Oklahoma has their own QB that is showing great potential. Jackson Arnold hasn’t been majorly tested so far and this Vols defense will be a different challenge. However, his connection with Deion Burks has been exciting and could be the deciding factor in this one. This matchup certainly kickstarts the SEC shenanigans.
Keep an eye on: Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks @ Texas Longhorns
I’ll keep this one brief because you’re not tuning in to see if the Warhawks can topple Texas. An oblique injury to Quinn Ewers means Arch Manning is in line to make his first start for the Longhorns. That’s right, if you haven’t had your Manning fill from Monday nights, for a short period you can get some action on a Saturday.
The early signs were promising. Manning stepped in for Ewers last week throwing for four touchdowns and rushing for another one. I don’t expect him to suffer any blips in this outing, but a good show will excite fans for next year and also put a slight amount of pressure on Ewers to keep his stellar start going.
Rory-Joe Daniels
NFL & Cfb contributor
AS A LONG-SUFFERING CINCINNATI BENGALS FAN, RORY HAS FOLLOWED THE NFL FOR OVER 20 YEARS. HIS PASSION FOR THE DRAFT LED HIM TO GET ENTANGLED WITH COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND HE HAS BEEN WRITING ABOUT PROSPECTS AND THE CFB LANDSCAPE EVER SINCE.