It is Week 4 of the college football season, and we are being treated to four different Top 25 matches. There were some great games last week with LSU just pulling it out against South Carolina, Alabama flexed their muscle, and Texas continued to show they appear to be the team to beat this year as they moved to number 1 in the AP Polls. There are several great matchups this week, but here’s our top 3 picks for 2024 College Football Week 4.
No. 11 USC vs No. 18 Michigan
If I have learned one thing early on in this college football season it is that this is not the Michigan, or even a distant relative of the Michigan, that we saw win a National Championship last year. Jim Harbaugh may have made a deal with the Devil because this team now ranks outside the top 110 in total offense and 65th in defense. They are barely beating bad teams, beating Arkansas State by 10 points last week and enter this game 2-1 after a beatdown by Texas two weeks ago. USC has turned the page on defense with a new coordinator. This was one of the worst defenses in the nation last year, but currently rank 60th which is a massive improvement. Michigan has shown me that they can’t be trusted, and my opinion on that won’t be changing before this game. Prediction: USC 33 Michigan 23
No. 12 Utah vs No. 14 Oklahoma State
The Utes are one of the most consistent programs in all of college football the last few years and have a legit shot at winning the Big 12 in their first year in the conference. Oklahoma State could be the team that they meet in the conference championship, and this should be a fun game to watch as they face off for the first time. Alan Bowman is average at best at the QB position and this Utah defense ranks 20th in the nation. When you think of the old Big 12, you think of points. This new Big 12 seems to be based on disciplined defense and nail biters and that’s what we will have here. Utah has some injury concerns at QB, but I still trust them as a road favorite. They will impose their will and force all the offense to go through Ollie Gordon II. Prediction: Utah 31 Oklahoma State 27
No. 6 Tennessee vs No. 15 Oklahoma
This is going to be the game of the week. Tennessee is vying for a spot inside the Top 5 and maybe even Top 3 if they can pull off an impressive enough win in this contest. They have allowed 13 total points all year and that’s with an opponent like North Carolina State already off the schedule. This defense looks legit, and the offense looks even better. Through three games, they rank first in points scored and second in total yards in the nation. Oklahoma has had two blowout wins but it took a lot of effort to skate by Houston with a 16-12 win. I think this game won’t be close and Tennessee will impose their will on the Oklahoma offense which doesn’t have a ton of firepower. I am all over the Vols in convincing fashion. Prediction: Tennessee 42 Oklahoma 20