College football’s fourth full weekend delivers seven games in which both teams are ranked in the top 25 of at least one of the AP, Coaches or SP+ systems. Six are conventional AP-ranked matchups; Oklahoma–Georgia also qualifies because the Sooners remain No. 24 in the Coaches Poll and No. 16 in SP+.

The human polls were released Sunday, September 20, and SP+ was updated the same day. SP+ is predictive and opponent-adjusted, not a résumé ranking. AP and Coaches polls, SP+ rankings

Matchup	AP	Coaches	SP+
Texas at Tennessee	Texas 1, Tennessee 14	Texas 1, Tennessee 13	Texas 6, Tennessee 10
Oklahoma at Georgia	Oklahoma NR, Georgia 2	Oklahoma 24, Georgia 2	Oklahoma 16, Georgia 2
Ole Miss at Florida	Ole Miss 4, Florida 21	Ole Miss 6, Florida 22	Ole Miss 20, Florida 15
Iowa at Michigan	Iowa 17, Michigan 18	Iowa 17, Michigan 18	Iowa 18, Michigan 21
Texas A&M at LSU	Texas A&M 23, LSU 10	Texas A&M 20, LSU 11	Texas A&M 14, LSU 9
Oregon at USC	Oregon 20, USC 12	Oregon 16, USC 12	Oregon 5, USC 8
Missouri at Mississippi State	Missouri 19, Mississippi State 24	Missouri 21, Mississippi State NR	Missouri 22, Mississippi State 30

Lines are DraftKings prices displayed by ESPN at approximately 8 a.m. CT Wednesday, September 23, and may move before kickoff. Schedule, TV information and current odds

No. 1 Texas at No. 14 Tennessee

Saturday, September 26 — 11 a.m. CT — ABC/ESPN app
Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee
Wednesday line: Texas -4.5; total: 55.5 (DraftKings via ESPN)

Texas arrives unbeaten but not entirely comfortable. The Longhorns followed their dramatic 24-23 win over Ohio State with a 30-6 victory over UTSA that was much messier than the score suggests. Arch Manning threw two touchdown passes to Cam Coleman, but Texas endured uneven quarterback play, ball-handling problems and eight penalties for 88 yards. The defense kept UTSA out of the end zone, giving Steve Sarkisian a dependable floor while the offense searched for rhythm. Texas–UTSA recap and personnel notes

Tennessee is 3-0 after beating Kennesaw State 42-9. Freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon completed 18 of 26 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown, ran for 47 yards and another score, and received 116 rushing yards from Daune Morris. The Volunteers were occasionally choppy before halftime, but their ability to pair Brandon’s mobility with a downhill run game is the clearest way to stress a Texas defense that has otherwise been the steadier half of the No. 1 team. Tennessee–Kennesaw State recap

The key question is whether Tennessee can make Manning play from behind the chains and in front of a crowd of more than 100,000. Texas cannot afford the pre-snap and special-teams penalties it survived last week. Coleman gives Manning a matchup-changing target, and Derrek Cooper’s return adds depth to the backfield, but receiver Ryan Wingo and edge rusher Colin Simmons emerged from the UTSA game with injuries that had not been definitively resolved by Wednesday morning. With the SEC availability report still to come, both should be treated as status questions rather than presumed absences.

Brandon has looked composed, yet this is his first defense remotely comparable to Texas. The Longhorns can disguise pressure, force him to hold the ball and make Tennessee sustain long drives. Tennessee’s upset route is to run effectively on early downs, use Brandon outside the pocket and turn Neyland’s noise into Texas mistakes. If the Volunteers cannot create negative plays, Manning should have enough favorable situations to find Coleman and the tight ends.

What decides it: Texas’ discipline and protection—and whether Tennessee can create short fields instead of asking a young quarterback to repeatedly drive 75 yards.

No. 24 Coaches Oklahoma at No. 2 Georgia

Saturday, September 26 — 2:30 p.m. CT — ESPN/ESPN app
Sanford Stadium, Athens, Georgia
Wednesday line: Georgia -14; total: 44.5 (DraftKings via ESPN)

Oklahoma–Georgia is the weekend’s cross-poll qualifier. The Sooners fell out of the AP Top 25 after losing 17-10 at Michigan and then made few aesthetic repairs in a 14-6 win over New Mexico. John Mateer threw for 238 yards and two touchdowns against the Lobos, but he also threw two interceptions. Oklahoma is 2-1 because its defense has been excellent; SP+ ranks that unit second nationally. The offense, ranked 48th by SP+, has too often asked the defense to protect thin margins. Oklahoma–New Mexico recap context

Georgia presents the opposite picture of stability. The Bulldogs won 45-17 at Arkansas as Gunner Stockton completed 10 of 13 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown and ran seven times for 97 yards. Chauncey Bowens added three rushing touchdowns. Stockton’s dual-threat efficiency lets Georgia play without forcing throws, and SP+ places the Bulldogs second overall, second on offense and third on defense. Georgia–Arkansas standouts

That 44.5-point total captures the matchup. Oklahoma’s best chance is to shorten the game, deny explosive runs and make Georgia string together patient drives. The Sooners have the front to create third-and-long, but Stockton’s legs complicate man coverage and can erase a sound pass rush. Oklahoma must also find easy offense—quarterback runs, screens and field-position gains—because asking Mateer to win from obvious passing downs against Georgia’s coverage structure invites the turnovers that have followed him the past two weeks.

There was no newly reported major absence among the featured quarterbacks as of Wednesday morning; final SEC availability designations will matter later in the week. The more immediate availability issue is functional: can Oklahoma’s offensive line and receivers give Mateer clean, defined throws? Georgia can lean on Bowens and Stockton until the Sooners commit extra bodies, then attack isolated coverage.

The two-touchdown spread is substantial for a game with such a low total, but it reflects Georgia’s far larger margin for error. Oklahoma’s defense can keep this competitive. For the Sooners to threaten outright, their offense probably needs to avoid giveaways, finish its few red-zone chances and manufacture at least one explosive play.

What decides it: Turnovers. Oklahoma cannot give Georgia short fields and still keep the game in the low-possession script it needs.

No. 4 Ole Miss at No. 21 Florida

Saturday, September 26 — 2:30 p.m. CT — ABC/ESPN app
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Florida
Wednesday line: Florida -3.5; total: 58.5 (DraftKings via ESPN)

The AP poll loves Ole Miss more than the predictive numbers do. The Rebels surged to No. 4 after beating LSU 32-24, but SP+ still places them 20th, five spots behind Florida. That disagreement helps explain why the undefeated home team is favored despite being ranked 17 places lower by the AP.

Trinidad Chambliss was sensational against LSU, producing 399 total yards and three touchdowns and answering a second-half comeback with a decisive 14-yard scoring run. His poise outside structure has turned broken plays into Ole Miss advantages and pushed him to the front of the early Heisman conversation. The concern is balance. Running back Kewan Lacy injured his left shoulder against LSU after gaining 43 yards and scoring on nine carries. Pete Golding called him a game-time decision Tuesday after imaging showed the injury was less serious than initially feared. If Lacy cannot go, JT Lindsey and Makhi Frazier would assume more of the work. Chambliss against LSU, Lacy injury update

Florida reached 3-0 with a 44-39 win over Auburn, demonstrating offensive resilience while also conceding enough points to raise questions before facing Chambliss. DJ Lagway gives the Gators their own creator at quarterback, and Florida’s home-field edge is meaningful: crowd noise can disrupt the tempo and communication Ole Miss uses to identify leverage before the snap. SP+ views Florida as the stronger defensive team, while Ole Miss owns the better special-teams rating.

The tactical hinge is Florida’s ability to rush with lane integrity. Chambliss punished LSU when pressure lost containment; simply sending more defenders can create the escape routes he wants. The Gators need to compress the pocket without surrendering the middle, then tackle immediately when Ole Miss throws underneath. On the other side, Ole Miss must prevent Lagway from turning a defense ranked 39th by SP+ into a weekly shootout invitation.

If Lacy plays effectively, the Rebels can keep Florida from selling out against Chambliss. If he is limited or absent, Florida can devote more attention to the quarterback and force Ole Miss’ replacement backs to win. Either way, the Swamp and a rising total point toward the week’s most volatile game.

What decides it: Whether Florida contains Chambliss without overcommitting—and whether Ole Miss can preserve offensive balance if Lacy is limited.

No. 17 Iowa at No. 18 Michigan

Saturday, September 26 — 2:30 p.m. CT — CBS/Paramount+
Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wednesday line: Michigan -5.5; total: 38.5 (DraftKings via ESPN)

The weekend’s lowest total belongs to two unbeaten Big Ten teams built around defense and the run game. Iowa enters 3-0 after rushing for 422 yards against Northern Iowa, with three backs topping 100 yards in the same game for the first time in 40 years. Quarterback Hank Brown completed all 12 of his passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns and has not committed a turnover this season. That is exactly the complementary profile Iowa wants: efficient quarterback play, a deep backfield and few possessions gifted to the opponent. Iowa–Michigan matchup preview

Michigan also reached 3-0, but its 52-17 win over UTEP was less smooth than the final score. The Wolverines trailed 14-7 after two early turnovers before Bryce Underwood steadied the offense and the defense overwhelmed UTEP after halftime. Freshman Savion Hiter scored twice, Jordan Marshall added another touchdown and Jonah Lea’ea returned an interception for a score. Michigan–UTEP recap

Both defenses rate in SP+’s top 11, and neither offense ranks in the top 35. That makes field position, special teams and first-down efficiency more important than raw yardage. Iowa must prove its rushing explosion translates against Michigan’s front; if Brown is repeatedly placed in third-and-seven, the Wolverines can disguise pressure and challenge a passing game that has not needed volume. Michigan’s corresponding problem is ball security. Iowa is designed to punish impatience, and the Wolverines cannot assume another second-half talent advantage will erase early giveaways.

Iowa’s injury outlook was cautiously positive Tuesday. Kirk Ferentz said running backs Kamari Moulton and LJ Johnson and tight end DJ Vonnahme were working back, with definitive decisions expected later in the week. Their status affects the depth behind Iowa’s bruising rushing identity. Michigan had not announced a comparable new absence among its principal skill players by Wednesday morning. Ferentz injury update

Michigan has the higher individual ceiling through Underwood, but Iowa owns the cleaner early-season offensive profile. In a game priced under 40 points, one turnover or blocked kick could outweigh several conventional drives.

What decides it: Which team stays on schedule and protects the football; third-and-long is a losing neighborhood for both offenses.

No. 23 Texas A&M at No. 10 LSU

Saturday, September 26 — 6:30 p.m. CT — ABC/ESPN app
Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Wednesday line: LSU -8.5; total: 51.5 (DraftKings via ESPN)

This is a rebound game with real postseason pressure. Texas A&M tumbled 14 places in the AP poll after Kentucky ended the Aggies’ 19-game home winning streak against unranked opponents, 31-21. Marcel Reed completed 26 of 49 passes, threw two interceptions and saw the offense fail in multiple high-leverage situations. The larger alarm came on defense: Kentucky generated explosives through motion and yards after the catch, and Mike Elko called it one of his unit’s poorest performances. Texas A&M–Kentucky recap

LSU’s 32-24 loss at Ole Miss exposed a different problem. The Tigers fell behind 17-0, rallied into a one-score game and reached the red zone late before Sam Leavitt’s final pass was intercepted. Dilin Jones ran for 106 yards and a touchdown, but LSU’s offensive line struggled in protection and tight end Trey’Dez Green left with a knee injury that was reported as not season-ending. His availability Saturday was unresolved Wednesday morning. LSU performance and injury review

Texas A&M has a confirmed absence: receiver and return specialist Terry Bussey is out for the season after suffering a lower-body injury on the opening kickoff against Kentucky. Losing him reduces both Reed’s receiving depth and a special-teams threat in a road environment where hidden yardage matters. Bussey injury report

The matchup favors LSU if its offensive line can survive A&M’s pressure. SP+ still ranks the Tigers ninth overall and fifth defensively, while the Aggies sit 14th. Leavitt does not need to chase the game; Jones can test an A&M front that looked disorganized last week, and play-action should open if LSU stays ahead of the chains. A&M’s upset path requires Reed’s legs, cleaner decisions and a defensive plan that communicates through LSU’s formations and motion.

Both teams are 2-1 and already carrying damaging September losses. Tiger Stadium increases the cost of every false start, missed protection and delayed adjustment.

What decides it: Protection and composure—especially whether LSU keeps Leavitt upright and whether A&M’s defense fixes last week’s communication failures.

No. 20 Oregon at No. 12 USC

Saturday, September 26 — 6:30 p.m. CT — NBC/Peacock
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
Wednesday line: Oregon -3; total: 62.5 (DraftKings via ESPN)

No matchup exposes a wider gap between résumé rankings and predictive strength. Oregon is only No. 20 in the AP poll after a 39-31 loss at Oklahoma State, yet SP+ ranks the Ducks fifth. USC is 4-0 and No. 12 in both human polls, but SP+ also respects the Trojans at No. 8. The market sides narrowly with Oregon on the road.

The Ducks reset last week with an 84-0 demolition of Portland State, the highest-scoring performance in Autzen Stadium history. Dante Moore threw four first-half touchdown passes to four receivers, and Jordon Davison ran for two scores. The opponent offered little resistance, but Oregon accomplished what it needed after the upset loss: reestablish tempo, distribute the ball and remove its starters early. Oregon–Portland State recap

USC’s 42-35 win over Rutgers was much less comfortable. The Trojans benefited from a 99-yard interception return and two Rutgers turnovers, but they allowed 35 points and 122 rushing yards to Antwan Raymond. USC’s offense remains the weekend’s highest-rated unit by SP+—first nationally—while its defense is 35th. Oregon is more balanced, rating sixth offensively and 12th defensively. USC–Rutgers recap

That profile makes the game a test of USC’s ability to win without turnovers doing the defensive work. Jayden Maiava and the Trojans can score on Oregon, but the Ducks are unlikely to give away the same short fields Rutgers did. Moore’s best plan is to stay patient, use Oregon’s run game against light boxes and force USC to tackle through long drives. For USC, early-down explosiveness is essential; falling behind schedule allows Oregon to unleash a deeper, more reliable pass rush.

No new major absence involving either starting quarterback was firmly established by Wednesday morning, so later-week Big Ten availability reports remain worth monitoring. Schematically, the pressure point is already clear: USC must prevent Oregon from controlling possession and exposing its defensive depth. The total above 60 anticipates points, but Oregon can make the game less chaotic by running efficiently and finishing drives.

What decides it: USC’s run defense and tackling. If Oregon stays balanced, Moore should repeatedly find favorable coverage.

No. 19 Missouri at No. 24 Mississippi State

Saturday, September 26 — 6:45 p.m. CT — SEC Network/ESPN app
Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, Mississippi
Wednesday line: Mississippi State -6.5; total: 58.5 (DraftKings via ESPN)

Missouri and Mississippi State are both 3-0, but only one looked ready for SEC play last weekend. Missouri beat Troy 27-17 after another slow start. Jamal Roberts ran for 128 yards and a touchdown, DaMarion Fowlkes returned a punt 68 yards for a score and the Tigers leaned on special teams while quarterback Austin Simmons produced only 108 passing yards. Missouri has enough defense and rushing power to survive that formula, but it cannot expect a punt return to compensate for every stalled drive. Missouri–Troy recap

Mississippi State erased a 16-0 deficit at South Carolina and won 41-34. Kamario Taylor completed 18 of 24 passes for 251 yards and four touchdowns, Fluff Bothwell rushed for 115 yards and five Bulldogs caught touchdown passes. That distribution is what makes Jeff Lebby’s offense difficult to fit: Taylor can attack multiple matchups, while Bothwell punishes defenses that spread too widely. Mississippi State–South Carolina recap

The rankings disagreement is striking. Mississippi State is No. 24 in the AP poll and favored by nearly a touchdown, yet it remains outside both the Coaches Top 25 and SP+’s top 25. Missouri is ranked in all three systems. The market is reacting to Starkville, Taylor’s form and Missouri’s uncertain passing game more aggressively than the composite rankings are.

Missouri’s path runs through Roberts and defensive patience. Long drives keep Taylor on the sideline, but the Tigers cannot allow early negative plays to force Simmons into predictable dropbacks. Defensively, Missouri must communicate through State’s tempo and formations and prevent Taylor from turning scrambles into explosive gains. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, cannot repeat the 16-point hole they survived at South Carolina; Missouri is better equipped to drain clock once ahead.

No newly reported major skill-position absence had been confirmed for either team by Wednesday morning. That leaves performance, rather than availability, as the central uncertainty: can Missouri create enough through the air to punish a Mississippi State defense ranked 56th by SP+? If Simmons makes the routine throws and Roberts keeps the chains moving, the underdog can make this a fourth-quarter game. If not, Taylor’s efficiency should separate the Bulldogs.

What decides it: Missouri’s passing-game competence. The Tigers do not need a shootout, but they cannot let Mississippi State load the box without consequence.

Week 4 is less a single headliner than a full-day stress test. Texas must carry the No. 1 ranking into Neyland, Oklahoma’s elite defense must compensate for a sputtering offense in Athens, and the evening window supplies three conference games with playoff consequences. With seven qualifying matchups and several meaningful injury decisions still pending, this is the first truly crowded ranked Saturday of 2026.