Road to Vegas: Top 25 matchups to watch in Week 4 of college football

Road to Vegas: Top 25 matchups to watch in Week 4 of college football The Week 4 slate includes six contests between ranked teams, each with notable consequences for the AP Top 25 and the College Football Playoff race. Below are five games worth monitoring as the weekend unfolds. **No. 1 Texas at No. 14 Tennessee** Texas ascended to the summit of the AP Top 25 after erasing a 20‑point deficit to defeat Ohio State 24‑23 in Week 2. The Longhorns followed that victory with a 30‑6 win over UTSA, surrendering only 143 total yards and shutting out the Roadrunners in the end zone while gaining 400 offensive yards, highlighted by two touchdown passes from backup quarterback Arch Manning. Tennessee begins SEC play unbeaten, having outscored its first three opponents 143‑42, which includes a 42‑9 triumph over Kennesaw State the previous week. The Volunteers will host Texas for the first regular‑season meeting between the schools since their three prior encounters occurred in the Cotton Bowl, the most recent of which took place in 1969. **No. 4 Ole Miss at No. 21 Florida** Ole Miss faces a second straight week against a ranked SEC foe after knocking down then‑No. 7 LSU 32‑24 in Lane Kiffin’s return to the Rebels’ sideline. Florida arrives at 3‑0 after a 44‑39 victory over Auburn in its conference opener and boasts an average of 544.3 yards per game over three weeks, a figure that ranks third nationally. Ole Miss has averaged 444.7 yards per contest, while quarterback Trenton Chambliss has accumulated 924 passing yards through three games, including 363 yards and two touchdowns in the win over the Tigers. The Rebels have claimed two of the last three meetings with the Gators, most recently a 34‑24 victory last season. **No. 20 Oregon at No. 12 USC** This week’s marquee Big Ten showdown pairs two ranked squads with recent history; USC has prevailed in the last two meetings, the latest a 42‑27 defeat of Oregon in 2023. The Trojans enter the game unbeaten in four outings after escaping a 42‑35 scare versus Rutgers the previous week. Oregon aims to build on a program‑record 84‑point output against Portland State. Jayden Maiava, a former UNLV quarterback and Heisman Trophy contender, has thrown for 1,173 yards and 12 touchdowns across three games while recording a single interception on 115 pass attempts. A USC victory would keep the Trojans near the top of the Big Ten standings alongside other undefeated teams such as UCLA and defending national champion Indiana. **No. 23 Texas A&M at No. 10 LSU** Texas A&M seeks to rebound from one of the weekend’s biggest upsets after a 31‑21 home loss to Kentucky. The Aggies began the season with victories over Missouri State and Arizona State, outscoring those opponents by a combined 98‑20 before the defeat left them at 2‑1 heading into Week 4. LSU and Lane Kiffin are also looking to return to the win column after a high‑stakes setback to Ole Miss in the conference opener, which followed Kiffin’s departure from the Rebels’ program. Texas A&M prevailed in last year’s meeting 49‑25 in Baton Rouge. The teams have split the past ten encounters, and LSU holds a 32‑25‑3 edge in the all‑time series. **No. 17 Iowa at No. 18 Michigan** Iowa has opened the season unbeaten in three games and leads the nation in scoring defense (4.3 points per game) and total defense (176.7 yards per game and 3.9 yards per play). Michigan sits at 3‑0 and is climbing back into the AP Top 25 after navigating a controversial finish against Western Michigan earlier in the season and then downing UTEP 52‑17 last week. The Wolverines erased a 14‑7 second‑quarter deficit by outscoring the Miners 45‑3 in the remaining periods. The contest marks Iowa’s first visit to Michigan Stadium since 2019 and the first meeting between the programs since 2023.