The fourth week of the college football season is upon us, and some of the top players representing teams like the Ohio State Buckeyes, Georgia Bulldogs, and the Penn State Nittany Lions will not be seen on the field. Even with several top-10 teams taking a breather, there is a thrilling lineup of college football games fans can look forward to this weekend. Allow us to peer into the highlights and our predictions of the expected seven intriguing games of the Week 4 schedule.
Utah Utes (16) Vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders (17) – Utah emergers triumphant with a 28-24 score. If you haven’t been monitoring the Utah Utes’ play, they have undergone a remarkable evolution. Once known for scoring an average of 21.3 points per game (ranking 108th in FBS) with an average of 4.8 yards-per-play, Utah enters the fourth week averaging 37 points per game (ranking 23rd) and an improved 6.2 yards per play (ranking 32nd). The turnaround can be attributed to the new quarterback, Devon Dampier’s brilliant form with 628 passing yards, a 7-0 TD-INT, a 73% completion rate, and 198 rushing yards, spearheading a team with one of the highest third-down conversion rates (72.7 percent).
Contrarily, the Texas Tech Red Raiders also present a compelling team. They have managed to maintain an unbeaten 3-0 record with an average winning margin of 46.3 points per game this season. Their success is largely due to their robust defense, which has permitted the 11th-lowest yards per play (3.9) and the 13th-lowest first downs per game (13.5), and their quarterback, Behren Morton, who holds a creditable 11-1 TD-INT ratio with 923 passing yards.
Both teams have had a relatively easy journey so far, facing weaker opponents. However, their encounter is expected to be a true yardstick of their abilities, ensuring an electrifying faceoff. We predict a tough competition, but foresee Utah taking the win due to home advantages and the slight edge provided by their dual-threat quarterback.
Oklahoma Sooners (11) Vs. Auburn Tigers (22) – Oklahoma wins with a score of 27-20. In an exciting turn of events, erstwhile Oklahoma quarterback, Jackson Arnold, will be returning to Norman with Auburn Tigers to face his old team, now led by prodigy John Mateer, in a bid to jumpstart their offense.
From Oklahoma’s vantage point, the victory key lies in maximizing pressure on Arnold, whose performance has shown to drop under stress. Conversely, the onus is on Auburn’s offensive line to retain its pass-blocking efficiency to provide Arnold the best chances of success.
As far as the Tigers are concerned, their success rests on executing successful downfield shots to stress the Sooners’ defense and dominate Saturday’s rushing attack. Considering the Sooners have intimate knowledge of Arnold’s playing style and potential weaknesses, we anticipate a home-ground triumph for the Oklahoma Sooners.
Ole Miss Rebels (13) Vs. Tulane Green Wave – Ole Miss leads with a 42-28 score. There are high expectations from the Ole Miss Rebels quarterback, Trinidad Chambliss after his spectacular performance last week. More opportunities could open up for him if Kewan Lacy kicks off Saturday afternoon against a struggling defense.
As for Tulane Green Wave, the quarterback, Jake Retzlaff has been the spark plug of their volatile offense. Despite his talent, he may find the upcoming weekend challenging, given the sturdy defense he’ll be up against.
Michigan Wolverines (21) Vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers – Nebraska leads with a 20-17 score. The showdown between recently recruited five-star quarterbacks will be a Week 4 highlight. In what could turn out to be a minor upset, the Wolverines are predicted to lose at Memorial Stadium. Though Underwood shows great potential and might even surpass Raiola by next season, his relative inexperience could lead to errors that cost the Wolverines the game.
Missouri Tigers (23) Vs. South Carolina Gamecocks – Missouri leads with a 28-13 score. The shine of the Week 4 matchup dulled a bit after South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers sustained a concussion last Saturday. His potential absence could tip the scale towards the Missouri Tigers.
Miami Hurricanes (4) Vs. Florida Gators – Miami is ahead with a 27-17 score. We may be about to witness one of Billy Napier’s final outings as the Florida Gators’ head coach this Saturday. Given the Gators’ recent struggles with the third-down conversion rate, their game against the Miami Hurricanes could be uphill.
Illinois Fighting Illini (9) Vs. Indiana Hoosiers (19) – Illinois succeeds with a 24-21 score. This encounter is the epitome of must-watch football, featuring an Indiana Hoosiers offense that consistently ranks among the best in several areas. The opposing team, an Illinois Fighting Illini defense, matches up quite well with impressive statistics of their own. Both quakebacks, Luke Altmyer of the Illini and Fernando Mendoza of the Hoosiers, have well displayed their execution capabilities at high levels. We expect Illinois to wrap up Week 4 with a winning tally.
The post Week 4 College Football: Top Players To Watch Out For appeared first on Real News Now.
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