After a lot of blowouts and a few thrillers to open the season, Week 4 is rife with games between Associated Press Top 25 teams that could be ready to reveal their true selves.
uncertain
that → open → selves
No matchup fits the theme more than No. 20 Oregon at No. 12 Southern California, given the Ducks’ shocking loss at Oklahoma State two weeks ago and the Trojans’ defensive issues under first-year coordinator Gary Patterson.
asserted
matchup → fit → Patterson
Also, can No. 4 Mississippi validate its win over LSU with another one as an underdog at No. 21 Florida or are the Gators really good; is No. 17 Iowa’s offensive improvement fool’s gold or will it get shut down at No. 18 Michigan; and will No. 13 Penn State keep rolling in its Big Ten opener against Wisconsin after playing a light nonconference schedule?
asserted
State → validate → schedule
That’s just a sample of the questions to be answered as the season moves into conference play and the games become more competitive.
asserted
games → ’ → play
All games Saturday unless noted:
No. 1 Texas (minus 4 1/2) at No. 14 Tennessee
Arch Manning takes on Uncle Peyton’s alma mater at sold-out Neyland Stadium.
asserted
Manning → note → Stadium
Does he meet the moment?
asserted
he → meet → moment
Vols freshman QB Faizon Brandon gets his first major test and star RB DeSean Bishop is dinged up.
asserted
Bishop → get → test
Sooners have scored a total of 24 points in their last two games and, in a comment that rubbed fans the wrong way, John Mateer admitted it was a rise in crowd noise that clued him in he had an open receiver downfield for a touchdown pass against New Mexico.
Pick: Georgia 30-14.
asserted
he → score → Pick
No. 3 Notre Dame (minus 28) at Purdue
Fighting Irish’s offensive line was widely considered best in the nation coming into the season.
asserted
line → consider → season
Boilermakers can score, but not enough to offset what their defense gives up.
asserted
defense → score → what
No. 4 Mississippi (plus 3) at No. 21 Florida
Oddsmakers raised eyebrows when the Gators opened as the favorite.
asserted
Gators → raise → favorite
It’s never easy playing at the Swamp and RB Kewan Lacy’s status is uncertain
asserted
status → ’ → Swamp
, with Trinidad Chambliss on a roll, Rebels will avoid a letdown.
asserted
Rebels → avoid → letdown
Beating the Hoosiers in Bloomington on Friday night is too big an ask, though.
asserted
Beating → beat → night
Central Michigan at No. 6 Miami (minus 41)
Miami is banged up, which makes the timing fortuitious for playing a MAC team.
asserted
timing → bang → team
Chippewas kept it close against Miami in 2019 but haven’t beaten a Power Four team on the road since 2017 and have never beaten a top-10 opponent.
asserted
Chippewas → keep → opponent
Illinois (plus 27 1/2) at No. 7 Ohio State
Ohio State hasn’t lost a home game against a Big Ten opponent other than Michigan (twice) since 2015.
asserted
State → lose → 2015
Illinois hasn’t found its stride yet and won’t this week.
asserted
Illinois → find → stride
South Carolina at No. 8 Alabama (minus 12)
Shane Beamer’s future looks bleak after Gamecocks blew a 16-0 lead against Mississippi State and lost their sixth straight SEC game.
asserted
Gamecocks → look → game
Sam Houston State at No. 11 Texas Tech (minus 34 1/2)
Texas Tech’s J’Koby Williams got only seven carries against Houston last week.
asserted
Williams → get → Houston
Look for him to be more involved against a defense that struggles against the run.
asserted
that → look → run
Wisconsin (plus 10) at No. 13 Penn State
Penn State has been sharp against three overmatched opponents and now takes a big step up in its Big Ten opener.
asserted
State → take → opener
No. 15 Utah (minus 8) at Iowa State
Utah QB Devon Dampier has been sharp but will get his toughest test to date against an opponent whose strength is defense.
Pick: Utah 28-14.
asserted
strength → get → opponent
Wake Forest (plus 12 1/2) at No. 16 Louisville
This has the makings of a high-scoring affair.
asserted
This → have → affair
The Cardinals’ Lincoln Kienholz and Keyjuan Brown are on nice rolls coming out of the win over SMU and are playing at home.
asserted
Kienholz → come → home
No. 17 Iowa (plus 5 1/2) at No. 18 Michigan
In what figures to be a defensive battle, Iowa’s offense is playing with more confidence.
asserted
offense → figure → confidence
Michigan QB Bryce Underwood is getting better but has lost two fumbles and thrown an interception through three games.
asserted
Underwood → get → games
No. 19 Missouri at No. 24 Mississippi State (minus 6)
Kamario Taylor has thrown 11 touchdowns and one interception through three games and will outplay Austin Simmons at home in a matchup of two QBs who have been revelations.
Pick: Mississippi State 31-24.
asserted
who → throw → QBs
No. 20 Oregon at No. 12 Southern California
(plus 3)
Will the real Oregon and real USC stand up?
asserted
Oregon → stand → California
Oregon had offensive line and defensive issues to work out after Oklahoma State.
asserted
Oregon → have → State
USC had an unexpected tussle at Rutgers.
asserted
USC → have → Rutgers
Missouri State at No. 22 SMU (minus 34 1/2)
Coming off the loss at Louisville, Kevin Jennings and the Mustangs will unleash some pent-up fury against the overmatched Bears.
asserted
Jennings → come → Bears
No. 23 Texas A&M (plus 8) at No. 10 LSU
The Aggies hammered LSU on the road last year and make a return trip to Death Valley because of the SEC’s conference schedule restructuring process.
asserted
Aggies → hammer → process
Houston coach Willie Fritz led Georgia Southern to back-to-back nine-win seasons in 2014-15.
asserted
Fritz → lead → 2014
Eagles coach Clay Helton played at Houston in 1993-94.
asserted
Helton → play → 1993
The Aporia
