Week 4 of the college football season was filled with close games.
Michigan struggled against USC, Utah held on against Oklahoma State, Missouri needed overtime to beat Vanderbilt, Tennessee held on to beat Oklahoma on the road, and Colorado’s heroics helped them pull out a victory as well.
But there were a few teams and players who stood out the most during the week.
Read below for this week’s list of winners and losers.
Winners
Michigan quarterback Alex Orji throws against Southern California in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Michigan:It’s unclear what the USC defense did in the second half, but they couldn’t stop the Wolverines’ rushing attack. While Michigan didn’t get a breakout performance from Alex Orji at quarterback, finishing with just 32 yards, the Wolverines were fantastic on defense, sending the Trojans home with a tough loss, especially considering what Texas did to that same team just a few weeks ago.
Josh Heupel:The former national champion quarterback from Oklahoma returned home Saturday in Norman, and his Vols didn’t disappoint on defense. You might think of Heupel as the offensive guru, but he has one of the best defenses in college football, which could help them make the College Football Playoff. This was a huge game for the Vols, considering their head coach was fired by Oklahoma a little over 10 years ago. On Saturday night, his football team took care of his former team, giving them the game ball after the win.
Utah:Cam Rising’s absence at quarterback didn’t hurt the Utes Saturday at Oklahoma State, who won 22-19 on Micah Bernard’s 182-yard rushing. It was a huge win for the Utes in the Big 12 race, and quarterback Isaac Wilson did enough to push his team over the finish line. The Cowboys hype seems to have faded as Utah heads to the College Football Playoff, and Cam Rising didn’t even play. Watch out for the Utes. This team is coming together, especially when Rising returns.
Alex Orji:He had to wait his turn, but Alex Orji finally made his first start for Michigan. It came on a special day for the junior in the program’s first-ever conference game against USC with a 27-24 victory. Memories of Tom Brady’s patient journey at Michigan were thrown at Orji this week.
Shedeur Sanders:A classic in Boulder came courtesy of Sanders’ magic on the final play of the game against Baylor, where he threw a Hail Mary to LaJohntay Wester in a torrential rain for the touchdown that forced overtime after the extra point. Sanders didn’t have the best passing percentage, going 25-of-41, but he did throw for 341 yards with two touchdowns while rushing for one himself. The Buffaloes are 3-1 on the year, which is a great start for Coach Prime’s Buffs.
Clemson:At 1-1, Dabo Swinney’s team hosted the NC State Wolfpack (2-1), and even though it was an unranked opponent against the Tigers (21st), they came out on top due to the convincing 59-35 victory. Cade Klubnik looked poised at center throughout the game, and Clemson now has 101 first-half points over its last two games. The Tigers jumped out to a 28-0 lead in this game and improved to 2-1 to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive.
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel, center, and defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. (27) celebrate with their team after defeating Oklahoma in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)
James Madison:The Dukes traveled to Tar Heel country and scored 70 points against UNC in a 70-50 victory. Quarterback Alonza Barnett III was responsible for seven touchdowns for the Dukes, throwing for five touchdowns and 388 yards while rushing for two for 99 yards. As a team, 3-0 JMU had 611 yards of offense.
Monmouth:The Hawks upset Florida International on the road with a 45-42 victory. FIU fumbled the ball at the goal line in the final seconds. Monmouth kicker Michael Calton Jr. nailed a 43-yard field goal that gave the game the lead. It was Monmouth’s first win over an FBS opponent, and they improved to 2-1 in all games played in the Sunshine State.
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The Losers
North Carolina: Are we seeing the final games of the Mack Brown era in college football? That certainly seems to be the case after James Madison cashed a big check and then scored 70 points against the Tarheels in a 70-50 win at North Carolina. It seems like the football program has lost its way, and Mack Brown’s postgame comments suggesting his future may be over sooner than expected are the main talking point. I think we’re headed toward Brown’s retirement, and the Tarheels program has taken a big step backward in the ACC.
Oklahoma:Well, we have a quarterback problem for the Sooners. After five-star Jackson Arnold failed to deliver against Tennessee while struggling in the last four games, he was benched before halftime in the loss to the Vols. True freshman Michael Hawkins came into the game and got Oklahoma’s offense going as fast as possible against a tough Tennessee defense. One of the most telling moments came late in the fourth quarter when Jackson Arnold had to enter the game on a 2-point conversion due to Hawkins’ injury timeout. The Oklahoma crowd filled the stadium with boos once he entered, signaling their thoughts on where this was headed.
Rutgers’ Ian Strong runs after the catch against Virginia Tech’s Jaden Keller during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Blacksburg, Va. (AP Photo/Robert Simmons)
Baylor:Did the Bears really give up a Hail Mary touchdown to Colorado at the end of regulation? Yes, and it was bad, really bad. Not only did they blow a 31-24 lead, they allowed Colorado to win the game in overtime, giving coach Deion Sanders a 3-1 record so far this season. It was a bad look for Baylor head coach Dave Aranda.
Nebraska:A crushing loss to Illinois spoiled a promising start to the season for Matt Rhule and the Cornhuskers. Worse, they missed countless chances to score and keep Illinois on the sidelines, but untimely misplays and poor game management set them back in their quest for a trip to the Big Ten title game.
Virginia Tech University:The Hokies were hoping to snap an 11-game non-conference losing streak. That’s 12. Rutgers came on home court and cruised to a 26-23 road win, and it didn’t look like it would be close early after the Scarlet Knights started the game 14-0.
Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson hands the ball to running back DJ Giddens during an NCAA football game against BYU, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Provo, Utah. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
State of Kansas:Last week, Avery Johnson and the Wildcats showcased the team’s rushing attack against Arizona. This week, they didn’t seem to live up to it against BYU. The Cougars crushed Kansas State, 38-9. Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff threw two touchdown passes in the win. Johnson threw two interceptions in the loss. Kansas State would be a national title contender at this point.
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Fox News Digital Sports’ college football winners and losers were compiled by Fox News Digital Sports staff and the OutKick.com Staff.
