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5 must-watch CFB games in Week 4
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Five must-watch college football games in Week 4 

Six games between ranked opponents. Several SEC teams already dealing with the fallout from early losses. And a Saturday night schedule that could leave college football fans scrambling for another television.

Week 4 has a little of everything. Texas heads into Knoxville wearing the No. 1 ranking, Michigan gets another chance to prove itself and two teams looking to recover from losses meet in Baton Rouge. Good luck picking just one game to watch.

No. 1 Texas at No. 14 Tennessee

Saturday, Sept. 26 | Noon ET

Texas is about to find out just how welcoming Knoxville can be. Spoiler: Not very. The Longhorns arrive at Neyland Stadium ranked No. 1, with Tennessee looking for the kind of victory that can change the direction of an entire season. 

Playing in front of more than 100,000 opposing fans isn't exactly a relaxing way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Texas has already shown it can handle pressure. Doing it on the road against a ranked SEC opponent is another assignment altogether.

No. 4 Ole Miss at No. 21 Florida

Saturday, Sept. 26 | 3:30 p.m. ET

Ole Miss finally got its showdown with Lane Kiffin. The Rebels won. Now, they have to forget about it. That's easier said than done after a 32-24 victory over LSU, particularly with another ranked SEC opponent waiting in Gainesville.

Florida has opened the season 3-0 and worked its way into the Top 25. The Gators now have a chance to show whether that promising start can hold up against one of the country's highest-ranked teams. Ole Miss cannot afford to spend Saturday admiring what it accomplished last weekend.

No. 17 Iowa at No. 18 Michigan

Saturday, Sept. 26 | 3:30 p.m. ET

Anyone hoping for a 45-42 shootout might want to look elsewhere. Iowa and Michigan have never been particularly interested in making life easy for opposing offenses.

Michigan has already experienced some wild swings this season. The Wolverines have survived a close call, pulled off an upset and now welcome an Iowa team sitting just one spot ahead of them in the rankings.

Something is appealing about two evenly matched Big Ten programs that know exactly what the other wants to do. Neither figures to hand over many easy possessions.

No. 20 Oregon at No. 12 USC

Saturday, Sept. 26 | 7:30 p.m. ET

Forget the 84 points Oregon scored against Portland State. The Ducks aren't going to get away with everything they did in that game when they visit USC.

This is a much better opportunity to see where Oregon stands. Dante Moore has the talent to challenge the Trojans through the air, but he'll be facing an opponent with an explosive offense of its own.

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava gives the Trojans plenty of firepower. If both offenses settle into a rhythm early, the defenses could be in for a long night.

There's also the Big Ten angle. Two West Coast programs that once battled for Pac-12 supremacy now meet with conference implications attached to the result. 

No. 23 Texas A&M at No. 10 LSU

Saturday, Sept. 26 | 7:30 p.m. ET

Well, this wasn't how either team pictured arriving at this game. Texas A&M and LSU both have some explaining to do after disappointing losses. The Aggies have tumbled down the rankings, while LSU is trying to recover from its defeat against Ole Miss.

Now, they get to work through their problems against each other. In Death Valley, no less. For Texas A&M, another loss would make its early season expectations seem increasingly distant. LSU has its own concerns, particularly with the Tigers already chasing other SEC contenders.

Chris Pownall

Chris Pownall is a Contributor to Yardbarker covering all major sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, college athletics, and the biggest storylines shaping the sports world. His work focuses on timely analysis, strong opinion, and the narratives fans are actually talking about. He also serves as an NFL Analyst for Last Word on Sports, where he provides in depth coverage and league wide perspective on the NFL

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