CFB Week 4 winners, losers: Florida Gators have bite, John Mateer start stirs fright and more

Afterward, head coach Steve Sarkisian discussed the moment, telling reporters, "We took him out, we addressed it, and we put him back in.

"I'm not going to give the guy the death penalty," he continued, adding, "We got to fix it, though... We'll address it on Monday."

Still, Sarkisian didn't lose sight of what was most important. "Five sacks was pretty cool, too."

Winner: The James Madison-to-Big Ten pipeline

Three years ago, No. 5 Indiana (4-0, 1-0 in Big Ten) bent the arc of college football history when it hired then-James Madison coach Curt Cignetti. He went on to build a 2025 national champion juggernaut, and the early returns suggest his successor at James Madison, Bob Chesney, could be charting a similar path at UCLA (4-0, 2-0 in Big Ten) after becoming the program's first coach since Red Sanders (1949) to begin his tenure 4-0.

It's time to take notice of the Bruins after a dominant 54-3 victory at Maryland (2-2, 0-1 in Big Ten), UCLA's largest true road win since a 66-3 blowout over Texas in 1997. (h/t  Stathead)

With No. 20 Oregon (3-1, 1-0 in Big Ten) on deck following a Week 5 bye, UCLA will soon have an opportunity to make another even bigger statement.

Loser: Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer

A year after making the CFP, Oklahoma (2-2, 0-1 in SEC) will likely have to win out to make it back-to-back seasons after Mateer single-handedly wrecked the Sooners' chances at Georgia in a 41-13 loss. 

On a 3rd-and-goal from the 2-yard line in a 14-0 game, Mateer inexplicably lost the ball while attempting to throw on the run, and Georgia linebacker Chris Cole recovered the fumble and went 85 yards the other way for a touchdown.

Mateer threw an interception on a badly underthrown pass on Oklahoma's next possession, then fumbled on a fourth-and-1 at the two-minute warning, turning what could have been a manageable deficit into a 28-0 hole.

With Mateer floundering and games still to come against Texas, Florida and Ole Miss, Oklahoma's 2025 CFP run is looking less like the start of something special under head coach Brent Venables and more like a fluke.

Winner: Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver/cyborg Jeremiah Smith

This is getting ridiculous. 

A week after becoming No. 7 Ohio State's all-time leading receiver, Smith entered the Buckeyes record books again by tying the single-game record with four receiving touchdowns (on 12 receptions for 217 yards) in a 42-19 win over Illinois.

We're running out of ways to describe what Smith, who has 617 yards through four games, is doing. The junior wideout is operating on another level from his peers, and he seemingly elevates his game every week.

Loser: USC Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens II

During a 41-27 Oregon win at No. 12 USC (4-1, 1-1 in Big Ten), quarterback Dante Moore was stretchered off the field after a scary hit from Stephens, who rightfully earned a targeting ejection.

"There's no place in our game for that," Booger McFarland said during halftime of Texas A&M-LSU.

But Stephens made matters worse by callously celebrating with teammates and smiling on the sideline afterward.

Those are the kind of plays that the sport's leaders have been trying to get rid of for years, so much so that Stephens should have known better. It was an inexcusable play, and the reaction even more so. 

Winner: Karma (and Iowa)

The universe corrected itself on Saturday. 

After No. 18 Michigan's controversial Week 1 win over Western Michigan when it was gifted an extra second, it was on the other end of a last-second heartbreaker in Week 4 during a 20-19 loss to No. 17 Iowa (4-0, 1-0 in Big Ten).

The Hawkeyes were given a temporary clock stoppage with two seconds left and no timeouts thanks to a defensive injury after a tipped completion, and Iowa made the most of the scoring opportunity when quarterback Hank Brown found wide receiver Reece Vander Zee in the end zone for a 16-yard walk-off touchdown.

Loser: South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer

Beamer ball may have run its course at South Carolina. That probably was true a year ago, but it's especially so after a 49-18 loss at No. 8 Alabama (4-0, 2-0 in SEC).

The Gamecocks secondary was exposed, with Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell finishing 21-of-27 for 365 yards and four touchdowns. Beamer also had a heated exchange with junior defensive end Dylan Stewart as frustrations over an ugly 0-2 start in conference play began to boil over.

If Beamer hasn't reached the breaking point yet at South Carolina (2-2, 0-2 in SEC), he's sure headed in that direction. It might take a miracle for him to not only make it to 2027 but also see the end of 2026.

Winner: Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell

While Beamer's run appears to be nearing its end, Fickell may have given himself extra life with a marquee road win over No. 13 Penn State (3-1, 0-1 in Big Ten).

Wisconsin (3-1, 1-0 in Big Ten) erased a 17-point deficit and withstood quarterback Colton Joseph's three interceptions, winning on a 72-yard touchdown with 1:13 remaining.

The Badgers will need more big wins to re-enter the Big Ten's upper class, but after years of waiting for a signature moment under Fickell, it's finally arrived.