Week 4 of the college football season marks the opening week of conference play for many teams and includes two games between teams ranked in the top 15. These two matchups could be very important at the end of the season.
Here are the biggest matches remaining on Saturday.
(All times are Eastern time and all odds are from BetMGM.)
Time: 3:30 PM | TV: CBS | Line: USC -6 | Total: 44.5
Michigan is expected to start Alex Orji at quarterback against the Trojans after Davis Warren started the first three games but was largely ineffective. The Wolverines will likely field a run-heavy attack that will test a suddenly very aggressive USC defense.
Time: 4pm | TV: Fox | Line: Oklahoma State -2.5 | Total: 52.5
After missing Utah’s Week 3 win over Utah State, Cameron Rising is expected to play against the Cowboys, which will be big news for who sits atop the Big 12 standings. Utah was considered a slight favorite earlier this week, but the Cowboys are favored at home.
Time: 7:30 PM | TV: ABC | Line: Tennessee -7 | Total: 57.5
Former Oklahoma QB and assistant coach Josh Heupel returns to Norman as the Volunteers’ head coach on Saturday night. UT QB Niko Iamareva is the Heisman Trophy frontrunner based on his play so far, and that high-powered offense will put pressure on Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold to get things going in the passing game.
Live38 Update
Saturday, September 21, 2024 11:53 AM PDT
Jeremiah Smith scores for OSU
The Buckeyes were comfortably ahead in the Horseshoe when freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith found the end zone for his fourth TD of the season, this time on a 53-yard catch-and-run.
Saturday, September 21, 2024 11:51 AM PDT
Pick 6 Clemson!
The Tigers added a defensive touchdown when Ashton Hampton stepped up to a missed throw by NC State’s C.J. Bailey and returned it 53 yards.
Saturday, September 21, 2024 11:47 AM PDT
Major injury news
Two injury updates for the upcoming Michigan vs. USC and Utah vs. Oklahoma State games:
Saturday, September 21, 2024 11:40 AM PDT
James Maddison scores again
The Dukes haven’t slowed down in their upset attempt against North Carolina, where they scored another touchdown to take a 36-point lead.
Saturday, September 21, 2024 11:27 AM PDT
Kansas and West Virginia are going at it hard
In a more competitive game, Kansas took the lead against West Virginia on an 11-yard run by Daniel Hishaw Jr.
Saturday, September 21, 2024 11:24 AM PDT
Touchdown Ohio State University
So did the Buckeyes, with Tre’Vayon Henderson scoring on a 40-yard touchdown run. Ohio State’s star duo of Henderson and Quinshon Judkins have combined for 202 yards and three touchdowns on just 12 carries so far.
Saturday, September 21, 2024 11:20 AM PDT
Touchdown Clemson
The game came back in the second half and the Tigers reached the end zone again, this time on a touchdown pass from Cade Klubnick to Adam Randall that put Clemson over 50 points.
Saturday, September 21, 2024 11:05 AM PDT
Scoreboard Updates
Here’s what the situation looked like at halftime in the first wave of matches:
Scoreboard Updates
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:52 a.m. PDT
Halftime: Ohio State 28, Marshall 14
After a lengthy review just before halftime, the catch by Marshall’s Elijah Metcalf was ruled a touchdown. The Thundering Herd trailed by 14 at halftime.
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:47 a.m. PDT
Halftime: Clemson 45, NC State 7
The Tigers took a 45-7 lead with a field goal just before halftime — a masterful play from Dabo Swinney’s team — and Clemson went on to outscore its opponents 111-27 over the final six quarters.
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:36 a.m. PDT
Clemson added another TD before halftime.
Clemson took its time on that drive until it scored on a Jay Haynes 19-yard run. Halftime was approaching in Death Valley and Dave Doeren’s Wolfpack looked eager to get into the locker room early.
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:34 a.m. PDT
James Madison takes on UNC
Perhaps the most surprising and exciting game of the opening period was James Madison vs. North Carolina, where the Dukes capitalized on North Carolina’s second fumble to take a 46-21 lead with nearly half a minute left in the second quarter.
Saturday, September 21, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. PDT
Ohio State touchdown
The Buckeyes extended their lead when Trevion Henderson escaped several tackles for a 14-yard touchdown.
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:19 a.m. PDT
Touchdown Clemson
The Tigers responded in kind, extending their lead to 28 points again, this time on a Cole Turner 18-yard reverse run around the basket for the score. Dabo Swinney must be pleased with his team’s offensive burst this early in the game.
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:15 a.m. PDT
Ohio State Touchdown!
Quinshon Judkins had a monster run to extend the Buckeyes’ lead, sprinting 86 yards for a touchdown.
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:13 a.m. PDT
Florida takes lead over Mississippi State 21-7
Meanwhile, amid all the fuss surrounding Florida’s Billy Napier, the Gators looked strong early against Mississippi State, as struggling quarterback Graham Mertz completed 15 of 16 passes for 147 yards and three touchdowns.
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:08 a.m. PDT
Touchdown NC State University
The Wolfpack finally scored after a miserable first quarter, going 71 yards in nine plays, capped off by a 5-yard TD pass from C.J. Bailey to Jordan Waters.
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:03 a.m. PDT
Touchdown Ohio State University
Six plays later, the Buckeyes reached the end zone on a goal-line charge by Will Howard, giving Ohio State its first lead of the game.
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 9:57 a.m. PDT
Marshall tried to attack on fourth down and 1 from their own 45-yard line but was unsuccessful, a bold early decision that could have cost the Thundering Herd.
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 9:47 a.m. PDT
Intercept Marshall!
In this game, the Thundering Herd never backed down early, as Marshall’s Josh Moten made a great play on a deep pass to intercept OSU’s Will Howard.