Week 4 of the college football season features the start of conference play for many teams, and it includes two games between teams ranked in the top 15. Both of those matchups could prove to be crucial at the end of the season.
Michigan will start Alex Orji at quarterback against the Trojans after Davis Warren started the first three games and was mostly ineffective. The Wolverines will likely employ a run-heavy attack that will test a USC defense that suddenly looks very feisty.
After missing Utah’s Week 3 win over Utah State, all signs point to Cameron Rising playing against the Cowboys. And that’s big news for this game that could go a long way in determining the top of the Big 12 standings. The Cowboys are favored at home after the line had Utah as a small favorite earlier in the week.
Former Oklahoma QB and assistant Josh Heupel returns to Norman as the Volunteers’ head coach on Saturday night. UT QB Nico Iamaleava has become an early Heisman favorite with his play so far, and that high-powered offense will put the pressure on Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold to get things going in the passing game.
Live43 updates
Final: Clemson 59, NC State 35
The Wolfpack put some makeup on it with a couple late touchdowns, but the Tigers left no question as to whether they’re ACC contenders this season.
Florida gets SEC win
The Gators may have saved Billy Napier’s job (for at least another week) with a road win at Mississippi State.
Touchdown NC State
The Wolfpack haven’t thrown in the towel, but they’re just too far behind at this point. It’s now 59-28 after a Demarcus Jones touchdown run.
Touchdown Ohio State
It’s another rushing touchdown for the Buckeyes, this time by Quinshon Judkins.
Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson now have 249 yards on 20 carries with 4 TDs.
Jeremiah Smith scores for OSU
The Buckeyes are comfortably in charge at the Horseshoe and freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith has found the end zone for his fourth TD of the season — this one a 53-yard catch-and-run.
Pick-6 Clemson!
The Tigers add a defensive touchdown as Ashton Hampton steps in front of an underthrown ball by NC State’s CJ Bailey and returns it 53 yards to the house.
Key injury news
Two injury updates for the upcoming Michigan-USC and Utah-Oklahoma State games:
James Madison scores again
The Dukes are not taking their foot off the gas in their upset bid against North Carolina. They just scored another touchdown to take a 36-point lead.
Kansas, West Virginia trading blows
In a more competitive game, Kansas just took the lead at West Virginia on an 11-yard run by Daniel Hishaw Jr.
Touchdown Ohio State
The same goes for the Buckeyes as TreVeyon Henderson breaks off a 40-yard TD run. Ohio State’s star tandem of Henderson and Quinshon Judkins has 202 yards and 3 TDs on just 12 carries so far.
Touchdown Clemson
We are back for the second half of these games and the Tigers are in the end zone yet again — this time on a TD pass from Cade Klubnik to Adam Randall. Clemson is now over the 50-point mark.
Scoreboard update
Here’s where things stand as the first wave of games hits halftime:
Scoreboard update
Halftime: Ohio State 28, Marshall 14
After a long review just before halftime, this catch by Marshall’s Elijah Metcalf was ruled a touchdown. The Thundering Herd are down 14 at the break.
Halftime: Clemson 45, NC State 7
The Tigers tack on a field goal just before the break to make it 45-7. What an impressive showing by Dabo Swinney’s group. Clemson has now outscored its opponents 111-27 in its last six quarters of play.
Clemson adds TD before half
Clemson took its time on that drive before scoring on a 19-yard run by Jay Haynes. We’re nearing halftime in Death Valley and Dave Doeren’s Wolfpack can’t get into the locker room soon enough.
James Madison putting it on UNC
Perhaps the most surprising and exciting game in this early window is James Madison-North Carolina. The Dukes just took advantage of a second fumble by UNC to run up its lead to 46-21 with almost half the second quarter still to play.
Ohio State touchdown
The Buckeyes add to their lead as TreVeyon Henderson breaks a couple tackles and takes it in for a 14-yard touchdown.
Touchdown Clemson
The Tigers respond in kind to bump their lead back up to 28 points. This time it’s Cole Turner taking a reverse 18 yards around the end for a score. Dabo Swinney has to be happy with the offensive explosion by his team early in this game.
Touchdown Ohio State!
Quinshon Judkins rips off a monster run to extend the Buckeyes’ lead, sprinting 86 yards for a touchdown.
