School soccer convention play is (principally) underway and the stakes will likely be raised accordingly. The game dips its toes this weekend with ranked matchups within the Large Ten, Large 12 and SEC that includes School Soccer Playoff favorites and a few remaining query marks.
Let’s rank the highest 10 video games of Week 4, beginning with a couple of honorable mentions and counting down.
Honorable Point out: JMU at North Carolina, Rutgers at Virginia Tech, Memphis at Navy, TCU at SMU, Iowa at Minnesota
(All level spreads come from BetMGM; click on right here for dwell odds. All kickoff occasions are Jap and on Saturday except in any other case famous.)
10. San Jose State (3-0) at Washington State (3-0), Friday, 10 p.m., The CW
What a win for Wazzu final week. It upset Washington in a brand new, unusual rendition of the Apple Cup rivalry, secured by a dramatic goal-line stand by the Cougars. Quarterback John Mateer is a dual-threat firecracker, head coach Jake Dickert introduced a celebratory cigar to the postgame information convention, and Washington State is without doubt one of the early feel-good groups. Now the Cougars have a distinct sort of grudge match in opposition to San Jose State, which could really feel scorned by WSU for serving to lead the Pac-12’s poaching of the Mountain West. The Spartans haven’t confronted anybody pretty much as good as Wazzu but, however former Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo deserted the triple choice and has SJSU airing it out to an undefeated begin, together with a highway win over Air Pressure.
Line: Washington State -11.5
Tough begin for NC State. Following the 51-10 blowout loss to Tennessee, the Wolfpack misplaced beginning quarterback Grayson McCall to harm in a 30-20 win over Louisiana Tech. True freshman backup CJ Bailey will begin in opposition to Clemson and led the comeback over Lousiana Tech, however NC State hasn’t checked out all like a group deserving of its preseason High 25 rating. This will likely be an attention-grabbing take a look at for Clemson, as effectively, coming off a bye following the blowout loss to Georgia and blowout win over App State. Are the Tigers nonetheless a legit risk within the ACC and Playoff race? The unfold on this one suggests as a lot. Both manner, Saturday’s outcome ought to get us just a little nearer to these solutions.
Line: Clemson -20.5
Clemson QB Cade Klubnik threw for a career-high 378 yards on a 92.3 % completion fee in opposition to App State. (Alex Hicks Jr. / USA Right this moment Sports activities through Imagn Photographs)
8. Arkansas (2-1) at Auburn (2-1), 3:30 pm, ESPN
It’s robust to correctly articulate in textual content, however this recreation simply looks like leaf-changing school soccer within the fall. The sport is on ESPN now as a substitute of CBS, neither group is anticipated to be within the combine for the SEC title or CFP, Arkansas’ Sam Pittman is on the new seat — however there’s an ineffable nostalgia hit with this matchup. It needs to be an attention-grabbing quarterback matchup between Arkansas’ dual-threat Taylen Inexperienced and Auburn redshirt freshman Hank Brown, who threw 4 touchdowns in his first begin in opposition to New Mexico final week. Each groups have gantlet schedules forward and will actually use a win to maintain followers from getting stressed.
Line: Auburn -3
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How about Kenny Dillingham and the Solar Devils? The second-year head coach has ASU — picked useless final within the Large 12 preseason ballot — off to an undefeated begin with three stable wins, together with a barnburner over Texas State final Thursday. Quarterback Sam Leavitt has been workmanlike, working again Cam Skattebo is a wrecking ball, and Dillingham’s dedication to recruiting Texas is already paying dividends. Whether or not ASU could make any noise within the Large 12 race stays to be seen, nevertheless it may begin in opposition to a puzzling Texas Tech group that escaped in extra time in opposition to Abilene Christian, acquired smoked by Wazzu after which hung 66 on North Texas.
Line: Texas Tech -3
6. Georgia Tech (3-1) at No. 19 Louisville (2-0), 3:30 pm, ESPN2
Georgia Tech acquired proper with a blowout over VMI following the shut loss to Syracuse, and with a quick keep within the High 25, it’s clear the Yellow Jackets are higher than most anticipated this season. However Louisville is the group I’m extra inquisitive about. The Cardinals have climbed into the highest 20 nearly by default on the energy of simple wins over Austin Peay and Jacksonville State. Switch quarterback Tyler Shough has impressed in opposition to inferior competitors, however with a highway journey to Notre Dame subsequent week, this recreation ought to present a a lot better sense of how viable an ACC and Playoff contender Louisville will be this season.
Line: Louisville -10.5
5. No. 8 Miami (3-0) at South Florida (2-1), 7 p.m., ESPN
Mario Cristobal’s year-three warpath makes an intriguing cease in Tampa. Quarterback Cam Ward has been spectacular for the Hurricanes, rating second in FBS in passing yards, first in passing touchdowns, third in yards per try and fourth in QB score, lifting Miami into the highest 10. However now it has to face a USF squad that gave Alabama matches for 3 1/2 quarters. Bulls quarterback Byrum Brown has run the ball successfully however struggled by the air, and USF’s protection fissured late in opposition to the Tide, permitting 21 factors over the ultimate six minutes. A decisive highway win, in prime time on ESPN, would shift the Miami hype prepare into excessive gear.
Line: Miami -16.5
Cam Ward transferred to Miami from Washington State within the offseason and is main the Hurricanes towards their CFP hopes. (Sam Navarro / Imagn Photographs)
4. No. 24 Illinois (3-0) at No. 22 Nebraska (3-0), 8 p.m. Friday, Fox
The ranked Large Ten matchup you didn’t know you wanted in your life. Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola and his Patrick Mahomes cosplay will get one other flip within the highlight Friday evening in opposition to the undefeated Illini. Raiola has been spectacular for a real freshman with heavy expectations and a fan base that’s determined to return to profitable soccer. The Cornhuskers haven’t been to a bowl recreation in seven seasons, haven’t crushed a ranked group since 2016 and haven’t finished so at residence since 2011. Enter an Illinois group that’s second in FBS with a plus-8 turnover margin. The Illini haven’t been elite in different areas to this point however are stout sufficient to maintain the optimism in Lincoln on excessive alert.
Line: Nebraska -8.5
3. No. 11 USC (2-0) at No. 18 Michigan (2-1), 3:30 p.m., CBS
It’s Alex Orji time for Michigan. The speedy junior takes over at quarterback for Davis Warren, who threw six interceptions in three video games on the helm of a dismal offense. Can Orji present sufficient of a spark to show issues round? The Wolverines are a house underdog for the second time in three weeks. They acquired clobbered by Texas in Week 2 and now get USC coming off an idle week. The Trojans are surging in The Athletic’s Playoff projector after the opening-week win over LSU and with what appears to be like to be a a lot improved protection underneath new coordinator D’Anton Lynn. A highway victory over Michigan would additional enhance these CFP hopes, particularly with a good schedule the remainder of the way in which: no Ohio State, no Oregon, and Penn State, Nebraska and Notre Dame all at residence.
Line: USC -6
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2. No. 12 Utah (3-0) at No. 14 Oklahoma State (3-0), 4 p.m., Fox
Utah quarterback Cam Rising is anticipated to play after struggling an harm to his throwing hand within the Week 2 win over Baylor. The Utes have been predictably robust on protection and stay the highest-ranked group within the Large 12 however are touring into the thunderdome of Stillwater. The Pokes have been considerably of an enigma. Doak Walker-winning working again Ollie Gordon II has been principally held in examine, averaging simply 3.5 yards per carry, however seventh-year quarterback Alan Bowman has picked up the slack. Bowman is sixth in FBS in passing yards together with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. This can be a essential stretch for Oklahoma State, which travels to Kansas State subsequent week and remains to be with out star linebacker Collin Oliver. With Utah headed to Arizona subsequent week, we must always have a greater deal with on the highest of the Large 12 by the top of the month.
Line: Utah -2.5
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1. No. 6 Tennessee (3-0) at No. 15 Oklahoma (3-0), 7:30 p.m., ABC
The massive storyline is Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel returning to Oklahoma, the place he quarterbacked this system to a nationwide championship and was later fired as offensive coordinator. Joe Rexrode penned a terrific retrospective on how the reunion has unfolded for all concerned (labored out for Tennessee!), in addition to the stakes for a recreation Joe describes as an “early School Soccer Playoff clarifier.” The Vols appear to be a wagon, main the FBS in factors per recreation at 63.7. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s 10.4 yards per try ranks eighth amongst all quarterbacks and the offense is averaging 8.1 yards per play. The Sooners are on the opposite finish of the spectrum, averaging simply 4.9 yards per play underneath quarterback Jackson Arnold, who’s averaging 5.6 yards per try and nonetheless looking for his groove. (Doubtlessly getting broad receivers Nic Anderson and Andrel Anthony again from harm may assistance on that entrance.) Brent Venables’ protection has been stable, nevertheless it’s Tennessee that’s permitting 3.1 yards per play and 4.3 factors per recreation, each within the prime three in FBS. ESPN’s “School GameDay” heads to Norman to see if the Sooners can decelerate Tennessee within the first SEC showdown for Oklahoma.
Line: Tennessee -7
(High photograph of Jackson Arnold: Aaron M. Sprecher / Getty Photographs)
