Now, four weeks deep into the college football season, the preseason pretenders are getting exposed, and the legit contenders are climbing the AP Poll. All those preseason top-10 squads, like Dabo Swinney’s Clemson and South Carolina, are slipping out of the rankings. Although Week 4 didn’t bring the same level of chaos as Week 3 or earlier Saturdays, it still served up plenty of storylines and tea.

Brent Venables’ defense spoiled Jackson Arnold’s homecoming, Curt Cignetti kept flexing his “Google me, I win” reputation, and Nebraska’s Top 25 dreams got buried under Biff Poggi’s play-calling. It wasn’t an all-out brawl weekend, but enough happened to shake the tree. So, let’s run through how the AP Top 25 may look after Week 4.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

Ryan Day and his Buckeyes are chilling on top after a 37-9 handling of their little in-state brother team (Ohio) in Week 3 and a bye this past weekend. They’re sitting at 3-0, still flexing the Week 1 dub over preseason-ranked No. 1 Texas that stamped them as early kings of the hill. By the looks of the schedule, Ohio State isn’t in the mood to hand the crown over anytime soon. Next stop? A trip to Seattle to open Big Ten play against the washed-up Washington.

2. Penn State Nittany Lions

James Franklin’s team was on a bye this week. However, everyone’s eyes are locked on what’s next. The annual White Out game against the unlimited-resourced Oregon. Penn State closed non-conference play at 3-0, fresh off a 52-6 beatdown of Villanova. The Nittany Lions look good, but Franklin’s history is a dark cloud. He’s 13-27 against top 25 teams. QB Drew Allar has been solid but inconsistent, and that O-line hasn’t looked this airtight.

3. LSU Tigers

Peaceful day at the office for the Tigers. Brian Kelly’s squad just got themselves a stat-padding scrimmage against Southeastern Louisiana, rolling 56-10. Garrett Nussmeier threw 3 TDs and finally looked like a Heisman-caliber baller. LSU is 4-0 for the first time since their 2019 natty run, and the Tigers feel like they’re quietly cooking something dangerous in Brian Kelly’s year 4.

4. Miami Hurricanes

This squad is the closest we can see to the early 2000s convict-filled Hurricanes. They smacked Florida 26-7 at Hard Rock, keeping that perfect record alive at 4-0. Their defense was suffocating. Florida went 0-for-13 on third downs. Carson Beck had a slightly above-average game, but the real story is this defense looking like old-school Miami. The Canes now ride an 11-game home win streak, and history says when Miami is top 5 at home, they don’t lose. They’re looking like the most stacked team in the state of Florida right now.

5. Georgia Bulldogs

Kirby Smart and his Dawgs got a bye week to exhale after last week’s 44-41 OT thriller over Tennessee. That game-of-the-year win showed us two things: Georgia’s still got that championship DNA, and the defense isn’t as invincible as it used to be. The bye came at the perfect time with Alabama creeping in Week 5. Last year’s heartbreaking loss to Bama is still on their minds. Kirby Smart has some scores to settle next week.

6. Oregon Ducks

Nike-backed Oregon Ducks straight-up bullied their little brother (Oregon State) in Week 4. The Ducks turned Autzen into a playground, steamrolling the Beavers 41-7 and keeping their perfect 4-0 record alive. Dante Moore was in his bag, slinging for 305 yards and a career-high four touchdowns, each one to a different receiver, just to spread the love. Oregon’s offense was cooking at every level, racking up 585 total yards without a single turnover. Their Week 5 trip to Penn State is the definition of must-watch. The winner probably takes a front seat in the playoff race.

7. Oklahoma Sooners

John Mateer is starting to look like the love child of Johnny Manziel and Baker Mayfield. Oklahoma edged Auburn 24-17. The Little Elm native threw for 271 yards, ran in a 9-yard game-sealer, and had Sooner Nation believing in Brent Venables’s dream of bringing soul back to the Sooners. All due respect and props to Money Mateer. The defense stole the show. Ten sacks. TEN. Poor Jackson Arnold probably still has turf in his teeth. And at 4-0, with the hardest schedule in America, the Sooners went from pre-season lamb to hungry wolf.

8. Florida State Seminoles

FSU made Kent State look like a JV squad, winning 66-10 with 498 rushing yards—yes, almost 500 yards on the ground. Eight rushing TDs. Tommy Castellanos barely had to throw (205 yards, 10/13 passing). That’s how easy it was. People low-key forgot about their 2-10 season. The defense isn’t getting enough love either—they held Kent State to just 206 total yards.

9. Texas Longhorns

Not a good day for Arch Manning haters and critics. Arch Manning was straight dealing in Week 4, leading the Texas Longhorns to a dominant 55-0 shutout of Sam Houston State and posting his best numbers yet — 18-for-21 passing for 309 yards and three touchdowns before snubbing himself. The only question is, can Arch Manning ball when the time comes?

10. Indiana Hoosiers

The Indiana Hoosiers pulled off a jaw-dropping performance in Week 4, obliterating the #9 Illinois Fighting Illini 63-10 at home. It marked Indiana’s most lopsided win over a top-10 foe in the last five years. Golden Bear transfer Fernando Mendoza looked like the most accurate QB in the CFB, throwing for 267 yards and five touchdowns while completing 21 of 23 passes, including a streak of 17 straight.

11. Texas A&M Aggies

The Aggies took Week 4 off, but nobody forgot their Week 3 fireworks—a 41-40 stunner over Notre Dame. QB Marcel Reed’s late-game heroics (360 yards, two TDs) put them on the national radar. That was A&M’s first top-10 non-conference dub since 1979. They’re 3-0, feeling themselves, and Auburn’s up next.

12. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Big oil money is really making waves in Lubbock! Texas Tech’s impressive $35 million roster rolled into Salt Lake City and took down Kyle Whittingham’s Utah team with a solid 34-10 win. Who saw that coming? The Utes were averaging over 500 yards per game, but Tech managed to hold them to just 263. The Big Noon Kickoff didn’t go that well for the Utes. But there’s more to play. For the Red Raiders? The sky is the limit.

13. Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss is cruising at 4-0 after slapping Tulane 45-10. Trinidad Chambliss continues to look like one of the steals of the year—307 yards passing, two TDs, plus 112 rushing yards. Trinidad is out there looking like the best dual-threat in the country by miles. The Rebels’ defense also flexed, holding Tulane to 282 yards. They’ve got No. 3-ranked LSU up next, and you can already smell the fireworks. Lane Kiffin’s offense vs. Brian Kelly’s defense—it’s box office.

14. Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama football caught a much-needed breather in Week 4, using the bye to rest up after back-to-back dubs and gear up for a massive road trip to face #3 Georgia in Week 5. Sitting at 2-1, ranked No. 14, Alabama’s entire season might hinge on what happens in Athens. If they lose, Kalen DeBoer is back on the hot seat.

15. Tennessee Volunteers

Josh Heupel’s squad bounced back in a big way, torching UAB 56-24. It was Heupel’s 40th win with Tennessee, making him the fourth-fastest Vols coach to hit that milestone. The offense exploded pretty early, scoring TDs on 6 of their first seven drives. Sun Belt transfer QB Joey Aguilar has been balling this season. Legit winner of Nico vs. Joey. The gunslinger threw over 500 yards across the last 2 weeks and almost beat Kirby Smart last week—safe to say, they’re right where they want to be.

16. Iowa State Cyclones

Even with the Week 4 bye, Iowa State’s been out here playing straight Rocky Balboa ball—going 12 rounds with anybody, no matter the weight class. Yes, they were off the grid this past weekend, catching a much-deserved breather. Matt Campbell needs to sort some stuff out at Ames. But at 4-0, the Cyclones are riding high and looking every bit like one of the most lethal squads to beat in the Big 12.

17. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

The Jackets are on a roll! Georgia Tech took down Temple 45-24 at Bobby Dodd Stadium, and it wasn’t as close as the score suggests. Haynes King was on fire, racking up three total touchdowns, and Malachi Hosley added two more on the ground. They jumped out to a quick 21-0 lead and put the game away with a 47-yard run late in the fourth quarter. Now sitting at 4-0, the Jackets are heading to Wake Forest next, and that shouldn’t be too tough a game for them.

18. Michigan Wolverines

No Sherrone Moore? No problem. Associate HC Biff Poggi had the Wolverines rolling, letting Bryce Underwood work his natural self. Two things stood out. Michigan’s run game. They had 286 rushing yards to Nebraska’s 43. They were well supported by the defense that suffocated Dylan Raiola at every chance they got. The Huskers’ QB’s stats may look good thanks to a Hail Mary touchdown and a drive at the end of the 4th quarter, but if you are Poggi, you’d be delighted to see Michigan back to its identity. Hard, physical football.

19. Vanderbilt Commodores

Safe to say, Vandy is straight-up wilding this year. The Commodores dropped 70 on Georgia State, winning 70-21 at home. They somehow put up 42 points by halftime, scored on basically every early drive, and Diego Pavia ran the show until he got to chill in the third. At 4-0, this doesn’t look like the same old Vandy by any means—this looks like a program in the middle of a generational run.

20. Missouri Tigers

The #23 Missouri Tigers battled back to take a hard-fought 29-20 win over South Carolina in their Week 4 SEC opener, keeping their perfect 4-0 streak alive. Down 14-12 at the half, the Tigers leaned on their bruising run game. Ahmad Hardy ran for 138 yards like a freight train, and a defense that straight-up shut down the Gamecocks’ ground attack.

21 Notre Dame (Fighting Irish)

The Irish finally got the monkey off their back, snapping a 0-2 start by blasting Purdue 56-30 at home. C.J. Carr was sharp, hitting 10-of-12 for 223 yards and two scores, including a bomb to Malachi Fields on the opening play. Jadarian Price went full Ashton Jeanty-esque mode with four touchdowns—including a 100-yard kick return—while Jeremiyah Love bulldozed for 157 yards and two more scores. A lightning delay couldn’t even stop the party in South Bend.

22. USC Trojans

The Trojans finally cracked the Top 25, but it came with a price. Ja’Kobi Lane was sidelined, and Michigan State actually made them sweat early. Jayden Maiava had to scramble and hit Makai Lemon on a 40-yarder to settle things. USC didn’t look like they were in trouble, even though Michigan State put up 31 points.

23 TCU Horned Frogs

The Frogs sent the “Iron Skillet” rivalry out in style, beating SMU 35-24 in the last meeting of the series. Josh Hoover threw for 379 yards and five touchdowns, while Eric McAlister went full cheat code with 254 yards and three scores on just eight catches. The vibes were all TCU, and the social team had fun clowning SMU online after. At 3-1, the Frogs are cooking with some serious offensive firepower.

24. BYU Cougars

Bear Bachmeier’s first road start? Easy money. 246 passing yards, one touchdown, and another on the ground. LJ Martin chipped in a 41-yard score, too. The Cougars slapped ECU 34-13; LJ Martin kept his hot streak alive with a third straight 100-yard game and a 41-yard house call. The defense was the closer, with back-to-back picks from Evan Johnson, including a pick-six before halftime.

25. Auburn Tigers

Jackson Arnold’s homecoming was a nightmare. Auburn dropped its SEC opener 24-17 to Oklahoma, but the real story was how badly Jackson Arnold got beat up. Facing his old team, Arnold got sacked a school-record 10 times, and the Sooners sealed it with a late safety. Auburn showed fight to keep it close, but the fourth quarter turned into Sack City.