B/R's 2025 College Football Winners and Losers from Week 4
The Big 12 took center stage early in Week 4 of the college football season with some big-time matchups in that conference.
Texas Tech and TCU made waves and announced their presence on the national scene to get things started on Saturday. For the Red Raiders, annihilating Utah on the road was a major step forward for the program. The Horned Frogs exacted revenge against ACC foe SMU in another high-scoring game.
Meanwhile, outside of the Big 12, Clemson waited out a weather delay. Now, the Tigers and coach Dabo Swinney must weather the fallout from a 1-3 start after a horrible home loss to Syracuse, which looked like it lost quarterback Steve Angeli to injury.
Oklahoma followed with a statement win over Auburn, and Indiana turned a statement victory into an exclamation mark against Illinois. Miami found a way in a sloppy win over Florida, and there was a lot of action in between.
Let's take a look at winners and losers.
Winner: Texas Tech's Case for Big 12 Favorite
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Texas Tech is the perfect picture of an NIL era facelift.
Spending big on 21 transfers in the offseason to bring in the top-ranked group in that area and becoming more of a national player with top-tier recruits, Joey McGuire and the Red Raiders wanted to build a contender this offseason.
But none of that means anything without wins. On Saturday, the Red Raiders went into a hostile environment, overcame adversity and walked away from Salt Lake City with a 34-10 win over Utah.
The big-picture takeaway is that TTU is now a major contender—if not the favorite—in a wide-open Big 12 that Iowa State already has asserted itself in as a frontrunner. This is their first 4-0 start since 2013.
Starting quarterback Behren Morton exited a one-score game in the third quarter after taking an upper-body hit, but Class of 2024 4-star recruit Will Hammond came in and led an offense that looked better with him under center, completing 13-of-16 passes for 169 yards and a pair of scores.
The Red Raiders defense played brilliantly throughout the game, and Utah's collapsed late as a close game got away in the end. McGuire's team looks dangerous.
Loser: Dabo Swinney
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When you throw the kind of tantrum that Clemson coach Dabo Swinney did this week, your team had better go out and back you up.
Instead, the Tigers stunk in a stunning 34-21 loss to 17.5-point underdog Syracuse.
Now, a Clemson team that started the season ranked fourth nationally is 1-3 and not only out of the national picture, but, at 0-2 in the league, out of the ACC conversation.
They allowed a successful Syracuse onside kick, lost a fumble deep in their own territory, had four turnovers on downs and threw an interception in an undisciplined loss.
In case you missed it, Swinney went on an early-week rant that included, in part: "If they want me gone, if they're tired of winning, they can send me on my way, because that's all we've done is win."
Swinney should know he lives in a world of what-have-you-done-for-us-lately. In the new age of NIL and transfer portal, Swinney has been slow to adjust with his lack of focus on upgrading his roster from the portal and his mantra to pull scholarships from commitments who go on additional visits.
There's no doubt he's had a great career at Clemson, and Swinney is a Hall of Fame coach. But this is his worst start, and the standard he's built with the Tigers is now the expectation.
He isn't living up to it.
Winner: John Mateer's Clutch Gene
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John Mateer stole the storyline.
Auburn's trip to Oklahoma in a battle between ranked opponents was supposed to be about Tigers quarterback Jackson Arnold returning to Norman to take on his old Sooners team. He took the field to a chorus of boos and played a great game.
Instead, it became about the man who replaced Arnold. In a game largely dominated by the defenses, Mateer took the Sooners on his shoulders on a late go-ahead, fourth-quarter drive that went six plays and covered 75 yards to lead OU to a 24-17 win.
Auburn had just taken a one-point lead earlier, but Mateer continued to build his early-season Heisman Trophy resume. He had a hand in all six plays, completing all four of his passes on the drive for 62 yards and running twice for 13, including the 9-yard scramble for paydirt.
Mateer finished with 271 passing yards, added 29 rushing yards and accounted for a pair of touchdowns. Maybe those aren't "Wow" numbers, but the magic lies in the moment.
When the No. 11-ranked Sooners had to have a play, Mateer made it. That's why he should be the frontrunner for college football's top individual award at this point of the season.
A school-record 10 sacks by Oklahoma paved the road, and Mateer drove that semi truck right over Auburn.
Loser: Mike Gundy
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Two Power Four coaches already have lost their jobs this season with Virginia Tech and UCLA parting ways with Brent Pry and Deshaun Foster, respectively.
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy should be next.
After expressing frustration over his budget vs. Oregon's budget before the game against the Ducks and subsequently watching his Oklahoma State team get demoralized by 66 points, the Cowboys were back in action against Tulsa on Friday night.
In a game that really was never as close as the 19-12 final score would indicate, the Golden Hurricane dominated. They were 1-2 entering the game with a win over Abilene Christian and losses to New Mexico State and Navy. But new coach Tre Lamb took his team into Stillwater and got its first win there since 1951.
A Cowboys team that has an unfathomable 11 consecutive losses to FBS teams now got embarrassed by a Group of Five "little brother" with a new coach. That's unacceptable.
When you factor in Gundy has failed to embrace the NIL era and the program is getting left behind, it makes it even more obvious: The time has come to rip off the Band-Aid covering the sucking wound in Stillwater.
Winner: Eric McAlister
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There have been some massive receiving performances across the country this year in college football, but the one Eric McAlister had on Saturday ranks right up there.
In the last edition (for now) of the Iron Skillet rivalry between TCU and SMU, the Horned Frogs pass-catcher took a 5-yard slant 70 yards to the house for the go-ahead touchdown, then he added another one for 44 yards to put the game out of reach in TCU's 35-24 win.
The victory avenged last year's embarrassing 66-42 setback to the Mustangs and kept coach Sonny Dykes' team on an upward trajectory.
McAlister was the catalyst, catching eight balls for 254 yards and a trio of scores. The former Boise State standout showed his track speed on several occasions and is cementing himself as quarterback Josh Hoover's go-to target in his second season in Fort Worth.
Hoover threw for 379 yards and five touchdowns, and, much like Texas Tech, they look like a Big 12 beast that will be right in the thick of things until the end.
Dykes' tenure at the school after bolting SMU started hot with a national title game trip three years ago, and now, TCU looks like it could be back in the conversation again.
Loser: Arkansas' Game-Losing Miscue
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For the second week in a row, Arkansas was marching down the field for a late, go-ahead score on a drive where the Razorbacks offense looked unstoppable. Then, suddenly, the Hogs essentially stopped themselves.
On Saturday, they'd traveled to the Liberty Bowl to take on Memphis and led much of the game before the Tigers stormed back to take a one-point lead. But Chris Bracy stripped the ball from Mike Washington Jr., causing a fumble inside the Memphis 10-yard line, and the Tigers got a first down to stun the SEC foe, 32-31.
Last week, the Hogs were driving late when Jalen Brown coughed up the ball to Ole Miss to preserve the Rebels' win.
It's just yet another example of a Sam Pittman team seizing defeat from the jaws of victory.
Pittman's seat gets even hotter now in Fayetteville. Meanwhile, Memphis has joined South Florida, Tulane and James Madison as Group of Five teams to watch for that playoff spot.
Coach Ryan Silverfield's team got a massive home win against a Power Four foe.
Winner: Malik Washington
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Everybody knows about former top-ranked recruit and Michigan freshman sensation quarterback Bryce Underwood. But there's another first-year signal-caller taking the Big Ten by storm, too.
Maryland's Malik Washington has been a revelation thus far for the unbeaten Terrapins, who might be the conference's biggest early-season surprise.
After getting acclimated to start the season in games against Florida Atlantic, Northern Illinois and Towson, Washington and the Terps passed their first real test Saturday, going to Camp Randall and dominating Wisconsin, 27-10.
Washington threw a pair of touchdown tosses to Shaleak Knotts, ran for another one and wound up with 265 passing yards to lead Maryland to a nice road win. One throw had social media buzzing.
Competition certainly will tick up in future weeks against Washington, Nebraska, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan, but the former 4-star, big-armed youngster is passing the test so far.
This season, Washington has thrown for 1,038 yards, 10 total touchdowns against just one interception. This is a rising star you need to know about right now.
Loser: Tulane vs. SEC Test
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While Tulane hasn't exactly knocked down juggernauts the same way South Florida has, the Green Wave does boast early-season wins over Power 4 opponents Northwestern and Duke.
On Saturday, they tried for the trifecta in Oxford against Ole Miss. Things didn't go quite so well.
The Rebels continued to thrive in the Trinidad Chambliss Experiment, riding the revelation of the backup quarterback's revelry on the football field in a 45-10 domination of the Green Wave.
Coach Jon Sumrall's team is a great Group of Five team that's going to be right in the mix of the AAC race with USF and Memphis, and he will be a hot commodity for larger coaching vacancies later this season. But Tulane wasn't prepared for the athletes and scheme coach Lane Kiffin's Rebels threw at them.
Ole Miss is an interesting team, undefeated and now with an additional spark since Chambliss was inserted for an injured Austin Simmons. We really aren't sure what they are yet.
As for the Green Wave, we understand them fully. They're a quality program that can contend for that College Football Playoff spot. But even with Jake Retzlaff under center, they aren't quite ready for prime time just yet.
Winner: Justice Haynes and Michigan's Rushing Attack
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With Michigan coach Sherrone Moore beginning his mandatory suspension, interim coach Biff Poggi led the Wolverines into Nebraska.
The Wolverines' game plan revolved around good, old-fashioned, smackdown football. Thanks to a big-time ground attack, Michigan won a heavyweight Big Ten battle on the road, 30-27.
It was the 18th-consecutive loss for the Cornhuskers to a ranked opponent, but this was really about Michigan's masterful plan. Alabama transfer Justice Haynes enjoyed a monster game, finishing with 149 yards on an 8.8 average and scoring a touchdown.
Haynes has been a catalyst for the team since arriving, and he can be a game-changer. But he's far from Michigan's only weapon in the rushing attack.
Jordan Marshall would be a starter on a lot of teams, and he added 80 yards on just six carries in relief of Haynes, getting the massive first down with 1:34 left to help Michigan run out the clock. Also, scintillating freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood added 61 yards and took care of the football.
The result was the Wolverines getting one of those unsexy-but-successful victories that they've grown accustomed to with 286 rushing yards. As Underwood grows and matures in the offense, this is exactly the way Big Blue needs to navigate the schedule.
Credit to Poggi and Co. for doing what it took to escape Lincoln with a win.
Loser: Florida's Redemption Opportunity
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Billy Napier's scorching seat, DJ Lagway's sleep-walking start, Florida's forgettable opening month of the season—all could have been put on hold with a win over No. 4 Miami on Saturday night.
Instead, a squandered opportunity with the Hurricanes playing sloppily through a tropical rainstorm in Coral Gables magnifies everything wrong with the 2025 Gators.
Miami sputtered its way to a 26-7 win, but it wasn't easy. Carson Beck was ineffective, and snapping issues, penalties and general ineffective play kept the Gators hanging around after an 80-yard scoring drive cut the lead to six with 3:24 left in the third quarter.
But Lagway and Co. never could get closer. With their sophomore quarterback trying to mentally rebound after five interceptions against LSU last week, Florida was rendered largely one-dimensional against Miami's aggressive defense.
Lagway finished with just 61 passing yards, and Florida had 141 total yards, failing to convert a single third down in 13 tries. The Gators didn't have a turnover, but Miami didn't need one. Every time Florida had the ball, it seemed like a three-and-out followed closely.
Nothing gets easier for Napier's team either after starting 1-3. They had a chance to change the narrative a little against the 'Canes and get things moving in the right direction. Instead, they continued a spiral that could wind up leading to a losing record and a coaching search.
Winner: Indiana's Statement
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Everybody talks about Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Oregon in the Big Ten, but there's still a bit of a lack of respect for Indiana.
Sure, the Hoosiers made the College Football Playoff a year ago, but naysayers scoffed at IU's "soft" schedule and first-round exit. This year, there still aren't a lot of people talking about Curt Cignetti's team.
Maybe they will now.
Hosting ninth-ranked Illinois in Bloomington on Saturday night, the No. 19 Hoosiers manhandled Luke Altmyer and the Fighting Illini. They swarmed the quarterback all night, harassing him into quick throws in a 63-10 demoralization of Bret Bielema's team.
Offensively, first-year transfer Fernando Mendoza continued to prove he's an early-season sleeper for the Heisman Trophy, distributing the ball all over the field to the tune of 267 yards, five touchdowns and just two incompletions.
After Altmyer's deep touchdown pass in the first quarter, it wasn't ever really close. It was 35-10 at the break and Mendoza was nearly perfect (12-of-14 for 220 yards and four scores). After the break, the Hoosiers just kept pouring it on Illinois.
With Mendoza under center, IU actually looks better than it did a season ago. Don't sleep of Coach Cig's team making it back into the final 12.
Loser: South Carolina's Playoff Hopes
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The SEC's trendy College Football Playoff pick entering the season was Shane Beamer's South Carolina Gamecocks. Just a month into the season, that path winds through the woods of unlikeliness.
Last weekend, the Gamecocks couldn't overcome losing concussed quarterback LaNorris Sellers in a home loss to Vanderbilt. This week, they got Sellers back but had no answers for Missouri on the road in a 29-20 loss.
The Tigers struck transfer portal gold with quarterback Beau Pribula (Penn State) and running back Ahmad Hardy (Louisiana-Monroe) this offseason, and both were brilliant in the victory.
Hardy again proved he's one of the top runners in the nation with 138 yards and a score, and Pribula was a dual-threat diamond once again, accounting for 243 all-purpose yards and another score.
With Beamer's bunch going the way of hated rival Clemson into college football oblivion (for now) after being ranked in the top 10 following a Week 1 win over Virginia Tech, now the playoff attention shifts to Missouri.
The Tigers are a well-balanced bunch, and coach Eli Drinkwitz could get them there. At this point, they are no longer a sleeper.
Winner: Demond Williams Jr.
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It seems that Demond Williams Jr. gets lost in the conversation of the top young players in college football, but the Washington sophomore signal-caller belongs.
He proved that once again in Saturday night's runaway win over rival Washington State in the Apple Cup.
After the Huskies played around with the Cougars for a while despite being much more talented, Williams took over a one-touchdown game and turned it into a 59-24 blowout. He threw a trio of fourth-quarter touchdown passes to pull away.
Despite his diminutive 5'11", 190-pound stature, Williams has the potential to make a humongous impact on any game he plays.
Williams is a major reason why coach Jedd Fisch's team is a Big Ten sleeper in the second year of his tenure in Seattle. Williams was once an Arizona signee but followed Fisch north when he took the U-Dub job, and now, he is flashing why he was a hot commodity.
Against Wazzu, Williams finished with 386 total yards and five scores (one rushing), and for the year, he's played nearly flawlessly, nixing turnovers altogether and leading a veteran-laden team that also features star running back Jonah Coleman. This was his breakout performance.
There's a lot to like about the Huskies with their young, dynamic superstar at quarterback.
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