B/R's 2026 College Football Experts Top 25 Rankings After Week 4

Forgive the cliche on the final regular-season weekend of the Major League Baseball, but college football really gave us its fastball on Saturday.

The early season was nice, but this weekend handed us six – yes, SIX – games between ranked opponents, and many of them delivered.

Texas survived a late comeback attempt by Tennessee and swatted away a last-second Hail Mary to win by three in Knoxville to start the day. Then, Florida whacked Ole Miss in a return-to-glory game for the Gators. Iowa completed a last-second, 16-yard scoring strike to stun Michigan and give us the game of the day.

The nightcap served LSU's domination of Texas A&M, but the Oregon-USC game was strong until late, as was Missouri-Mississippi State. It was a separation Saturday that positioned teams for the midseason conference surge.

We tried to make sense of it all. Now, it's time for Bleacher Report's updated top-25 ranking, with college football writing staff members David Kenyon, Adam Kramer and Brad Shepard making up this week's voting panel.

Nos. 25-21

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25. Boise State Broncos (3-1 Previous Rank: NR)

Week 4 Result: WIN vs. Western Michigan (32-7)
Next Week: vs. Utah State

There are several Group of Six beasts this year who could wind up in the College Football Playoff, but Boise State has looked like the best of the bunch so far as far as on-field resume.

Despite a close loss to Oregon, the Broncos are still taking care of business. They hosted fellow mid-major powerhouse Western Michigan on Saturday and won handily. Maddux Madsen had three scoring tosses, and the Boise defense allowed just 223 total Western Michigan yards in a big out-of-conference win.

24. Cincinnati Bearcats (4-0 Previous Rank: NR)

Week 4 Result: WIN vs. Kansas State (31-26)
Next Week: at Arizona

Nobody expected Scott Satterfield's Cincinnati Bearcats to be unbeaten at this point of the season, but they handled a back-and-forth battle with Kansas State to come away with a win.

The running back tandem of Gi'Bran Payne (126 yards) and Cole Tabb (124 yards, 3 TDs) ran all over the Wildcats, and Cincinnati held home serve in a big early-season Big 12 game. The biggest takeaway here is the Bearcats are 4-0 for the first time since 2021, and there's finally excitement in the Queen City.

23. Missouri Tigers (3-1 Previous Rank: 20)

Week 4 Result: LOSS at Mississippi State (31-24)
Next Week: vs. Florida

There's no real shame in Missouri going to Starkville and losing to an upstart Mississippi State team that may be the biggest turnaround in the nation, but it was a missed opportunity for Eli Drinkwitz's bunch.

The Tigers held a fourth-quarter lead but allowed Kamario Taylor to lead the Bulldogs on two fourth-quarter scoring drives to pull ahead. They had two shots at the end to tie the game, but Austin Simmons couldn't lead them in the end zone.

Mizzou has now lost six straight ranked games, and Drinkwitz and Co. need injured RB Ahmad Hardy back soon.

22. Oregon Ducks (3-1, Previous Rank: NR)

Week 4 Result: WIN vs. USC (41-27)
Next Week: BYE

If Oregon rebounds from an early-season loss to Oklahoma State and contends for the College Football Playoff, backup Dylan Raiola is going to be a key reason why.

Following a vicious hit from Desmond Stephens, Ducks starter Dante Moore left Saturday's game against USC on a stretcher, but Raiola entered and didn't miss a beat, completing 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards and a pair of scores and looked great doing it.

The backfield tandem of Jordon Davison (66 yards, TD) and Dierre Hill Jr. (63 yards, 2 TDs) provided plenty of assistance as Raiola and Co. outdueled Jayden Maiava and the Trojans in the Coliseum. The win puts Oregon back on the national spectrum.

21. Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-1, Previous Rank: NR)

Week 4 Result: WIN at West Virginia (41-24)
Next Week: BYE

The turnaround in Stillwater is real with first-year coach Eric Morris and Oklahoma State. The Cowboys took their high-flying attack on the road Saturday against previously unbeaten West Virginia and won.

Morgantown is never an easy place to win, and the Cowboys defeated the Mountaineers in a shootout clash of offensive styles. Drew Mestemaker threw for 389 yards and three touchdowns, and his former North Texas teammate Caleb Hawkins rushed for 180 as Oklahoma State continued to roll.

They're a dangerous team in the Big 12 that already has put the season-opening loss to Tulsa behind them.

Nos. 20-16

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20. USC Trojans (4-1, Previous Rank: 8)

Week 4 Result: LOSS vs. Oregon (41-27)
Next Week: vs. Washington

Gary Patterson's defense couldn't get the stops it needed to help out Jayden Maiava's high-octane offense, and USC dropped its first game of the year.

In what was a set-the-tone Big Ten battle between two old Pac-12 rivals, the Trojans had the upper hand on paper after Dante Moore's night was cut short by injury, but Ducks backup Dyland Raiola was just as good.

The Trojans slugged back and forth with Maiava throwing for 326 yards and a pair of touchdowns and freshman phenom Kayden Dixon-Wyatt amassing 114 receiving yards. But USC failed to stop Raiola and Oregon throughout a fast-paced second half.

19. UCLA Bruins (4-0, Previous Rank: NR)

Week 4 Result: WIN at Maryland (54-3)
Next Week: BYE

The Bob Chesney impact on UCLA is very real, and the Bruins make their debut on our top-25 list this week after going across country and demoralizing Maryland at home, 54-3. The Bruins intercepted Malik Washington four times – two of which (Ta'Shawn James and Scooter Jackson) were returned for touchdowns. They also piled up 266 rushing yards and poured it on.

18. Tennessee Volunteers (3-1, Previous Rank: 14)

Week 4 Result: LOSS vs. Texas (20-17)
Next Week: vs. Auburn

Tennessee's offense played horrifically until a quick-strike touchdown against soft-zone defense trimmed a 10-point lead to three with less than 2 minutes to go. Then, all heck broke loose with a recovered onside kick. But freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon (11-of-29 145 yards TD) ended a forgettable day as his Hail Mary was batted down by Jelani McDonald as the clock expired. 

Jim Knowles' brilliant defense is a shining spot for the Vols, but 221 offensive yards aren't going to cut it in SEC play.

T-16. Virginia Tech Hokies (4-0, Previous Rank: 19)

Week 4 Result: WIN at Boston College (21-14)
Next Week: vs. Pittsburgh (Friday)

Jeffrey Overton Jr. (25 carries, 205 yards, two touchdowns) pulled away from Boston College's defense with a 76-yard fourth-quarter scoring run to help the Hokies pull ahead and beat the Eagles in a game that was ugly because of the nor'easter pummeling Massachusetts. In a game Hokies coach James Franklin dubbed the "Tsunami Bowl," Tech survived by doing just enough and getting Overton's big play when it needed it most.

T-16. Duke Blue Devils (4-0, Previous Rank: 23)

Week 4 Result: WIN vs. William & Mary (62-7)
Next Week: BYE

Duke kept its run alive of being one of the nation's most surprising early-season teams as William & Mary did nothing to derail a Blue Devils offensive attack that hasn't missed a beat in the post-Darian Mensah era.

It's been the Nate Sheppard show so far this year, and though the sophomore running back eclipsed 100 yards with a season-low total of 119, this was transfer quarterback Walker Eget's game. He threw a pair of scoring strikes, and backup Dan Mahan added three of his own as the Blue Devils stayed unbeaten.

Duke's one worth watching.

Nos. 15-11

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15. Ole Miss Rebels (3-1, Previous Rank: 5)

Week 4 Result: LOSS at Florida (52-28)
Next Week: BYE

Last week, Ole Miss was the talk of the nation. This week, they will be as well – for all the wrong reasons.

Pete Golding has some massive defensive issues after failing to slow Florida. The Gators piled up 302 rushing yards and 498 total yards to annihilate the Rebels, setting off a party in Gainesville.

Trinidad Chambliss was terrific again, leading the team with 298 passing yards, 44 rushing yards and a trio of touchdowns, but without the Robin to his Batman – RB Kewan Lacy – Ole Miss was rendered one-dimensional and couldn't keep pace with Florida's firepower.

It was a major letdown for the Rebs.

14. Iowa Hawkeyes (4-0, Previous Rank: 18)

Week 4 Result: Win at Michigan (20-19)
Next Week: vs. Ohio State

In "one we will remember," according to Kirk Ferentz to CBS, Iowa used a pair of improbable passing plays to cover the final 45 yards of a game-winning drive, capping it with a last-play touchdown to beat Michigan with no time left on the clock.

Hank Brown hit Addison Ostrenga for a 29-yard completion in a ball the tight end tipped to himself down to the 16-yard line with 2 seconds left. Then Brown found Reece Vander Zee (66 yards, two TDs) in the end zone for a toe-tapping, go-ahead score to keep the Hawkeyes unbeaten.

13. Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-0, Previous Rank: 12)

Week 4 Result: WIN vs. Sam Houston  (49-14)
Next Week: at Colorado

There haven't been many style points from Texas Tech in the early season, but the Red Raiders are finding ways to win despite the lack of flash. Linebacker Austin Romaine grabbed pick-sixes on two consecutive Sam Houston passes to pull the Red Raiders ahead by a touchdown in a shaky first half. They pulled away afterward to win easily, but three first-half interceptions from Will Hammond (17-of-29, 224) are a red flag.

12. Utah Utes (4-0, Previous Rank: 13)

Week 4 Result: WIN at Iowa State (31-17)
Next Week: BYE

Big 12 sleeper Utah stormed out to a strong start and sweated out an Iowa State comeback to win by a couple of touchdowns.

Running back Wayshawn Parker's career-high 174 rushing yards and three scores began with a 54-yard scoring scamper on the Utes' first play from scrimmage to help them build a three-touchdown lead at the break.

Three Utah punts and some terrific plays from Iowa State quarterback Jaylen Raynor closed the gap, but Devon Dampier (227 total yards, 2 TDs) led a final TD drive to keep the Utes' streak of 30-plus points alive. They have the longest active FBS streak with 10-straight games hitting that mark.

11. LSU Tigers (3-1, Previous Rank: 10)

Week 4 Result: WIN vs. Texas A&M (35-6)
Next Week: vs. McNeese

Heading back to Death Valley, the LSU Tigers weren't licking their wounds long after last week's loss to Ole Miss. They got well in a big way against a struggling Texas A&M team in a lopsided win.

The victory puts the Bayou Bengals back on track, and they looked more like the juggernauts they showed before the trip to Oxford. Quarterback Sam Leavitt (312 yards, 2 TDs) had his best passing game, even without Trey'Dez Green, and LSU's defense smothered Marcel Reed.

It looks like Lane Kiffin's Tigers are going to be in the SEC mix deep into the season.

Nos. 10-6

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10. BYU Cougars (3-0, Previous Rank: 11)

Week 4 Result: BYE
Next Week: at TCU

Perhaps the team ranked the highest that we know least about right now is the BYU Cougars, who didn't play this weekend but will see competition ramp up a bit next week with a trip to Fort Worth to take on TCU.

Beating Utah Tech, Arizona and Colorado State isn't exactly a Murderer's Row of opponents, but the duo of QB Bear Bachmeier and RB LJ Martin have again put coach Kalani Sitake's in position to make noise in the Big 12.

9. Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-0, Previous Rank: 17)

Week 4 Result: WIN vs. Missouri (31-24)
Next Week: vs. Alabama

As bad as Mississippi State was a season ago record-wise, the Bulldogs were close to breaking out early in painful one-score losses. This year, they look battle-tested and just keep responding with big wins.

Of course, quarterback Kamario Taylor has taken college football by storm, and he added another chapter to that Saturday night in Starkville, throwing for 360 yards and three touchdowns. He led the Bulldogs back from seven down in the fourth quarter to beat ranked Missouri with two late touchdowns.

The final dagger came when he hit Sanfrisco Magee with a 24-yard scoring strike with 3:57 left. MSU's defense then turned away a late Mizzou drive, and the Bulldogs got their first win as a ranked team over a ranked opponent since 2014, the longest such streak in the Associated Press poll era.

8. Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0, Previous Rank: 9)

Week 4 Result: WIN vs. South Carolina (49-18)
Next Week: at Mississippi State

The last two times Alabama met South Carolina, the game came down to one possession. That was far from the case Saturday night in Tuscaloosa.

Though the Crimson Tide's rushing game continues to be up-and-down, redshirt freshman quarterback Keelon Russell is turning into a star before our eyes. He's a special talent who had his best game against the Gamecocks, completing 21 of 27 passes for 361 yards and four touchdowns while running for 35 and another score.

Russell spread the ball around to nine different receivers, and they harassed LaNorris Sellers, who had a steady game but couldn't do enough to keep the Gamecocks close.

7. Florida Gators (4-0, Previous Rank: 24)

Week 4 Result: WIN vs. Ole Miss (52-28)
Next Week: at Missouri

Don't look now, but the Florida Gators are back under first-year coach Jon Sumrall. Ole Miss had no answers in the Swamp as Florida stunned the Rebels, dominating from the opening drive.

There was no resistance for a Rebels team that beat LSU on the national stage last week but suffered an emotional letdown against a Gators team that looks ready to surprise everybody right now.

The RB Jadan Baugh (142 yards, 3 TDs)-Duke Clark (126 yards, TD) duo was scintillating, and they outshone Trinidad Chambliss in an Ole Miss offense rendered one-dimensional without RB Kewan Lacy. This Florida team is legit and skyrocketed up the rankings.

6. Ohio State Buckeyes (3-1, Previous Rank: 7)

Week 4 Result: WIN vs. Illinois (42-19)
Next Week: at Iowa

Illinois, welcome to the "I Can't Guard Jeremiah Smith" Club. The phenomenal junior set a school record with four scoring grabs to go along with 12 catches and 217 yards, and Julian Sayin (27-of-36, 367 yards, five total touchdowns) looked brilliant as the Buckeyes pulled away from the Illini to open Big Ten play with a win for the 15th consecutive season.

5. Indiana Hoosiers (4-0, Previous Rank: 6)

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Week 4 Result: WIN vs. Northwestern (29-23)
Next Week: at Rutgers

If the national champion Indiana Hoosiers need a wake-up call, they may have received one Friday night.

The Hoosiers got all they could handle from Northwestern, sweating out a one-score win that actually shrank to 15-13 lead in the fourth quarter as Wildcats offensive coordinator Chip Kelly dialed up some scores behind Aidan Chiles' arm (22-of-29 293 yards, two TDs).

With leading rusher Turbo Richard leaving the game with injury early, coach Curt Cignetti called on Lee Beebe Jr., who answered with 203 yards and a touchdown as IU survived. 

As a result of some movement at the top, though, the Hoosiers are actually elevated a spot on the list, though Cignetti would probably tell you they don't deserve to be ranked this high. IU may not have won prettily, but until somebody knocks them off, they're still national champs.

4. Miami Hurricanes (4-0, Previous Rank: 4)

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Week 4 Result: WIN  vs. Central Michigan (52-3)
Next Week: at Clemson

Last week, everybody was talking about Trinidad Chambliss as the Heisman Trophy leader after Ole Miss' win over LSU, but don't forget about Darian Mensah. He's been almost perfect this season.

He dominated the Chippewas on Saturday, throwing for 338 yards, throwing three touchdown passes and running for another one while throwing just four incompletions. The most ridiculous stat is those misses dropped his completion percentage from 89.9 percent to 88.7 percent. 

Malachi Toney grabbed six of those catches for 120 yards and a touchdown, and Miami cruised to a tuneup victory over a MAC opponent with an interesting trip to an improving Clemson team next week.

There weren't many issues for Mario Cristobal's team to work on Saturday, but if Mensah keeps doing this next week, he'll surge to the top of the trophy talk.

3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-0, Previous Rank: 3)

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Week 4 Result: WIN at Purdue (49-10)
Next Week: at North Carolina

Notre Dame just continues to churn out wins, led by a defense that is among the nation's best. A trip to West Lafayette, Indiana, to face Purdue did nothing to derail that train as the Irish cruised to an easy win over the Boilermakers. 

Purdue's only touchdown was in garbage time, as the Irish allowed just 218 total yards while piling up 444 of their own.

As for the Fighting Irish offense, the stats weren't the best, but it's because they basically ran out the second half after a four-touchdown second quarter led to a 35-0 halftime lead. CJ Carr threw for 237 yards and a trio of touchdowns in the win.

Aneyas Williams (80 yards) led a balanced rushing attack that finished with 177 yards, but this isn't last year's ground-and-pound Irish team. Things will get tougher in Chapel Hill next week.

2. Texas Longhorns (4-0, Previous Rank: 1)

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Week 4 Result: WIN at Tennessee (20-17)
Next Week: BYE

Colin Simmons set a school record with five of Texas' 10 sacks, and the Longhorns smothered Tennessee and freshman QB Faizon Brandon in front of a checkerboard crowd and GameDay atmosphere. 

The 'Horns looked fast and elite on defense also allowing just 70 yards on 44 carries (1.6 average), but some gaffes salting the game away nearly led to a disaster.

Texas allowed a quick-strike Tennessee score immediately after taking a 10-point lead in the waning minutes, then failed to recover an onside kick to allow Brandon a last-second heave into the end zone that Jelani McDonald batted away. 

Arch Manning (201 yards, INT) had another uneven game, but Raleek Brown (67 yards) scored a pair of touchdowns when points were at a premium to help the 'Horns survive.

There's plenty to clean up, but Texas gets to do so with an undefeated record.

1. Georgia Bulldogs (4-0, Previous Rank: 2)

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Week 4 Result: Win vs. Oklahoma (41-13)
Next Week: vs. Vanderbilt

Without question, the best-looking, most complete team in the country right now looks like the Georgia Bulldogs.

Against its first real test of the year, the Bulldogs jumped out to a big lead on the Sooners, then Chris Cole returned a John Mateer fumble 85 yards for a three-touchdown lead, and they never looked back in Athens.

Mateer lost a pair of fumbles, but Gunner Stockton continued his unassuming-but-effective style, completing his first nine passes on his way to a 171-yard game. Receiver Talyn Taylor (four catches, 110 yards, TD) had his breakout game, and UGA just continues to plow through opponents.

Meanwhile, the Sooners are searching for offensive answers with a rough schedule ahead.

B/R Top 25 Ranking After Week 4

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B/R Top 25

1. Georgia

2. Texas

3. Notre Dame

4. Miami

5. Indiana

6. Ohio State

7. Florida

8. Alabama

9. Mississippi State

10. BYU

11. LSU

12. Utah

13. Texas Tech

14. Iowa

15. Ole Miss

T-16. Duke

T-16. Virginia Tech

18. Tennessee

19. UCLA

20. USC

21. Oklahoma State

22. Oregon

23. Missouri

24. Cincinnati

25. Boise State

Others receiving votes: Nebraska, Pittsburgh