Viewers Guide and Picks (Week 4): Michigan-Nebraska, Illinois-Indiana

* Maryland at Wisconsin (-10), noon (NBC) – It's unclear whether former Maryland QB Billy Edwards Jr. will be cleared to play for the Badgers (2-1) against the Terrapins (3-0). If he can't go, the Badgers would go with backup Danny O'Neil. Wisconsin is 4-0 all-time against Maryland, with the last win coming in 2022 (23-10). The Badgers have to rebound after last week's thrashing at Alabama (38-14). If Maryland is any good (and there is some question about that after being untested in nonconference play), this one could go down to the wire. Wisconsin 27-20

* Texas Tech at Utah (-3), noon (FOX) – It's No. 17 Texas Tech at No. 16 Utah in a match-up of 3-0 teams in the Big 12 opener for both sides. Tech's best win is a 45-14 decision over Oregon State. Utah opened the season with a 43-10 rout at UCLA. Tech is averaging a robust 602.7 yards per game (second nationally), but Utah has been efficient as well at 517 ypg. Tech QB Behren Morton threw for 464 yards and four of his season total of 11 passing TDs in the win over Oregon State last Saturday. This is the teams' first meeting since 1973 and Tech's first visit ever to Salt Lake City. Should be one entertaining game, for sure. Utah 34-29

* Arkansas (-7 ½) at Memphis, noon (ABC) – Arkansas (2-1) comes in off a tough loss at Ole Miss (41-35). Memphis is 3-0, but this will be the Tigers' first game against a Power Four opponent. This is the schools' first meeting since 1998. Arkansas 31-26

* Syracuse at Clemson (-17), noon (ESPN) – Clemson was ranked No. 4 nationally in the preseason AP poll. But the Tigers' season is hanging by a thread after last week's loss at Georgia Tech (24-21) dropped Clemson to 1-2. Syracuse is 2-1 with wins over UConn and Colgate and a season-opening loss to Tennessee (45-26). Clemson has won six straight games in the series and 10 of 11 since Syracuse joined the ACC. The teams have not played since 2022, when Clemson took a 27-21 win at home. Cade Klubnik gets top receiver Antonio Williams back, so that should help the Tigers get the season turned in the right direction. Clemson 27-21 (I just had to do it)

* SMU at TCU (-7), noon (ESPN2) – This is the 104th meeting for the Iron Skillet. TCU is 19-5 in the series since 1999, but SMU rolled to a 66-42 win at home last year. SMU is 2-1 with a loss to Baylor (48-45, two overtimes). TCU is 2-0, including a 48-14 rout of host North Carolina in the season opener. This has entertaining game written all over it. TCU 40-31

* UNLV (-2 ½) at Miami (Ohio), noon (ESPNU) – The Rebels (3-0) leave the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas for one of America's sleepiest college towns in Oxford, Ohio, where the RedHawks (0-2) will await. UNLV boasts a win over UCLA (30-23). Miami has dropped double-digit decisions to Wisconsin and Rutgers. UNLV 33-24

* Bowling Green at Louisville (-26 ½), noon (ACC Network) – Louisville is 2-0 with wins over Eastern Kentucky and James Madison. BG is 2-1 with a loss at Cincinnati (34-20). The oddsmakers don't trust Eddie George's team despite the Falcons beating the spread at UC. Don't worry, Eddie. We've got your back (sort of). Louisville 35-21

* UAB at Tennessee (-38 ½), 12:45 p.m. (SEC Network) – Both teams are 2-1. I'll go with No. 15 Tennessee, which needs to bounce back from last week's home loss to Georgia (44-41, overtime). Tennessee 55-13

* Oregon State at Oregon (-35 ½), 3 p.m. (Big Ten Network) – Although they are no longer conference partners, No. 6 Oregon (3-0) and Oregon State (0-3) renew their Civil War rivalry for the 129th time in Eugene. Oregon leads the all-time series 69-49-10. Oregon has won the last two meetings, 31-7 in 2023 in Eugene and 49-14 in 2024 in Corvallis. Oregon State's three losses have been to Cal (34-15), Fresno State (36-27) and at Texas Tech (45-14). The rivalry will go on at least a short hiatus after this match-up. Oregon 41-14

* Michigan (-2 ½) at Nebraska, 3:30 p.m. (CBS) – Nebraska will go for its first 4-0 start since a 7-0 beginning to the 2016 season. Michigan has won the last five games in the series, including wins at home in 2022 (34-3) and at Lincoln in 2023 (45-7). Michigan coach Sherrone Moore will serve the second game of his suspension, with Biff Poggi serving as the interim head coach. Michigan (2-1) bounced back from its loss to Oklahoma by defeating Central Michigan 63-3. Nebraska (3-0) followed up a 20-17 win over Cincinnati with lopsided wins over Akron and Houston Christian the last two weeks. Michigan is ranked 21st nationally, and that's not a good omen for Nebraska. The Huskers have lost their last 27 games against ranked opponents, dating to a win over Oregon in Sept. 2016 – nine years ago. That string has to end at some point, right? Nebraska 27-24 in a good one

* Purdue at Notre Dame (-25 ½), 3:30 p.m. (NBC) – The Battle for the Shillelagh Trophy continues in South Bend. These teams played every year from 1946 through 2014. This will be just the third meeting since then. ND has won the last nine meetings, including in 2021 at South Bend (27-13) and last year in West Lafayette (66-7). Notre Dame remains ranked at No. 24, despite sitting at 0-2 with losses to Miami (Fla.) and Texas A&M. ND is the first 0-2 team to be ranked since 1988. Purdue is 2-1 after a home loss to USC (33-17). Notre Dame 42-14 with a late TD to get the cover

* Kent State at Florida State (-45 ½), 3:30 p.m. (ACC Network) – No. 7 Florida State 54-7

* Auburn at Oklahoma (-6 ½), 3:30 p.m. (ABC) – No. 22 Auburn visits No. 11 Oklahoma in a match-up of 3-0 teams that also serves as the SEC opener for both schools. Oklahoma downed Auburn 27-21 last year at Auburn for the Sooners' first-ever SEC win. Auburn's big win was over Baylor (38-24), while Oklahoma's best win was over Michigan (24-13). Oklahoma QB John Mateer gets another chance to beat a ranked opponent at home after the previous win over Michigan. Oklahoma 31-21

* Tulane at Ole Miss (-12 ½), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN) – No. 13 Ole Miss (3-0) figures to be without starting QB Austin Simmons due to an ankle injury. Trinidad Chambliss could start the second game in a row. He was at the controls for most of the game last week as Ole Miss outlasted Arkansas 41-35. Tulane is 3-0 with home wins over Northwestern (23-3) and Duke (34-27). Should be a good one, but Ole Miss even without Simmons should have too much. Ole Miss 33-26

* North Carolina at Central Florida (-7), 3:30 p.m. (FOX) – Last year, this would have been on The CW Network or ACC Network. Now, because of Bill Belichick, it's on big FOX. UNC is 2-1, while UCF is 2-0. This will be UCF's first Power Four opponent, however. North Carolina 27-20

* Temple at Georgia Tech (-23 ½), 4:30 p.m. (The CW Network) – No. 18 Georgia Tech moved to 3-0 with last week's 24-21 win over Clemson. The Yellow Jackets also defeated Colorado 27-20 to open the season. Temple dropped to 2-1 with a 42-3 loss at Oklahoma last week. Georgia Tech 35-10

* West Virginia at Kansas (-13), 6 p.m. (Fox Sports 1) – Both teams are 2-1 heading into their Big 12 opener. WVU bounced back from its loss to Ohio by defeating rival Pittsburgh 31-24 in overtime. Kansas dropped its border war rivalry to Missouri 42-31 on Sept. 6. WVU is 10-2 in its Big 12 rivalry with Kansas, including a 32-28 home win last year. Kansas 34-25

* South Carolina at Missouri (-10), 7 p.m. (ESPN) – No. 23 Missouri moved to 3-0 with last week's win over Louisiana (52-10). That followed up the win over Kansas the previous week. South Carolina dropped from 11th nationally to out the poll with last week's flat-as-a-pancake 31-7 home loss to Vanderbilt. The Gamecocks had four turnovers in that loss to Vandy. South Carolina figures to have QB LaNorris Sellers back behind center after he was knocked out of the Vanderbilt game. I think this one goes down to the wire. South Carolina downed Missouri 34-30 last year at South Carolina. Missouri 34-31

* Florida at Miami (Fla.) (-7 ½), 7:30 p.m. (ABC) – No. 4 Miami (Fla.) puts its 3-0 record on the line against struggling Florida, which limps in at 1-2 after losses to South Florida (18-16) and LSU (20-10). Miami just crushed South Florida 49-12. These teams play for the Florida Cup with Miami leading the all-time series 30-27. Miami has won eight of the last 10 match-ups, including a 41-17 win in Gainesville last year. Miami (Fla.) 30-19

* Georgia State at Vanderbilt (-27 ½), 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU) – No. 20 Vanderbilt 45-14

* Arizona State at Baylor (-2 ½), 7:30 p.m. (FOX) – Big 12 opener for a pair of 2-1 teams. Baylor 29-23

* Illinois at Indiana (-6), 7:30 p.m. (NBC) – One of the first big showdowns of the Big Ten season sends the ninth-ranked Fighting Illini to Bloomington to face the 19th-ranked Hoosiers in a meeting of 3-0 teams. It is only the second time in the history of the Illinois-Indiana rivalry the teams meet as ranked opponents and first time since 1950. Illinois took a 48-45 overtime win over Indiana at home in 2023 in the teams' last meeting. Illinois has been tested with a 45-19 win at Duke. Indiana's three wins have been over Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and FCS Indiana State. I am old enough to remember when Indiana-Illinois games weren't even on live TV … and now they are playing each other on network TV in prime time. Great QB match-up with Illinois' Luke Altmyer and Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, who have combined for 154 pass attempts without an interception so far this season. Oh man, should be a good one. Indiana has lost its last 13 games against ranked opponents, dating to 2020. Illinois defeated four ranked teams last season. Hmmmm. Illinois (somehow) 31-30

* Washington (-19 ½) at Washington State, 7:30 p.m. (CBS) – Washington (2-0) comes off an open week to face Washington State (2-1) in the 117th edition of the Apple Cup rivalry. Washington leads the series at 76-34-6, although Wazzu won 24-19 at Washington last year. WSU has wins over FCS Idaho (13-10) and San Diego State (36-13) and a loss to North Texas (59-10 … ugh). Washington 41-17

* Southeast Louisiana at LSU (-39 ½), 7:45 p.m. (SEC Network) – Brian Kelly does not want any questions about his sputtering offense after this one, so it's all gas and no brakes for the third-ranked Tigers. LSU 59-6

* Sam Houston at Texas (-39 ½), 8 p.m. (ESPN-Plus) – No. 8 Texas and QB Arch Manning have to play a good game at some point, right? This one vs. 0-3 Sam Houston seems to be the case. Texas 55-10

* Wyoming at Colorado (-13 ½), 10:15 p.m. (ESPN) – Colorado seems to be going back to QB Kaidon Salter after a 1-2 start with losses to Georgia Tech and Houston. Wyoming is 2-1 with a loss to Utah (31-6). Colorado 31-13

* Michigan State at USC (-18), 11 p.m. (FOX) – This is the teams' first meeting as Big Ten opponents. MSU has won the last three meetings, including two in bowl games. MSU is visiting USC for the first time since 1978. Both teams are 3-0 with USC creeping into the rankings at No. 25. We discussed in First Look how ridiculous it is for an Eastern time zone Big Ten team to play a conference game that starts at 11 p.m. Eastern time. They need to fix that in the next TV contract. Good QB match-up with MSU's Aidan Chiles and USC's Jayden Maiava. I'm not staying up till 2:30 a.m. to see how it turns out, but I do expect USC to hold serve at home. USC 33-27 in an entertaining game, certainly.

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