Clemson is crumbling, Indiana is clicking and Texas Tech is contending: College football Week 4 takeaways

And now, 20 Final Thoughts from college football’s Week 4, where it seemed like every embattled coach in the country suffered a devastating loss. Could be a busy week for the search firms.

1. In a perfect world, every successful coach would go out on top, the way Tom Osborne did at Nebraska and Nick Saban did at Alabama. In the real world, that rarely happens. See: Bobby Bowden, Joe Paterno, Mack Brown, Les Miles and many more. Someone who’s reached the pinnacle of their profession has a hard time accepting they’re not getting back there. Only they have the answers.

The problem is that the sport usually changes faster than they do. And it’s been changing at lightning speed since 2021. Right around the time Clemson coach Dabo Swinney last finished in the AP top 10.

2. Dabo won two national titles, played for two others and lifted Clemson’s program to unprecedented heights. His success transformed that entire university, one that’s now as popular with kids in New York and New Jersey as kids in the South. He also makes $11 million a year with a $60 million buyout, so the 55-year-old will continue to be Clemson’s coach for as long as he wants.

But man, this is getting sad.

Clemson is off to a 1-3 start for the first time in Dabo’s 17-year tenure after Syracuse (3-1) went to Death Valley, racked up 433 yards of offense and thumped the Tigers 34-21. The blowout looks even worse coming days after a news conference rant in which Dabo reminded everybody just how much he’s won there. “If they want me gone, if they’re tired of winning, they can send me on their way,” he said.

No, coach. They’re tired of losing.

3. The two coaches in that game could not be more different. Whereas Dabo has been unapologetic in his disdain for the changes to college football, second-year Syracuse coach Fran Brown encourages his guys to “go get that bread.” Brown lost several key players to the portal from last year’s 10-win team, but never complained about it. He drew headlines last spring for revealing he let star receiver Trebor Pena walk after he asked for $2 million, then went and replaced him with Texas’ Johntay Cook, who had six catches for 113 yards Saturday.

I’ve been as critical as anyone of Dabo’s stubbornness these past few years, but something else is going on this season. NFL Draft analysts were high on this roster, with quarterback Cade Klubnik, defensive linemen T.J. Parker and Peter Woods and cornerback Avieon Terrell all projected first-rounders. The 2025 Tigers aren’t lacking for talent, but that talent looks unprepared and uninspired.

4. While Dabo’s job is safe, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy is a dead man walking at this point. Which is sad to say about a guy who holds his school’s all-time wins record by more than 100 games.

Gundy’s program has decayed at record speed since reaching the Big 12 Championship Game just two years ago. The hope was that last year’s 0-9 conference record was an aberration, but in fact, his Cowboys have only gotten worse, following up their 69-3 debacle at Oregon by falling 19-12 to Tulsa (2-2). Their in-state rival, which had previously lost to New Mexico State and Navy, hadn’t won in Stillwater since 1951.

Much like Dabo, Gundy complained and resisted his way straight out of relevance. He eventually came around to name, image and likeness and the portal, but by then had dug too deep a hole. Now his Power 4 program, which used to win 10 games regularly, has deteriorated into fielding a mid-level Group of 5 roster.

5. Quarterback and Heisman candidate John Mateer has understandably become the face of No. 11 Oklahoma’s renaissance, but my goodness, do the 4-0 Sooners have themselves a defense. Two weeks after shutting down Michigan, OU tied a school record with nine sacks to hold off No. 22 Auburn, 24-17. The Tigers’ (3-1) own defense kept them in the game, and they were ahead 17-16 midway through the fourth quarter before Mateer led a quick touchdown drive.

Only a month ago, Oklahoma’s hated rival, Texas, was the No. 1 team in the country while Sooners coach Brent Venables was coaching for his job. But would anyone be surprised at this point if Mateer’s team bests Arch Manning and the Horns at the Cotton Bowl in a few weeks?

6. Having said that, one of Oklahoma’s touchdowns should not have counted. In the second quarter, Sooners receiver Isaiah Sategna III jogged to the Sooners sideline like he was subbing out, then discreetly stopped, lined up and darted 24 yards uncovered to the end zone. As the TV broadcast pointed out, and the SEC itself confirmed later, a so-called “hideout tactic” is considered an unsportsmanlike conduct subject to a 15-yard penalty. That’s a pretty glaring screwup in what will likely be the most-watched game of the day.

Chris Vannini and I wrote about the state of officiating this summer, which included a section on the conferences’ lack of transparency. However, so far this year, the Big 12 has suspended a crew, the SEC acknowledged an error and the ACC allowed ESPN to begin airing the conversations during replay reviews. So that’s progress. Though none of that does a thing for Auburn.

7. Longtime readers know I don’t use hyperbole lightly, but indulge me on this one. Indiana hiring Curt Cignetti two years ago may be the smartest decision any school has made in at least a decade.

The 19th-ranked Hoosiers (4-0) showed their improbable 11-win season last year was no fluke by obliterating No. 9 Illinois (3-1) 63-10. Former Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza showed why he’s been garnering first-round draft buzz with a near-flawless performance (21-of-23, 267 yards, five TDs), but Indiana also ran for 312 yards. Even fourth-string redshirt freshman running back Khobie Martin came in and broke a late 31-yard TD.

IU’s schedule is notably tougher this year, with trips to both No. 6 Oregon and No. 2 Penn State, but I wouldn’t rule out IU hitting double-digit wins again. That would have seemed delusional for most of the 60 years before Cignetti’s arrival.

8. I wonder if Michigan coach Sherrone Moore wishes he had been suspended for the Oklahoma game (a 24-13 loss) and on the sideline for Saturday’s 30-27 win at Nebraska (3-1). The No. 21 Wolverines’ (3-1) offensive line spent the day opening gaping holes for speedy running backs Justice Haynes (17 carries, 149 yards, one TD) and Jordan Marshall (six carries, 80 yards, one TD), not to mention quarterback Bryce Underwood on his 37-yard touchdown run. You’d still like to see more from Underwood (12 of 22, 105 yards) in the passing game, but his career is young.

Michigan’s Big Ten schedule is manageable. It probably will not reach the conference title game, but landing the league’s third or fourth CFP spot is an attainable goal.

9. What exactly has happened to Florida QB DJ Lagway? The same guy who finished with a top-10 passer rating as a true freshman has been a complete non-factor in the Gators’ three straight losses. A week after throwing five interceptions at LSU, he was just 12 of 23 for 61 yards in Florida’s 26-7 loss at No. 4 Miami (4-0).

Billy Napier’s 1-3 team has actually been very good on defense. The Canes’ explosive offense averaged just 4.5 yards per play against Florida, and Miami led just 13-7 well into the fourth quarter before breaking the game open. But the Gators can’t score. At all. They’ve averaged 11.0 points over the past three games. And it’s probably going to cost Napier his job at some point before December.

10. Before he started buying up TV time to lobby against congressional acts, Texas Tech mega-booster Cody Campbell helped buy the Red Raiders a $25 million roster. It looks like a smart investment so far.

No. 17 Texas Tech’s defense stifled Utah QB Devon Dampier (25 of 38 for 162 yards and two picks) in a 34-10 rout of the 16th-ranked Utes (3-1). Just as impressively, Tech redshirt freshman quarterback Will Hammond came in for an injured Behren Morton and led three straight fourth-quarter touchdown drives to put the game out of reach.

Texas Tech (4-0) has never won the Big 12, but the Red Raiders look plenty capable this year. Their defense — a punchline for much of the 21st century — suddenly has more top-end talent than any other school in the conference, led by linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, safety Cole Wisniewski and defensive linemen David Bailey and Romello Height.

11. But don’t overlook TCU (3-0) in the Big 12 race. In the Horned Frogs’ first notable game since embarrassing Bill Belichick on Labor Day, they bested rival SMU (2-2), 35-24, behind an epic performance from receiver Eric McAlister (eight catches, 254 yards, three TDs). Sonny Dykes has a heck of a passing game with QB Josh Hoover (22 of 40, 379 yards, five TDs, one INT), McAlister and fellow wideout Jordan Dwyer, who lit up UNC in the opener.

This was the 104th Battle for the Iron Skillet. Unfortunately, there are no further matchups scheduled, which is dumb. Realignment is not even the culprit this time. TCU under Dykes — who previously coached at SMU — decided it just doesn’t want to play the rivalry game anymore. Good thing he won the last one, so SMU can’t claim he’s ducking them.

12. Wisconsin AD Chris McIntosh made a couple of surprising moves in 2022, first by firing 67-26 coach Paul Chryst five games into that season, then passing over revered DC Jim Leonhard to hire Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell. His strategy made sense at the time. But today, Wisconsin is in far worse shape than it was then.

Maryland (4-0) went to Madison and ripped the Badgers 27-10, the seventh straight Power 4 loss for Fickell, who went 7-6 in 2023, then 5-7 in 2024. That streak may just be getting started, as Wisconsin (2-2) will spend October facing Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State and Oregon.

After hearing “Fire Fickell” chants during the game, McIntosh reiterated his confidence in the program while talking to reporters. He and Fickell may be stuck together. Wisconsin, which paid Chryst an $11 million buyout just three years ago, would owe Fickell a much higher $25.4 million tab.

13. Four weeks in, I feel confident saying this year’s Group of 5 Playoff rep will come from The American. (Don’t call it the AAC anymore, whatever you do.) I just have no idea which team it will be.

Memphis (4-0) notched the league’s sixth win over a Power 4 foe when it rallied from 18 points down to stun Arkansas (2-2), 32-31. Are the Tigers now the team to beat? Or, is it USF (3-1), which beat Boise State and Florida? Or Tulane (3-1), which handled Northwestern and Duke before a 45-10 loss to No. 13 Ole Miss? Or perhaps even North Texas (4-0), which blew out Washington State 59-10 last week and topped defending conference champ Army 45-38 in overtime.

The only viable candidate outside The American is UNLV (4-0), the last unbeaten team left in the Mountain West. But the Rebels’ one Power 4 win against hapless UCLA is not going to boost their resume like most of the ones mentioned above.

14. No. 23 Missouri (4-0) is establishing a clear identity in 2025 – and it’s “run the damn ball.” The Tigers rolled up 285 yards on 48 attempts in grinding out a 29-20 win over South Carolina (2-2). Louisiana-Monroe transfer Ahmad Hardy (22 carries, 138 yards) has opened his SEC career with four straight 100-yard games. Third-year sophomore Jamal Roberts (13 carries, 76 yards) is a productive complement. And QB Beau Pribula’s mobility (nine carries, 72 yards) helps make the whole thing go.

It’s going to make for quite a contrast of styles in three weeks when the Tigers host pass-happy Alabama.

15. We’re now less than a week away from one of the most anticipated games of the season: No. 6 Oregon at No. 2 Penn State under the lights at Beaver Stadium. I’m particularly excited to see Ducks quarterback Dante Moore against the Nittany Lions’ defense. He was outstanding again in his 4-0 team’s 41-7 Civil War rout of Oregon State, finishing 21 of 31 for 305 yards, four TDs and no INTs. Oregon doesn’t have an obvious “A” receiver this year, but Dakorien Moore, Gary Bryant Jr., Malik Benson and tight end Kenyon Sadiq are all meshing nicely with Moore.

But we do need to acknowledge that Oregon’s last three opponents — Oklahoma State, Northwestern and Oregon State — are a combined 0-8 against FBS foes. The competition is about to ratchet up just a bit.

16. Another intriguing Big Ten game this week: No. 1 Ohio State at Washington. The Huskies (3-0) easily dispatched rival Washington State, 59-24. And Washington has its own dynamic quarterback, Demond Williams Jr. (16 of 19 for 298 yards, four TDs, no INTs; 13 carries for 88 yards and one TD). Williams might be able to give the Buckeyes’ (3-0) talented defense fits in a way Texas’s Manning could not.

Side note: Yet another unfortunate consequence of the Pac-12’s implosion is that both the Civil War and Apple Cup may no longer be competitive. They’re important rivalries and I’m glad they’re continuing (after a two-year Civil War hiatus). But there could be a lot more 41-7s and 59-24s.

17. Lincoln Riley may have the most balanced offense of his four-year USC tenure. The No. 25 Trojans (4-0) are running the ball consistently. They went for 523 yards in their late-night 45-31 victory over Michigan State (3-1), with juco transfer Waymond Jordan (18 carries, 157 yards) once again leading the way. Meanwhile, quarterback Jayden Maiava looks drastically improved. He went into Saturday with the nation’s highest passer rating (215.53) and was an efficient 20 of 26 for 234 yards, three TDs and no picks against the Spartans.

Riley, 9-9 in conference play the last two seasons, is finally inspiring confidence again, but the next three games will tell us whether his team is for real. USC is at Illinois, home against Michigan and at Notre Dame.

18. I’m not going to declare someone the next Ashton Jeanty based on one breakout performance, but it looks like Boise State (2-1) has another budding star in its backfield. Sophomore Dylan Riley, a third-stringer back in Week 1, went off in the Broncos’ 49-37 win at Air Force (1-2) for 19 carries for 171 yards and four TDs plus a 75-yard receiving touchdown.

Boise quickly fell off the national map following its Week 1 loss to USF, but I assume the Broncos will still contend for another Mountain West title. Especially if Riley plans to keep breaking 75-yard TDs.

19. I’ve made a lot of bad predictions in my time, but I may have made an all-timer this week when I suggested in my Mailbag that Cal, then 3-0, could be this year’s Indiana. The Bears immediately followed up by losing at San Diego State (2-1) … 34-0. Freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who did so much dazzling in his first three games, completed less than half his passes and threw a 97-yard pick six. The Aztecs had a scoop-and-score before that.

It was a big win for second-year San Diego State coach Sean Lewis, who went 3-9 last year and lost 36-13 at Washington State in Week 2. And a familiar-feeling letdown for Cal’s Justin Wilcox.

20. Things are not going well at North Carolina.

Belichick’s Tar Heels (2-2) fell 34-9 at UCF (3-0) and have now been outscored 82-23 in their two Power 4 games. UNC’s defense could not slow Knights quarterback Tayven Jackson (25 of 32 for 223 yards, 10 carries for 66 yards, two total TDs), who looks like a nice fit in Scott Frost’s offense. Meanwhile, UNC lost QB Gio Lopez to what looked like a serious leg injury.

The good news? The Heels’ next game looks winnable. After an off week, they face Clemson.

(Top photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)

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