2026 College Football Season - Week 4 Recap and Top Performers
What can we say? Week 4 of the 2026 season delivered college football at its absolute peak — ranked teams trading blows, heavyweight matchups landing before anyone even whispers about the College Football Playoff. This wasn’t a warm‑up. This was a statement Saturday.
So instead of the usual banter, let’s lock in and break down what we learned from Week 4.
What did we learn in Week 4?
Indiana got the win, but you have to give Northwestern real credit — they made the Hoosiers earn every inch. They matched Indiana stride for stride in the fourth quarter and refused to fold. Indiana stays undefeated, but they don’t look nearly as invincible as they did last season. The aura is dimming.
Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith put on a first‑quarter clinic: 123 yards and two touchdowns before Illinois could even settle in. That alone told you exactly where this game was heading. If you’re looking for the best player in college football, it’s Smith. End of discussion.
Texas only escaped Tennessee because Colin Simmons played like a man possessed. His five sacks came at the perfect time, especially with Arch Manning struggling through one of his roughest outings. The Longhorns didn’t win because of their quarterback — they won because Simmons refused to let the game slip away.
Texas Tech’s Austin Romaine was the unquestioned star in their win over Sam Houston, ripping off two pick‑sixes and pushing the Red Raiders to 4‑0. They’re undefeated, they’re rolling, and they’re about to climb the AP Poll. Performances like his demand national attention.
Wake Forest’s win over Louisville wasn’t really an upset when you look at how they battled Miami. That performance wasn’t a fluke — it was a warning shot. The Demon Deacons are playing with real edge, real confidence, and real bite. At this point, they’re not sneaking up on anyone. They’re a team to be reckoned with this season.
Pitt isn’t ranked yet, but sophomore quarterback Mason Heintschel is playing like he’s trying to drag the Panthers there himself. This was already his second game of the season with six or more touchdown passes. If Pitt makes noise this year, you’ll know exactly who’s responsible.
If you didn’t know about the Mississippi State Bulldogs before, you do now. Not only did they take down Missouri, they also have one of the most scintillating quarterback prospects in years — Kamario Taylor. Remember that name. He’s on track to become one of the biggest stars in the sport.
And look at Clemson. After getting embarrassed by LSU in Week 1, Dabo Swinney’s squad has stacked three straight wins, including a gritty one over a tough Cal team. The issue is still the quarterback — Clemson is winning in spite of him, and that’s the ceiling‑setter keeping them out of true playoff contention.
This year’s Oklahoma Sooners are a lot of things, but Playoff contenders isn’t one of them. Georgia didn’t just beat them — the Bulldogs made Oklahoma look like one of those FCS tune‑ups teams you schedule in Week 1 for charity. At this point, the only thing left to say is that Brent Venables’ seat is scorching. The pressure isn’t coming — it’s already here.
Huge win for Iowa, brutal loss for Michigan — maybe even a little Week 1 karma. Two tough teams traded punches, and both quarterbacks outperformed expectations. If there’s any silver lining for the Wolverines, it’s that they proved they don’t have to live and die by the run. Their passing game is better than people think.
Utah deserves a lot more attention. Their style isn’t pretty, but it’s brutally effective — and the results speak loudest. After a convincing win over Iowa State, the Utes are 4‑0 and proving they’re a problem for anyone who lines up across from them.
Alabama aside, what happened to South Carolina? This was a team that looked like it had all the pieces to be one of the best in the nation, yet four games in, they’ve been a massive disappointment. Nobody expected them to beat Alabama, but we at least expected a fight — instead, the game was over after the first quarter. On the flip side, Kalen DeBoer’s squad showed exactly why they deserve to be a Top 5 team right now.
Oklahoma State, it’s time to put this team in the Top 25. Quarterback Drew Mestemaker is dragging the Cowboys back into national relevance, singlehandedly reviving an offense that hasn’t looked this good since the Mason Rudolph–James Washington–Justice Hill days. They’re dangerous, they’re explosive, and they absolutely should not be ignored as a Playoff contender.
At this point, it’s safe to say Texas A&M isn’t a Top 25 team — LSU made that painfully clear. For the Tigers, it was the rebound they needed after the gut‑punch loss to Ole Miss in Week 3. The biggest reason for optimism? Sam Leavitt finally looked like the quarterback everyone believed he could be.
And then there’s USC. They knocked Oregon star Dante Moore out of the game with a questionable hit… and the Ducks responded by humiliating them on the scoreboard. Backup Dylan Raiola came in and completely took over. Once again, USC folded against a Top 25 opponent, and their Playoff credibility took another hit.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Nebraska, now 4‑0 for the first time since 2016. The Cornhuskers’ revitalization is officially underway, and so far, it’s working. They look confident, disciplined, and like a program finally waking back up.
Week 4 Top 10 Performers
Offense -
WR Jeremiah Smith - Ohio State
QB Mason Heintschel - Pitt
QB Keelon Russell - Alabama
QB Kevin Jennings - SMU
QB Drew Mestemaker - Oklahoma State
QB Julian Sayin - Ohio State
RB Lee Beebe Jr. - Indiana
WR Wyatt Young - Oklahoma State
RB Wayshawn Parker - Utah
RB Jadan Baugh - Florida
Defense -
1. LB Colin Simmons - Texas
2. LB Austin Romaine - Texas Tech
DB Bradlee Jones - Rutgers
DL Marquise Lightfoot - Miami
CB Ashton Hampton - Clemson
DE Ibrahim Diawara - Coastal Carolina
LB Brandon Booker - SMU
DL Gabe Kirschke - Wake Forest
S Devin Sanchez - Ohio State
LB Tate Romney - Oklahoma State
Notable mentions:
QB Kamario Taylor - Mississippi State, WR Carlos Hernandez - Wake Forest, DL Bryce Young - Notre Dame, RB Caleb Hawkins - Oklahoma State, DB Jaylen Watson - Iowa, QB Darian Mensah - Miami, RB Gideon Davidson - Clemson, WR Jackson Harris - LSU, LB Raylen Wilson - Georgia, QB Michael Hawkins Jr. - West Virginia, RB Duke Clark - Florida, DB Deshaun Lee - Iowa, DE Marques White -SMU, EDGE Daeden Hopkins - Missouri, WR Malachi Toney - Miami, RB Antwan Raymond - Rutgers, QB Cole Pennington - Gardner-Webb, QB Carlos Del Rio-Wilson - Marshall, DB Ify Obidegwu - Oregon, CB Kelley Jones - Mississppi State, LB Drayk Bowen - Notre Dame, WR KJ Duff - Rutgers, WR Yamir Knight - SMU, DB Brenton Williams - Liberty, LB Moses Walker - Rutgers, DL Jamaal Johnson - Northwestern, WR Makai Jackson - Liberty, WR Kayden Dixon-Wyatt - USC, RB Kam Davis - Liberty, TE Luke Dehnicke -
Northwestern, DL Hammond Russell IV - Wisconsin, DL Rondo Porter - Rutgers, DE London Merritt - Clemson, LB Ben Roberts - Texas Tech, DT Deuce Geralds - LSU, WR Bryant Wesco Jr. - Clemson, DB Kingston Lopa - California, DE Toby Anene - Colorado, CB Jermaine Mathews Jr. - Ohio State, LB Amare Campbell - Tennessee, DB Javion White - Houston, LB Xavier Atkins - Auburn, WR Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw - Marshall, and WR Deuce Alexander - Ole Miss.
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