Maybe you weren’t really happy with the lack of top 25 matchups on the schedule so far in the first three weeks of the 2023 college football season. Well, in week 4 you’re in luck. The busiest Saturday of the season so far features six different matchups between ranked opponents from four of the Power Five conferences.
The Big Ten and Pac-12 may not be friendly after conference realignment, but they have the most teams in the spotlight on Saturday. No. 6 Ohio State visits No. 9 Notre Dame in a non-conference showdown that ranks as the highest-rated game of the week, while No. 7 Penn State continues to advance while hosting a No. 24 Iowa team that always still trying to improve his offensive production. Deion Sanders takes No. 19 Colorado to visit No. 10 Oregon earlier in the day, although the Ducks are considered three-touchdown favorites in what is undoubtedly the Buffaloes’ toughest test of the young season. The head-to-head hosts No. 11 Utah and No. 22 UCLA in another battle of the undefeated Pac-12.
However, the SEC and ACC certainly won’t be left out. No. 13 Alabama looks to get over No. 15 Ole Miss after a disappointing performance against South Florida, while Lane Kiffin hopes to become the second straight former Nick Saban assistant to get a win over his former boss. The highlight of the first round is No. 4 Florida State visiting Clemson. The Seminoles are looking to prove they are the class of the league while the Tigers try to bounce back from their opening loss to Duke.
Stick with CBS Sports throughout the day for college football coverage starting with the opening game. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the best plays in Week 4.
Odds via SportsLine Consensus | Always east
No. 4 Florida State at Clemson
lunch | ESPN, fubo (Try it for free) — A Clemson win wouldn’t be a surprise, but ultimately Florida State has more explosive playmakers. Wide receiver Keon Coleman hasn’t been this dominant since his breakout performance against LSU, but we should see him as the difference maker in a game where just two or three big plays could end up being the difference. While Cade Klubnik and the Tigers offense have had more success of late, there is more confidence in Jordan Travis and the Seminoles. Pick: Florida State -2 – Chip Patterson
No. 15 Ole Miss at No. 13 Alabama
3:30 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ with Showtime, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — The Rebels get no respect from the oddsmakers; They’ve been hovering around a touchdown underdog all week. Not only will Ole Miss cover, it will win this one outright. Alabama’s struggles up front on the defensive side of the ball will allow Lane Kiffin to get creative with his offensive attack. This will again be a high-profile affair. Is Jalen Milroe capable of keeping up with Jaxon Dart and Kiffin’s other weapons? No. Take the points and also consider the money line. Pick: Ole Miss +7 – Barrett Sallee
No. 19 Colorado and No. 10 Oregon
3:30 p.m. | ABC, fubo (Try it for free) — Oregon presents Colorado by far the biggest challenge, but the Buffaloes easily get into a shootout with their potent offense. Shedeur Sanders has thrown for more than 1,200 yards in just three games and will reach his goal against Oregon. The Ducks emerge victorious, but that won’t happen until the fourth quarter. Pick: Colorado +21 – Shehan Jeyarajah
No. 24 Iowa and No. 7 Penn State
7:30 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ with Showtime, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — Offensively, Iowa is struggling with injuries to Luke Lachey and two of its top three running backs, but the Hawkeyes probably wouldn’t put up many points against a really strong Nittany Lions defense even at their best. While Penn State scored 30 points against a stout Big Ten West defense in a win at Illinois last week, that total is misleading since PSU had a 5-0 turnover advantage. It won’t be easy to score against Iowa and it should be a close game. Pick: Iowa +14.5 – David Cobb
No. 6 Ohio State at No. 9 Notre Dame
7:30 p.m. | NBC, fubo (Try it for free) — If there’s anything I’ve learned over the years while believing that defense is important, it’s that it’s only important to a certain point. Time and again I’ve seen battles between great defensive players and great offensive players end up on the offensive side. Make no mistake, both teams have excellent defenses that have played well all season. But both teams also have explosive offenses. Notre Dame’s 12 touchdowns scored outside the red zone are the most in the country, and Ohio State is right behind with 10. There will be a lot of big plays and touchdowns. Selection: Over 55.5 – Tom Fornelli
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 4 and which underdogs will clearly win? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread – all using a proven computer model that has returned nearly $2,500 in profit over the last seven-plus seasons – and find out.