College Football Week 4 Results: Indiana Stuns Illinois, Syracuse Beats Clemson, Miami Surges
- Gareth Evans
- Sep 23
- 5 min read
Week 4 in college football reminded us once again why it’s the one of the most unpredictable and entertaining of sports. Traditional heavyweights were humbled, the underdogs seized their moment, and a few previously favoured programs were left wondering whether their playoff dreams are already in tatters.
Indiana’s demolition of fellow Big Ten contender Illinois was as shocking as it was emphatic, while Syracuse look to have turned the lights out on Clemson's playoff hopes. Elsewhere, Miami’s resurgence continued at the expense of a Florida team struggling to find a foothold in a tough schedule. Oklahoma clung to its perfect record in dramatic fashion, and Michigan notched up a valuable conference win. This weekend, once again, carried all the hallmarks of a season already refusing to follow the script.
Upsets That Shook the Playoff Picture
No.19 Indiana 63, No.9 Illinois 10
Few results carried more shock value than No.15 Indiana’s dismantling of No. 9 Illinois. The Hoosiers performed a demolition that raised eyebrows across the college football landscape and catapulted their quarterback, 6'5", 220lb Cal transfer Fernando Mendoza, into the Heisman Trophy reckoning.
Mendoza became only the second FBS player with five touchdowns and, in completing 21 of 23 passes, a 90% completion against an AP ranked opponent in the last 30 years. The Hoosiers' passer made 17 straight completions and Indiana rushed for 312 yards in a dominant performance.
His counterpart, Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer was sacked seven times by an overwhelming Indiana defense. The Hoosiers look like they can build on the impressive 11-win season that carried them to the Playoff. Having inflicted one damaging defeat on a conference rival, they host Iowa this weekend before and intriguing showdown against Oregon awaits on October 11th. Illinois will try and reset on the road at USC.
Syracuse 34, Clemson 21
Clemson’s woes continue. A tough loss to Syracuse condemned the Tigers to their third loss in four weeks and raised more questions about Dabo Swinney’s program. At 1-3, after another costly loss to an ACC rival, Clemson's postseason hopes are unravelling by the week.
The Tigers' play, given the talent on their roster, is head-scratching. Defensive stars T.J. Parker, Peter Woods and Avieon Terrell are all NFL prospects coached by highly rated defensive coordinator Tom Allen, poached from Penn State in the off season. Cade Klubnik and the Tigers' offense are also misfiring. Klubnik completed 37 of 60 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns yet couldn't inspire his team to a win.
Syracuse, in contrast, seem to be a team on the rise under Fran Brown. The Orange amassed 433 yards of offense in Death Valley despite tragically losing Notre Dame quarterback transfer Steve Angeli to a season-ending achilles injury.
The Orange, 3-1, host Duke this weekend while Clemson travel to an equally disappointing North Carolina after a needed bye week.
No.17 Texas Tech, one of the biggest spenders in the offseason, soared to the top of the Big 12 with a convincing 34-10 win over Utah. The Red Raiders racked up 484 total yards of offense in a statement victory over one of the conference favourites.
Contenders Improve, Some Survive Close Calls
Florida 7, No.4 Miami 26
Despite Florida's tough start to the season, the Gators were just 13-7 down to the No.4 team in the country in the fourth quarter. Florida's defense performed well but their offense, which has averaged a miserable 11 points per game failed to convert any of their 13 third downs. A week after throwing five interceptions against LSU, Gators quarterback DJ Lagway threw for just 61 yards and was sacked four times.
Miami scored on their first two drives and were then scoreless in their next four before stretching their lead late in the fourth quarter. Carson Beck appeared a little off key, completing 17 of 30 passes for 161 yards and an interception.
The Hurricanes have a week off before visiting in-state rivals Florida State on October 4th, when Florida host Texas.
No.22 Auburn 17, No.11 Oklahoma 24
Oklahoma survived a late scare from Auburn to keep its undefeated season alive. The Sooners' defense tormented their former quarterback Jackson Arnold, sacking the now-Auburn passer ten times.
Auburn led 17-16 into the fourth quarter until quarterback John Mateer led Oklahoma on a six-play, 75-yard drive to clinch the winning touchdown with 4:54 left. Mateer completed 24 of 36 passes for 271 yards and a rushing touchdown. Receiver Isaiah Sategna had nine receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown while Jayden Jackson had 2.5 sacks for the Sooners.
Oklahoma move up to No.7 in the AP Top 25 with a 4-0 record and after their bye week, warm up against Kent State before resuming the Red River Rivalry against Texas on October 11th.
No.21 Michigan 30, Nebraska 27
Michigan's power was evident in their win over Big Ten rival Nebraska. The Wolverines returned to a strong running game, rushing for a collective 286 yards. Alabama transfer Justice Haynes capped a 149-yard performance with a 75-yard touchdown, while Jordan Marshall ran for 80 yard and a touchdown. Through four games, Haynes is averaging 134.2 yards per game and has scored six touchdowns.
Michigan's defense swarmed all over the Cornhuskers defense, sacking quarterback Dylan Raiola seven times. Raiola passed for 308 yards and three touchdowns. Michigan improve to 3-1 while Nebraska fall to 3-1. The Cornhuskers, according to "The Athletic", haven't beaten a ranked opponent since September 2016, when they beat then No.22 Oregon.
Looking ahead to Week 5 fixtures
No.6 Oregon @ No.3 Penn State - the famous "White Out" awaits the visiting Ducks, who are averaging a winning 52-9 scoreline this season. Penn State are allowing just five points per game. Something has to give.
No.4 LSU @ No.13 Ole Miss - the two SEC contenders renew the Magnolia Bowl rivalry. Ole Miss won an epic 2023 shootout, 55-49, while the Tigers avenged their loss with a 29-26 win in Baton Rouge last year. News creeping out of Lane Kiffin's daughter Landry's romance with LSU linebacker Whit Weeks should add some intrigue to this one.
No.17 Alabama @ No.5 Georgia - both teams are coming off a bye week. Georgia, with a win over a competitive Tennessee team, have the ability to pull out a result while Alabama need to build on their win over Wisconsin.
No.1 Ohio State @ Washington - the No.1 Buckeyes, refreshed after their bye week, face a Washington team averaging 62 points per game.
Four weeks in, the separation between pretenders and contenders is slowly coming into focus. Miami is surging, Indiana is in the Big Ten conversation, and Texas Tech may have found its swagger. On the flip side, Illinois, Clemson, and Utah face soul-searching weeks ahead. Week 4 again highlights that momentum in college football is fleeting, reputations mean little, and every Saturday is a chance for the script to be rewritten.
Buckle up. The season is just getting started.
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