College football Week 4 matchups feature six ranked-on-ranked games

CBS Sports analysts Brad Crawford and Chris Hummer highlighted a slate of six Week 4 college football games that involve nationally ranked opponents, noting the impact on early College Football Playoff positioning. The top-rated matchup pits No. 1 Texas against No. 14 Tennessee at Neyland Stadium, a game that draws attention because of Texas quarterback Arch Manning’s lineage. Other key contests include No. 12 USC versus No. 20 Oregon, No. 10 LSU against No. 23 Texas A&M in Baton Rouge, and No. 4 Ole Miss traveling to No. 21 Florida.

Crawford, who is 19-4 straight up this season, and Hummer, also 19-4 straight up, shared their predictions. Crawford favored Texas, LSU, and Georgia, while Hummer backed underdogs such as Wisconsin, South Carolina, and Texas A&M to cover the spread. Both analysts noted that the outcomes of the Oregon-USC and Texas-Tennessee games could influence the early CFP picture, and they emphasized the importance of defensive performance in several matchups.

"The line was moving toward Tennessee a bit earlier this week, which makes sense given what Texas has put on tape for seven of the last eight quarters," Hummer said about the Texas-Tennessee game.

"If that line screams take the Badgers with the points, I'm leaning toward Penn State's defense showing out," Crawford said of the Wisconsin-Penn State contest.

The analysts also discussed the potential implications of losses for teams like LSU and Texas A&M, describing those games as possible CFP eliminators for the losers. All odds referenced were from FanDuel.