1
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Miami (Fla.)
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What a way to say goodbye to Florida. The Canes held the Gators to 141 yards, the program’s lowest total since the 1999 SEC Championship Game, in a 26-7 win. No more games in the series are scheduled in the future. Miami scored three offensive touchdowns against a Gators defense that had allowed three total TDs in the first three games.
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—
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4-0
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2
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Ohio State
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Ohio State sat at home during a bye week. The trip to undefeated Washington this week is the first road test of the season. Jedd Fisch will have his guys ready for the Buckeyes.
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—
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3-0
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3
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Georgia
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Georgia used an extra week to prepare for Alabama after a gutsy overtime win at Tennessee. One could argue it’s the best win by any team this season, but another win against a top 20 team could shake things up in the power rankings next week.
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—
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3-0
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4
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LSU
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That win against Clemson is looking less impressive with every passing week after Clemson fell to 1-3 with a loss to Syracuse at home. LSU might have a top-five defense. The offense came back around in a 56-10 win against Southeastern Louisiana, but will Garrett Nussmeier’s upper torso injury continue to bother him this week against Ole Miss?
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—
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4-0
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5
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Oregon
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We’ll find out if Oregon is worthy of its top-five ranking with the trip to Penn State this week. The Ducks drilled rival Oregon State 41-7 for its second straight win by 30-plus points in the series. That says as much about Oregon’s firepower as it does about how far the Beavers have fallen since the Pac-12 was dismantled.
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—
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4-0
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6
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Indiana
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We see you, Indiana. The Hoosiers deservedly rose like a rocket in the power rankings after dismantling Illinois 63-10. It was the largest win ever by a team outside the top 10 against a top 10 program. Indiana is on a 12-game home winning streak with games won by an average of 39.2 points. Transfer Fernando Mendoza is pure magic, throwing a career-high five touchdowns Saturday to increase his total to 14 with zero interceptions.
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NR
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4-0
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7
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Oklahoma
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The Sooners sacked former OU quarterback Jackson Arnold nine times and John Mateer rallied the home team midway through the fourth quarter for a 24-17 win against Auburn. The Sooners defense is elite (9 points per game), and the offense can beat teams on the ground and through the air. Might OU sneak up on everyone and win the SEC?
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3
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4-0
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8
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Florida State
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FSU scored only 19 offensive touchdowns last season. The Noles eclipsed that number by halftime Saturday in Week 4, defeating Kent State 66-10. FSU piled up 775 yards for its second 700-yard game this season. Now, the bad news: QB Tommy Castellanos injured a leg when he was rolled up on a play in the second quarter, but the injury is said to be “very manageable,” per coach Mike Norvell.
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—
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3-0
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9
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Penn State
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Penn State had one of the easiest schedules to start the season, but now the big boys are on the docket. The first of three top-12 opponents on the schedule comes to town this week: Oregon. A bye week should have helped with preparations.
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3
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3-0
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10
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Texas Tech
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Texas Tech is 4-0 for the first time since 2013. The Red Raiders stormed into Salt Lake City and defeated Utah 34-10 despite playing the second half without starting QB Behren Morton. Backup Will Hammond threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Tech’s defensive line is tough as nails.
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10
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4-0
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11
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Texas A&M
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Texas A&M, victors against Notre Dame in Week 3, rested up during the bye week to prepare for a visit from Auburn.
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2
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3-0
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12
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Ole Miss
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Is there a quarterback controversy in Oxford? Backup Trinidad Chambliss started for a second straight week and put up 419 total yards, including 307 passing, in a 45-10 win against fringe top 25 Tulane. Starter Austin Simmons has remained on the sideline since suffering a lower-body injury in Week 2. How Lane Kiffin handles the QBs heading into a showdown with LSU is fascinating.
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1
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4-0
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13
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Tennessee
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Take a picture, Trint Dilfer. It’ll last longer. Tennessee cruised to a 56-24 victory against UAB. The Vols are averaging 53.5 points per game this season. A tough road test awaits this week at Mississippi State, which upset Arizona State two weeks ago.
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1
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3-1
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14
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Texas
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Arch Manning flexed on Sam Houston, completing a career-high 85.7% of his passes and scoring five touchdowns in a 55-0 win. Steve Sarkisian loved seeing his quarterback show more emotion. His mom, however, was “pretty mad about it,” Manning said. Next up is an open date before a trip to Florida.
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—
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3-1
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15
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Georgia Tech
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Georgia Tech is undefeated through four games for the first time since 2014, the last time the program won 10 games. The Yellow Jackets should move to 5-0 this week with a trip to Wake Forest, but the ACC is wild, so maybe we shouldn’t make that assumption.
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—
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4-0
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16
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Vanderbilt
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Umm, Vanderbilt might not only be good, but really good. The Commodores got their revenge after a loss to Georgia State last season with a 70-21 win Saturday. Diego Pavia finished with 331 yards and two total touchdowns. Vandy has scored 30-plus points in the first four games of a season for the first time in 109 years.
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—
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4-0
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17
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Alabama
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Alabama and Georgia face off in Athens this week. Both are coming off a bye. The showdown last season was a classic, even though it wasn’t exactly all that pretty. Alabama built a huge lead, lost it and then had to rally late to pull off the win – and rise to No. 1 in the polls. The stakes aren’t as high this week, but it’s pretty close. The Tide can’t afford a second loss before October.
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—
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2-1
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18
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Missouri
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Is anyone paying close attention to what Mizzou is doing under Eli Drinkwitz. More importantly, have you seen the bulldozer that is Ahmad Hardy? The running back leads the SEC with 600 rushing yards after tallying 138 and a score in a 29-20 win against South Carolina. Mizzou is 4-0 for a third straight year.
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—
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4-0
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19
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Michigan
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Michigan’s rushing attack is difficult to corral, and it helped push the Wolverines to a 30-27 win at Nebraska. Justice Haynes, Jordan Marshall and QB Bryce Underwood each scored on the ground. Haynes piled up 149 yards on only 17 carries. The defense sacked Huskers QB Dylan Raiola seven times, the program’s most since 2022. Nebraska has lost 28 straight against AP ranked teams.
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5
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3-1
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20
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Illinois
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Well, that could have gone better, Illini. Bret Bielema’s bunch was dominated in a 63-10 loss at Indiana but remains ranked with a crucial showdown against USC on the docket this week. The hard-nosed Illini managed only 2 rushing yards against the Hoosiers, effectively erasing the Illini’s identity in the blowout.
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13
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3-1
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21
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Auburn
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Auburn could have – should have – beaten Oklahoma on the road. Jackson Arnold, however, overthrew Cam Coleman for would-be touchdowns twice and SEC officials didn’t throw a flag on a deceptive play in which OU’s Isaiah Sategna remained in the game and caught a touchdown after appearing to walk to the sideline for a substitution. These Tigers are talented, but will they put it all together for a big win this season?
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2
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3-1
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22
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USC
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USC has quietly ascended to 4-0 and could jump higher in the top 25 this week with a win at Illinois. Jayden Maiava scored a career-high five touchdowns and moved to 7-1 as USC’s starting QB with a 45-31 win against Michigan State. USC can also run the ball with Waymond Jordan, who sparked the Trojans to a 289-yard total rushing performance Saturday.
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NR
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4-0
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23
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TCU
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The Iron Skillet has gone cold, but the Horned Frogs will hold onto it with pride after defeating SMU 35-24. Josh Hoover threw for 379 yards and five touchdowns. Sadly, this is the last game in the rivalry for the foreseeable future.
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NR
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3-0
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24
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BYU
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BYU has allowed only 16 points, albeit against ECU, Stanford and Portland. The Cougars defeated East Carolina on the road 34-13 last week to move to 3-0 for the fifth time in the last six seasons.
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NR
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3-0
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25
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Notre Dame
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Notre Dame is on the board as the Irish defeated Purdue 56-30 for their first win of the season. That defense is a problem, allowing 98 total points through three games, tying for 118th in scoring defense. Next up is a trip to reeling Arkansas, which averages 43.5 points despite a 2-2 start to the season.
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4
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1-2
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