Since the very beginning, we’ve been built around the idea of bringing college football fans together. By joining us on Patreon, you’re helping us keep that mission alive—supporting the show while becoming part of a community that lives and breathes the sport every day.

As a member, you’ll unlock exclusive perks built for the most loyal fans:

👉 Run The Board
Weekly pick’em for prizes

👉 Ad-Free Episodes
Every show, no ads

👉 Bonus Shows
Exclusive content

👉 Early Access
Hear us first

👉 Discord Community
CFB talk, 24/7

👉 Verballer Top 12 Poll
Vote every week

Join today—you’ll get the perks, and you’ll be hanging out with a community of Verballers that makes college football even more fun.

MONDAY SHOCKWAVES

Ten Takeaways from Week 4

1️⃣ Texas Tech looked like a program getting its money’s worth  

Texas Tech rolled into Week 4 like a jacked-up Ford F-150, shiny rims and all. The big-spending Red Raiders left Saturday’s tilt against 16th-ranked Utah with a little mud on the tires and a monster 34-10 win on its Big 12 title resume. 

The Red Raiders' defense suffocated Utah’s offense, forcing four turnovers and limiting the Utes to a little over 260 yards. Utah quarterback Devon Dampier never looked comfortable. He was forced to dink and dunk for three hours and struggled to push the ball down the field in any significant way.

Things got dicey after Texas Tech QB1 Behren Morton took a nasty hit on a slide attempt, forcing him to exit the game. But in stepped backup Will Hammond, who delivered when his name was called. 

Hammond put forth a game ball-worthy performance, finishing 13-of-16 for 169 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Red Raiders chip in 24 fourth-quarter points in the win. 

Texas Tech bullied the bully and just might be the best team in the Big 12, while Utah was forced to reflect on the top-end ability of its offense.

2️⃣ Indiana is this year’s Indiana

Hell hath no fury like a Curt Cignetti team with a point to prove. 

In what was billed as one of the night’s primetime matchups, Indiana eviscerated ninth-ranked Illinois 63-10 in a game so bloody, I’m not sure the final score quite does it justice. 

The Hoosiers pounded Illinois in every aspect of the game. The defensive line sacked Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer seven times and held the Fighting Illini to just two rushing yards. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza looked every bit like an NFL Draft talent, blistering the Fighting Illini for five touchdowns on 21/23 attempts. Heck, Indiana even ran for over 300 yards and three touchdowns.

The game was such a whitewash, Curt Cignetti was teetering on “I’m going for two because I can’t go for three” territory. 

2024 Indiana felt like a feel-good story. 2025 Indiana might be a nightmare for the rest of the Big 10.   

3️⃣ Nebraska wasn’t ready for the moment

Year 3 under Matt Rhule usually brings a leap – it happened at Temple and Baylor, and Nebraska was supposed to be next. Saturday’s game against Michigan was meant to be a breakthrough, a win that would push the Huskers into darkhorse territory. Instead, it left the Big Red fanbase with the same “close but no cigar” taste they’ve grown accustomed to.

Michigan bludgeoned Nebraska on the ground, sacked quarterback Dylan Railoa seven times, and dominated the lines of scrimmage with alarming consistency, culminating in a 30-27 win at Memorial Stadium.

Nebraska has clearly improved in Year 3, but it just didn’t look ready for the big moment. The offensive and defensive lines have glaring issues, and unless those are magically paved over, this team has a clear ceiling.

Michigan looks like a team that’s found its identity, and has an easy enough schedule for the next few weeks to stack some wins and hang around in the Big 10 

4️⃣ Oklahoma’s defense had a point to prove

Brent Venables welcomed his old quarterback, Jackson Arnold, back to Norman with open arms, and by that I mean he cooked up a defensive game plan so disheartening and so diabolical that if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.

The Sooners' defensive line wreaked havoc on Auburn, sacking Arnold a whopping 10 times. Quarterback John Mateer was money when it mattered, leading the Sooners to 11 fourth-quarter points. And Oklahoma got enough stops at the right times in the big 24-17 win to move to 4-0.

I have serious concerns about Oklahoma’s inability to run the ball—they mustered just 32 yards on the day—but that’s about it with this team. 

The Sooners have a grueling schedule the rest of the way, but look every bit the part of a team that no one in the SEC is going to look forward to facing. Auburn is clearly improved, but might have to settle for the role of spoiler down the stretch in the SEC. 

5️⃣ This version of Clemson is beyond cooked

Clemson entered the 2025 season with the world at its feet. On paper, the Tigers had an NFL-ready quarterback, a defense littered with stars, and a schedule that, if things broke right, would set up for a dazzling, repeat run to the College Football Playoff. That all feels like a distant memory.

On Saturday, Fran Brown’s Syracuse walked into Death Valley and put the final nail in Clemson’s coffin. The Orange jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in its 34-21 upset win.

Clemson has now lost three of its first four games for the first time since 2004, and is enduring its worst season-opening stretch in the Dabo Swinney tenure.

This version of Clemson is beyond cooked. Enjoy the Raising Cane’s Bowl, Dabo 

6️⃣ TCU’s offense sizzles in the Battle for the Iron Skillet

In what was the 104th and final rendition of the Battle for the Iron Skillet, TCU holds eternal bragging rights. In a game with spiritual Big 12 Conference energy, the Horned Frogs pulled away in the fourth quarter to notch a 35-24 win. 

This game was a delightful exhibition of dueling banjo quarterbacks with Kevin Jennings and Josh Hoover combining for almost 700 yards and eight touchdowns. Jennings was good, but Hoover was better, and that was the deciding factor in the game. 

Hoover is a gamer and does a good job of delivering when his team needs it. Special shoutout to TCU wideout Eric McAlister, who earns Dude of the Week honors for his 8-catch, 254-yard, and three touchdown showing. Give that man his flowers.

SMU is solid but flawed. TCU has enough juice on offense to keep itself in big games…and just might be good enough to cause havoc down the stretch of the Big 12 conference slate. 

7️⃣ Missouri emerges as an SEC contender

In a conference with so many ebbs and flows week to week, through four games, Missouri suddenly looks like a bona fide SEC title contender. 

Saturday night, the Tigers dominated South Carolina at the lines of scrimmage, punished the Gamecocks for 285 rushing yards, and did enough to slow LaNorris Sellers down to secure a massive 29-20 win to move to 4-0.

Sellers made some jaw-dropping throws and did a nice job of giving this offense a spark. But holy cow, do I have a man crush on Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy. The transfer from ULM has been a revelation this season, and now, not so quietly, looks like one of the best running backs in college football.

Missouri has a great schedule moving forward. The Tigers just have the feel of a team that’s going to win a lot of games and scare the heck out of some highly-ranked conference opponents.

8️⃣ Welcome to the Buyout Boys Club

Last week, Brent Pry and DeShaun Foster became the founding members of the 2025 Buyout Boys Club after their early-season dismissals. Four games in, four new potential members emerge.

Billy Napier. Florida put up an admirable fight against fourth-ranked Miami, but mustered just seven points and continued to look lost on that side of the ball. Some people are saying 2025 Florida looks very “Muschampian” with a good defense, stinky offense, and tons of penalty yards. Good fight aside, it still feels like an If-not-When situation with Napier.

Luke Fickell. Holy Toledo, Batman! Wisconsin has a real problem on its hands. The Badgers got blanked in the first half and put up just ten points in a home loss to Maryland. This program has regressed since Fickell took over—and he doesn’t look long for this job beyond this season.

Mike Gundy. It’s time to rip the Band-Aid off, Oklahoma State. The Cowboys lost a stinker of a game to in-state little cousin, Tulsa, on Friday night. Oklahoma State is not a good football team, and Gundy has clearly lost his fastball. It’s time to move on. 

Sam Pittman. Arkansas has a sick offense and wholly incompetent defense, and both of those things were on display in its back-breaking loss to Memphis on Saturday. I’m not sure how attractive this job is in the current SEC landscape, but I have a feeling we might find out sooner rather than later.

9️⃣ Ole Miss is living on island time

Trinidad Chambliss is not a one-hit wonder. 

Chambliss started the year as QB2 in Oxford, but has looked every bit of the missing piece to Lane Kiffin’s offense since taking over for injured starter Austin Simmons. Chambliss lit up the Tulane defense to the tune of 307 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and two rushing scores in the Rebels’ dominant 45-10 win.

Don’t overthink this, Lane. Chambliss is QB1 now. 

🔟 Bill Belichick got outcoached by…Scott Frost

If I asked you to random number generator the strangest coaching matchup imaginable, it just might look like UNC’s Bill Belichick vs. UCF’s Scott Frost. Think about it, how could it get weirder than the best NFL head coach of all-time against a guy who once famously onside kicked his way into a loss to a tragic Northwestern team in Ireland?

Weird combo aside, this UNC team under Belichick just flat out stinks. The Tar Heels got walloped in Week 1 against TCU. This week it got worse, as UNC got pasted by UCF 34-9 in a truly uncompetitive football game.

The Tar Heels can’t run the ball, can’t find a quarterback, and can’t get stops if their lives depended on it. What a dire situation. 

THE PODCAST

Our Week 4 Reaction Special is live!

It turns out that College Football Week 4 delivered some interesting tests! In this episode, we break down what it all means, from the rise of Texas Tech's impressive defensive showing against Utah to Indiana's demolition of Illinois and Oklahoma's win over Auburn. Plus, a closer look at why TCU should be on your radar, how Michigan can get the most out of its offense, what we learned about Miami in their win over Florida, and what Clemson's 1-3 start means for Dabo Sweeney. We also talk through a crazy interesting day in the Big 12, Memphis's run at the CFP, looming questions about Chris Ash and Notre Dame's defense, and more.

And, in addition, we answered live questions on YouTube, played your Week 4 Reverbs, and gave out Dude Alerts for the best individual performances from another great week of college football.

▶️ Listen on Apple Podcasts

▶️ Listen on Spotify

▶️ Watch on YouTube