Ten Takeaways: Week Four
The playoff race is starting to take shape!
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Ten Takeaways: Week Four
1. Buckle up, the coaching carousel is about to get bumpy
I can't recall a season where there's been as much major coaching turmoil in the first month as this one. The UCLA and Virginia Tech jobs are already open, and there's a handful of other power conference programs that are likely to join them soon:
- Billy Napier's offense sputtered once again in Florida's 27-6 loss at Miami. The Gators have a bye before playing Texas October 4, so maybe this is the week they finally decide to cut bait?
- Wisconsin got smacked by Maryland, and Badger fans have had enough of Luke Fickell:
LOUD “Fire Fickell” chant as Wisconsin goes into halftime trailing Maryland 20-0 pic.twitter.com/i6It9uGdik
— Chris Hassel (@Hassel_Chris) September 20, 2025
- Arkansas lost to Memphis in the most Sam Pittman way ever:
THAT’S MEMPHIS BALL ARE YOU KIDDING ME pic.twitter.com/ecFojkaj0A
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) September 20, 2025
- Oklahoma State lost to Tulsa at home for the first time since 1951. Mike Gundy's all out of answers:
Wow, 4-5 very good, direct questions to Mike Gundy about the state of the program (two about his job status). Mike dodged them mostly by going back to the micro, “8 or 10” negative plays, he relied on in last year’s postgame pressers. The last one was most direct: pic.twitter.com/VnBoObYlXn
— Carson Cunningham (@Carson_OKC) September 20, 2025
Outside of these four, places like Auburn, Kentucky, Baylor, and Cincinnati are also situations worth paying attention to as the season goes on. This week's hot seat rankings are gonna be spicy!
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2. Welcome to the party, Texas Tech
The big question about Texas Tech all offseason was whether they could live up to the hype all money they threw into the portal generated. Their 34-10 win at Utah is the first real indication that they may exceed it. The Red Raiders established themselves as a true Big 12 threat thanks to a stingy defense and backup QB Will Hammond guiding them in the second half.
Tech's defense –particularly their front seven– whupped Utah. They held the Utes' vaunted ground game to just 101 yards (3 per carry), and only 262 total. Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez was the leader of it all, accounting for 11 tackles, plus forcing two of the four Utes turnovers. First, he caused this first-quarter fumble:
With all the talent Texas Tech added in the offseason, linebacker Jacob Rodriguez was overshadowed. But he’s one of the best linebackers in college football.
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) September 20, 2025
Potential Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/iw0nDKzf26
Then, he fittingly wrapped things up with this interception:
PICKED OFF @TexasTechFB makes another big play on defense 🔒 pic.twitter.com/5sfV1ox5qO
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 20, 2025
What Tech does at QB going forward might be the most interesting story coming out of week four, though. Starter Behren Morton got injured early in the third quarter, and Hammond spent the rest of the game dealing:
Backup QB Will Hammond is out here throwing dimes for @TexasTechFB 🎯 pic.twitter.com/TQhykjhNhn
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 20, 2025
He went 13-16 for 169 yards and two TD, while also running for 61 in only a half of work off the bench. I don't doubt that Tech still wins if Morton doesn't get hurt, but Hammond's performance was so eye-opening that they might have a decision to make. Regardless, I'm impressed by what I saw from the Red Raiders across the board. They've at least established themselves as co-Big 12 favorites next to Iowa State in my eyes.
