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While you were sleeping, BYU’s Parker Kingston fouled a punt, grabbed the ball and returned it 93 yards for a touchdown.

The Cougars defeated the Wildcats 39-8. But No. 13 Kansas State wasn’t the only ranked team exposed this weekend…

Contenders and Pretenders

Ranked Teams Unmasked in Week 4

In Week 4, some teams exceeded expectations while others disappointed. With this week as a big deal, here’s a recap of the teams that emerged as College Football Playoff contenders and those that slipped into pretender status.

Pretender: USC. The Trojans entered their first official Big Ten game ranked 11th in the AP poll (we’ll see how far the Trojans fall today) and looked better — particularly on defense. But then came a crucial missed tackle on Michigan’s Kalel Mullings that led to a 63-yard gain and the eventual game-winning TD. USC lost 27-24 in the Big House, despite Michigan’s continued struggles on offense (the Wolverines passed for 32 total yards). Are we being too harsh? Well, the Trojans left no room for error in the postseason.

Candidate: Tennessee. Josh Heupel’s return to Norman was triumphant as the No. 6 Vols routed No. 15 Oklahoma 25-15, exposing the Sooners’ offensive woes when OU benched starting QB Jackson Arnold for freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. late in the first half. Tennessee’s defense has been stellar through four games, holding Oklahoma to 3.3 yards per play and 36 total rushing yards. Tests against Alabama (Oct. 19) and Georgia (Nov. 16) remain for Tennessee, but it’s one of the most balanced teams in college football. Now, pay those talent fees!

Pretender: Nebraska. A promising young QB, a coach who made the program “cool again” and a Top 25 ranking for the first time in five years had Nebraska feeling good heading into its first game Friday night at Memorial Stadium. But against No. 24 Illinois, the Huskers wilted again, losing 31-24 as QB Dylan Raiola was sacked three times in OT. As Huskers scribe Mitch Sherman wrote , the wait for Nebraska’s return to contender status continues.

Candidate: Miami. The No. 8 Hurricanes were unfazed by a strong South Florida team after a 4-0 start. Miami shut out the Bulls in the second half en route to a 50-15 victory. On a day when quarterback play looked shaky nationally, Cam Ward was solid, completing 24 of 34 passes for 404 yards and three TDs with just one INT.

Pretender: LSU. Here’s my take. The No. 16 Tigers survived, beating UCLA 34-17, but the key word is survival. The game, in Baton Rouse, was tied 17-17 at halftime, and while the Tigers managed to pull off a second-half shutout, this team’s problems are real. LSU’s loss to USC and narrow win over South Carolina raised questions. Going into Week 4, there are a lot of questions and few answers.

Another candidate we can’t ignore? Clemson, which beat NC State 59-35 yesterday. Here’s what we learned about the College Football Playoff race in Week 4.

USC suffered its first loss of the season in its Big Ten debut against Michigan on Saturday. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Dikes blown out!

The rivalry between TCU and SMU was heated

The second half of the Iron Skillet rivalry between TCU and SMU started off red hot (pun intended).

Horned Frogs coach Sonny Dykes was ejected less than a minute into the third quarter after receiving two consecutive unsportsmanlike penalties.

There was already an underlying tension here that went beyond the rivalry on the field. Dykes coached SMU from 2018-2021, going 30-18 and helping the Mustangs gain prominence before leaving for rival TCU. But SMU (3-1) got the final say against its former coach with a decisive 66-42 victory, dropping TCU to 2-2. Maybe it was all a bit of karma for the Horned Frogs after they (unfairly?) trashed The CW and the ACC in a pregame video.

But back to Dykes’ expulsion. The NCAA instituted a rule in 2016 that automatically expels coaches who are flagged for two unsportsmanlike penalties in a game. Here are the cases I’ve found where that’s happened before (Dykes joins an exclusive club):

• Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler was the rule’s guinea pig and became the first coach to be ejected in 2021. Loeffler’s Falcons scored more points in the 18 minutes following his ejection than in any full game in the previous two seasons, beating Buffalo 56-44.
• Former Colorado State coach Steve Addazio was ejected in the second quarter of the Rams’ 2021 game against Nevada, which they lost 52-10. The Denver Post called the ejection a “new low” for CSU. Addazio was fired five days later after going 4-12 in two seasons.

Manning’s first start

The good and the bad

Arch Manning, son of Cooper Manning, nephew of Peyton and Eli and grandson of Archie, made his first career start yesterday in Texas’ 51-3 win over Louisiana-Monroe. Here’s a quick look at how he did:

• Final statistics: Manning completed 15 of 29 passes for 258 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, leaving early in the fourth quarter when true freshman Trey Owens took over.
• Highlight game: Even in limited time, Manning’s arm strength is clearly an advantage. Against ULM, Manning connected on deep passes for 56 and 46 yards.

• The lows: Manning threw his first career pick on Texas’ opening drive after giving up an unnecessary hit as a result of staring at his read for far too long. The AthleticsNick Baumgardner outlined the following: “The biggest areas of improvement for Manning are overall pocket awareness and quickly going through his progressions when he drops his first read.”

There’s no QB controversy in Austin anymore. Starter Quinn Ewers sat out this week while recovering from a strained oblique muscle, and he’ll be back leading the offense when he returns.

Quick Snaps

Colorado completed one of his most dramatic finishes to date in a 38-31 victory against BaylorQB Shedeur Sanders forced OT with a 43-yard Hail Mary on the final snap of regulation, before two-time star forward Travis Hunter sealed the win by forcing a Baylor fumble at the goal line.

Reading Stewart Mandel’s Final Thoughts about Hunter’s dominance and the “new” CFB.

James Madisons 53 points against in the first half North Carolina were the most the Dukes have ever allowed in two quarters, while also being the most UNC has allowed in a half. JMU won 70-50, and this is a good time to read Justin Williams’ story about how the Dukes have become a disruptive force in college sports.

No. 7 Missouri fell into the status of ‘pretender’ after he had kept himself aloof Vanderbilt in double OTThe Tigers were hurt by questionable fourth-down decisions by coach Eli Drinkwitz and three missed field goals (one of 24 yards) by Blake Craig. Unfortunately for the Commodores, the loss was a familiar slap in the face.

Mississippi State quarterback Blake Shapen suffered a shoulder injury during the Bulldogs’ 45-28 loss to FloridaShapen will miss the remainder of the 2024 season, the school announced.

Here you can buy tickets for all American football matches.

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(Top photo: Daniel Dunn / Imagn Images)