College Football Live - CFB LIVE - WEEK 4 MARQUEE MATCHUPS

Episode Date: September 22, 2026

Join our crew Zubin Mehenti, Roddy Jones, Tom Luginbill and Pete Thamel on another episode of College Football Live! Six ranked on ranked matchups highlight this weekend's slate, and the guys breakdown what to watch for in each game. Texas heads to Tennessee to take on the Vols in front of a hostile Neyland crowd. LSU faces Texas A&M as both teams looks to bounce back from tough losses. USC and Oregon will play in a Big Ten battle with big implications. And Ole Miss heads to Florida as an underdog? All this and more on College Football Live! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Early morning on a Manhattan sidewalk, a shooting caught on surveillance video. It was an assassination style killing, and everybody saw it. A new podcast series from ABC Audio in 2020 goes inside this captivating case. I'm ABC News legal analyst Brian Buckmeyer. Listen to Burden of Proof, Luigi Mangione, wherever you get your podcasts. ESPN, home of the college football playoff national. championship and Super Bowl 61. Yes, Reese, but plenty of football between January 25th and February 7th for those two

great dates. Look at all these great games. What a great Saturday. You could argue the top six matchups across the country you're seeing on your screen right now, huh? All hosted by Big Ten in SEC schools. With that, we welcome you inside college football live. I'm Zubin Mahentie.

Let's get going on our Saturday action by starting noon Eastern, high noon Eastern, high atop, Rocky Top. That's where game day will be for Texas and Tennessee, the most Ballyhoo, Texas recruit ever, the highest rated Tennessee quarterback recruit ever. Both of these guys head coaches were college quarterbacks as well. And as one of them could clearly tell you, the SEC, week in and week out, is an absolute grind. I think that's the challenge of our conference is being mentally and physically prepared to play weekend and week out. And for us this week, it's no different.

We're going into what I would probably consider is the loudest stadium in the country, Neeland Stadium. I think naturally for us when we go on the road, we've got to focus on what we need to do. We need to stay really connected and we need to have the ability to execute in all three phases to be successful. Early kickoff, checker Neeland to our fan base. However, you get ready for game time, wake up early and whatever you need to be at your best at 12. Make sure you're ready to be at your best at 12 and be a part of the football game. for 60 minutes. It's going to be rocking, no doubt.

Home sweet home, not so much. Take a look at the Ofer here at home against ranked opponents last season. But if we know anything, college football is a year-to-year sport. Joey Aguilar has been swapped out for Fais and Brandon. And obviously, hopes are high in Knoxville. Once again, high noon Eastern. Let's bring in the fellas to talk about it. College football live underway here for another week.

Pete Dammell, Roddy, Tom Luganbill here. Pete, let's start with you. you'll be positioned somewhere between Peyton Manning Pass and T. Martin Drive there on Saturday. And I bring up those two quarterbacks in particular because you've got an interesting stat on a quarterback in this game that you want to really let everybody know about. Well, Zubin, one of the things, as we've watched Arch Manning develop as a quarterback at Texas that he hasn't quite proven yet is that he can be a dominant quarterback on the road. His road record is two and three. And if you remember, those two were miraculous comebacks. They needed some special teams miracles at Mississippi State last year.

And Arch Manning really struggled at Kentucky last season. It required another long horn comeback. I think the number that really sticks out, Zubin, is the 18 sacks that Archmanning has taken in those five games. Again, as he refines himself and tries to mold himself into a top prospect, what we need to see from Archmanning is better accuracy in the intermediate and short game and better decision making. And those two things would come with more protection. Well, I'll tell you what, Pete, I would almost say the exact same thing about Faison Branden when it comes to accuracy and consistency because while Tennessee's been able to run the football very well, even on the road versus Georgia Tech in a hostile environment,

Faison Branden did not play very well. Completed about 47% of his passes. He's been very inaccurate on the vertical side of the passing game. And that's why you haven't seen a lot of big chunk plays from a Tennessee offense that's become accustomed to having those through the air. The ground game is carrying him. Faison Brandon has not had to make a ton of plays. Well, now he's going to have to.

He's going to have to get the ball down. He's going to have to settle down. When he misses the ball sales high and generally to the right, he's uber gifted. But to win a game like this versus an opponent like Texas, at some point or another during that game, he's going to have to make some plays that result in points through the air. Yeah, you wonder if Tennessee can find a way to get that run game going,

against a Texas defense that allowed less than 100 yards rushing in their real test against Ohio State. And that's what they're going to have to do, whether it's Faison Brandon's legs to open up Deshaun Bishop and Dwayne Morris or trying to figure out how to get those two guys on the edge. Because when you look at Bishop and Morris, Deshaun Bissop coming off an excellent season a year ago, he started the SEC in rushing right now. And Dwayne Morris got 234 yards as well, went for 100 yards in their game last week. Tennessee's had over 260 yards in every single game on the ground this year. But this Texas defense is a different test than any defense that they've faced so far.

And I just want to quickly put a point on this with the quarterback talk that if you're a fan of the SEC and you watch the SEC Network next month, SEC storied on the one and only T. Martin and the near impossible job that he took in 1998, replacing the one and only Payton Manning. Those two guys know Knoxville. Well, that's, of course, where college game day will be on Saturday with Reese and the gang. Pete will make his way over there as well for what should be a raucous environment. And then right when that program is over, we're going to kick on ABC. Cannot wait.

Another gigantic game Saturday pits, Oregon and USC. And you know the bugaboo for Oregon last year was they had a lot of wide receiver problems, namely last year, Evan Stewart. And now you've got McClellan out indefinitely with the broken foot. This is an Oregon team that's looking for answers, scoring 84. against Portland State is not going to solve all of your problems. Take a look at this. Right now, chances to make the playoff exactly the same for Oregon and SC.

But the loser of this game is going to need a telescope to see the 12-team field. And if it's Oregon, it's at 7 percent, and they would be a two-loss team before the end of September. Who would have thought? Let's break this down. Tom, I want to start with you. Normally, when we talk about USC, we are totally fine. about what they've been able to do on offense. It's their defense, their defense,

that has always been the issue under Lincoln Riley, and that's where you want to hone in here. Well, I think this is what's going to define whether USC and Lincoln Riley in 2026 are an actual college football playoff contender, or if they're going to go and find themselves in a 10 and 2, 9, and 3, 8, and 4 scenario, because the defense hasn't answered the bell.

And the question that you have is playing on the road, for whatever reason this SE team has struggled playing on the road in conference in the Big Ten. And you look at the numbers right there. And as far as the conference top to bottom, it's just not good enough. And I think Gary Patterson is trying to figure out what are the pieces of the puzzle here. They've been in a lot of three-man front, drop eight type of stuff. They're not very big on the corner. So I wonder if they're a little curious about how much do we want to load the box and actually put our people on an island.

But at the end of the day, this is the opportunity for SC, particularly their front, Roddy, to take care of business versus what looks to be a very suspect offensive line for the ducks. Flip it to the other side, Loux. What about that Oregon defense? We thought it was going to be great this year. But they give up 554 yards against Oklahoma State and the loss. They go back on the road. They got to play USC. And let me tell you, the better quarterback in this matchup has a Trojan on the side of his helmet.

Jaden Mayava has been fantastic to start the season. He's 10th in the country right now in QBR. He strove for 12 touchdowns and only one interception. 75% completion percentage. He has been fantastic, Ludes. And look, you look at all of the weapons that he has around them. Yes, they're young, but they are tremendously talented. So as good as that Oklahoma State offense was, this USC offense is more talented

with a quarterback that is more proven at this level. Track meat, baby. I think it's going to be, if this is how it's projecting right now, it's going to come down to who can get that stop in the second half and who's capable of winning one possession gains. Yeah, and the bottom line here, and one thing I just wanted to mention from Roddy's point is, this is not your typical Lincoln Riley,

five-star fresh out-of-the-box quarterback in Maya. He has had to earn it, do it the hard way, his third year is a starter in Southern California. Great story. On the way here. On college football live, two teams, one off a stunning loss, the other off a devastating loss. One will have two losses by the end of Saturday. Who among the two, LSU or A&M, needs it more?

Saturday, the guys with their answer next. We're back, and it's time for our rewarding performance, brought to you by Capital One. If you're a Florida fan, you absolutely had to love what you saw on the plane Saturday night. In the rain, Florida looking like vintage Florida as the Summerall era begins, with a high scoring, 44, 39 victory. They're 3-0 for the first time since 2019, and most importantly to Gator fans. They look like Florida.

They're scoring all over the place. They've got Ole Miss Saturday. They are favored. Old Miss has got three number one votes this week. How could that be? This question seemed like a good one. Coming to this week, ranked and favored against the top five team in the nation, do you use that doubt this week to fuel it?

guys favorite against these guys. Do they? There's a lot of good drugs out there, huh? That's pretty good, actually. To be honest, it's a good comeback on short notice. The guy is quick on the ad lib, so we know he can run that audible offense on the field and at the podium. Roddy, I want to start with you. I think what everybody is wondering what nobody knows until Saturday is if you have the emotional fervor that you had Saturday, and that's a once-in-a-lifetime game, and then a week later, you've got to get back out there. against the team that just got into the rankings two days ago. I mean, what is the letdown factor here as you watch this game?

Well, Pete Golding, this will be the biggest challenge he's had since he's been a head coach. I mean, think about last year. He was getting his team ready to play, but they had a galvanizing event and Lane Kiffin leaving. Oh, and by the way, it was a college football playoff. Like, if you can't give your guys to play for that, then you can't be a head coach at all. Then you come into this year, and everything it seemed like was building to that week three showdown with Lane Kiffin. Now you've got to flush that and move on to. creating a different kind of motivation.

You go into the swap against an offense that is absolutely elite so far this season. This Florida offense has only punted three times the entire year. Jaden Ball is second in the country in rushing, and he is the best running back that the nation has. You look at Aaron Philo at the quarterback position. There was some questions about what he was going to be. Well, all he's done is performed well enough to be seventh in the country in quarterback rating. And then the weapons on the outside, Verno Brown, the third. Dallas Wilson. And at some point, Eric Singleton, Jr., who did warm up for that game against

Auburn, at some point he will come back as well, providing some real speed to that offense. I don't know if that'll be this week. But even without him, this Florida offense with the best offensive coordinator in country and Buster Faulkner is absolutely elite. Well, and Roddy, I think that's why Ole Miss will be ready to play. Had Florida gone into Auburn last weekend and laid an egg, and then you come off of that emotional win at home, if you're Ole Miss against LSU, then you might take it a little bit. breath and relaxed a little bit. But you came off of that game and went, whoa, Florida just put up 44 on Auburn on the road, which we all know is a very tough place to play. That's why I think

you'll see a focus on Miss. They know that last week was just another notch and now they got to go get another one. And then there will be another one after that. There's so much maturity on this football team, particularly in the leadership positions at quarterback with Trinidad Chamblis and the spectacular plays and the stability and the consistency that he provides the moment. And and the environment will not be too big for him. And then, you know, I think the defense is still coming along. They're still fine in a way. What's the best mixed match in the back end?

I know a couple of weeks ago against Louisville, they struggled in past defense. They got better the last couple of weeks. And there's no doubt it's going to be a challenge. It doesn't mean that they're not going to lose the game, but I think they will be ready. It will not be a dud performance by Old Miss. All right.

So, Pete, there were two storylines coming out of Saturday. One, of course, this, the emotion that flowed on both sides. and then the Kiwan Lacey situation, as far as his status goes, what do you have for us? Yeah, Zubin, Kiwan Lacey injured is left shoulder and left that game early. And Pete Golding said this week that the MRI on that actually went a lot better than they had feared. So the expectation is it is not a serious injury. There's still some uncertainty, Zubin, is whether or not we will see Kiwan Lacey on Saturday. His reps will be limited this week as he nurses that shoulder injury.

We'll probably get some clarity later in the week on Key One Lacey's availability. Remember, Zubin, this is a first team all SEC running back. He had 24 rushing touchdowns last year. It was obviously a dominant player. He also left the opener against Louisville early with a thigh bruise, so there's been some tough injury luck so far early this season for Kiwan Lacey, but we should still see a lot of him as this year goes on. It's just a matter of when he returns.

Yeah, on the other side, of course, the Ole Miss game was LSU, who Kiven said after the game. It felt like we played an entire season already because of the emotion that has been expended. now LSU has Texas A&M. Now this is a really interesting game for a couple of different reasons because take a look. Both of these teams laid an egg, as one of us said earlier, in week three of this season. And then their playoff odds plummeted.

In fact, no two teams saw their playoff odds fall further than those two with L's. Pete, you gave us an injury update in our last game. I know you've got an injury update to get us up to date on here as well. What do you have? Well, we last saw Trey Des Green crutching off the. the field the other night after the LSU loss in Oxford. Al-Lean Kippen said this week, it's going to be at about a month for Trades-Green, which again, considering it's a knee injury is not a terrible scenario.

But for LSU, it's going to be rough sledding without him. LSU lacks the typical LSU weapons. We know them to have had historically Zubin on the outside. Trade As Green is a tight end, but he's really a high-end receiver. He's a potential top 15 NFL draft pick Zubin, and his loss will be felt against the Aggies on Saturday night in death bound no doubt roddy speaking of feeling it one of these two teams is going to be owing two in league play before september is that look at your eyes i know i know i know that's what the message words are going to be looking at one of them on saturday now it's got that big eye emoji

that you just showed us here let's just get into that first and both of these quarterbacks can definitely play a little better than they did last saturday certainly but but you look at what marceau reed is done and marceau reed's taking a lot of hit this week a lot of hits but There was an expected step forward for him this offseason. There was a little bit of a Heisman campaign going on in the offseason trying to get it rolling. And he just has not played well. Two interceptions against Kentucky last week and had another one against Arizona State. This Texas A&M offense has looked disjointed in the passing game at best.

And a lot of that comes down to the play of the quarterback. You know, if you did a school yard pick, there'd be a lot of quarterbacks in the SEC based on their play so far that you take above Marcel Reed. so it's unfair to put everything on him, but he certainly has to raise his level of play, Luke. Yeah, he does, Roddy. And I think the thing that makes him so spectacular is all of the wow plays that he makes. The problem is a lot of those come with risk.

And when it doesn't fall his way, then all of a sudden it becomes mistakes, it becomes glaring, turnovers, shift in field position. He's very similar to Kevin Jennings at SMU, where you see just some wow moments and some really good plays and spectacular throws. But then you may, make risk with the football, and now all of a sudden you've put your team in a hole.

And that has got to improve and it better improve this week. No doubt about it. So much to talk about with the SEC. It's the SEC all day on ESPN. The game we just talked about the nightcap, Texas and Tennessee, we talked about it, Ole Miss in Florida. We talked about it. We got you absolutely covered.

I want to talk to Pete about one thing that he tweeted out in just a moment. This is new on CFE Live. This is straight from his Twitter feed. I'm going to give you this real quick. Oklahoma Star defensive tackle David Stone undergoing further testing Tuesday morning after leaving practice today with the lower body injury. Pete tweeted this about 15 hours ago. He's expected to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. Pete, you are here. Time has gone by. What can you tell us? Well, Zubin, really for Oklahoma, the best possible news on defensive tackle David Stone. I've been told by sources that he's going to be considered questionable for this week. Brent Venable came out and said today his pain level from that knee injury is two out.

out of 10. So we had x-rays last night, MRI today, and apparently no serious damage on that knee for David Stone. Remember, David Stone is the single best player in Oklahoma's program, Zubin. He's a top 15 pick in the upcoming NFL draft. He's a dominant defensive tackle. And for a place that's really struggled on offense and there's really needs to rely on the defensive line for its identity, him coming back in the relatively near future is going to be huge for the Sooners. We'll see if they have him first Georgia on Saturday. No doubt about it. Tom saw him in person on Saturday. Still to come here on college football live.

Somebody said this guy might be the best quarterback in Mississippi State since DAC. And he's playing a guy that might be hotter than him. We'll talk about that next. We're back. Quick reminder, students scan the QR code or visit Dr.pepper.com slash tuition by September 30th to enter for a chance to compete for $100,000 in the Dr. Pepper tuition giveaway

during conference championship weekend. Now, for Connection, presented by AT&T, This guy is connecting on all cylinders. I think the country may have woken up and seen him at Minnesota a couple weeks ago, non-con play. Look at that. Three straight with those numbers, pretty darn impressive. Camario Taylor, Mississippi State, Austin Simmons, Ole Miss, Saturday night, 7.45 p.m. Eastern

on the SEC Network. Everybody is aboard the Camario Taylor train. Tom, you say, so far so good, but we will see. Well, you know, the early returns have been fantastic. He's almost been flawless. His accuracy has been just outstanding. It's a dynamic athlete. Has all the physical attributes you like to have.

Reminds me of RG3 when he was in college. He brings that type of skill set. But what we're going to truly find out starting this week and then leaping into the month of October is what they are truly made of. Because in October alone, they've got Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, and Texas. Wow.

All in one month. Wow. So Mississippi State's got a stack wins right now. Keep getting better. And it's not just Camaro Taylor, Roddy. The rest of the team is a lot better and much improved than they were a year ago. Yeah, but this Missouri defense is the biggest test that they will have faced this year. So it certainly will be a big test for him.

But Lug's, look on the other side. Austin Simmons has been really good so far as the Missouri quarterback. Remember, he started the season as old misses started last year, got hurt, and then Trinidad, had Chambliss happen. So, you know, we all get Wally Pipped from time to time. But Austin Simmons has found new life and that Missouri offense. They didn't have a great game last week against Troy, but it gets Kansas through for nearly 300 yards.

Still is yet to throw an interception. And so I know all the focus is going to be on Camaro Taylor, but Austin Simmons has done a really nice job since taking over in Columbia this season. I'm glad you said that because Austin Simmons is also returning to Oxford later. It's not going to get as much as attention as the guy that came back last week. On the way, here we go. Spencer Danielson at the mic. Boise State has got.

Yes, Western Michigan Saturday, and he's saying the same thing you are about Western Michigan. I mean, they're an undefeated football team, period, end of story. I don't care all the stuff that they can and can't, but that is, you watch that game, they absolutely beat Michigan at Michigan, and that's not hype. That is what happened. We're playing an undefeated football team.

I mean, beat one of the best teams in the country at their place, and we know showing up at Kalamazoo, that place is going to be rocking. And it's going to be a big time matchup at 3-3. He's not joking. That's not hyperbole at all. Tom, you're calling the game. Give us a quick primer here. I mean, the stakes are huge.

Oh, they're massive. I mean, we're potentially talking about a group of six college football playoff eliminator contest between two of the premier G6 programs in the country. And this time, Boise has to leave the blue turf. But you've got two returning all-conference quarterbacks. You've got a combination of three between the two teams, all-conference running backs, and two outstanding defensive football teams. And so this was going to be one where you're probably going to see some bloody noses

because these are going to be physical, get after you style football teams. And Western Michigan's hungry right now. They can feel it. They can taste it. And Boise is going to have a challenge. Spencer Danielson is right about one part of it. They're playing an undefeated football team, but an undefeated football team that has a chip on its shoulder because in the record book, they're not undefeated.

It's even worse. It's even worse for Smith. Danielson. Then he painted the picture at his press conference. It's a great point. Tom's going to have a front row seat Saturday 3.30 Eastern right here on ESPN 2. And we'll see you back here on ESPN 2. At 2 Eastern tomorrow.