CFB Week 4 Top Games Rundown | Call the Hotline: Volume I

Week 4 just began, so here's some of the top matchups entering this loaded week of college football.

College Gameday this Week/Game of the Week

#1 Texas Longhorns @ #14 Tennessee Volunteers

Entering this game, neither of the teams competing have lost a game. But even still, these two have had very different paths to get to this perfect 3-0 record. Let's start with Texas.

Texas started out their 2026 run for the playoffs---and that mouthwatering championship---against Mountain West rookie Texas State, winning 59-7. They then immediately followed this by facing the current #1 team in the nation at the time, Ohio State. The Longhorns went down hard early, being down 23-3 at one point. Then, Arch Manning put on a masterclass and led the Longhorns to a country-shocking 24-23 win at DKR. This past week, Texas faced American Conference contender UTSA, and blew them out 30-6. They come into this game having beaten a former #1 team in Ohio State, and two different Group of Six contender schools.

Now, let's take a look at the Volunteers' path to get to 3-0. The Vols started off this year with an easy FCS win over Furman, 56-9. They then lit up a high upside ACC team in Georgia Tech 45-24. Following this, they had another cupcake game against 2025 Conference USA champion Kennesaw State, blowing off the Owls' brakes 42-9. While Tennessee might have not had as hard of a road to get here, it's not reasonable by any means to count them out of this one immediately. I'll explain why.

While Tennessee hasn't faced an "Ohio State tier" team, they killed what we thought was going to be a barn-burner against Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium, and stomped out a team some were considering (though it was never going to happen) to have a chance at the playoffs last year in Kennesaw State. Though the Vols don't have a elite level player like Arch Manning, their team is one of the best in college football. They've recorded the third most sacks as a team with 13, and they have the fourth best rushing offense in terms of yards per game, behind all 3 military academies. But even with the extra grit they have with playing the best team in college football at Neyland Stadium---like they always say: everything's bigger in Texas.

The Longhorns are undoubtedly having their greatest season in the past decade for now, and it starts with one name. Arch Manning. The beginning of the next generation of the Manning name may not be #1 in every stat (not even top 20 in one), but he truly has a different edge than other quarterbacks. Being a Manning, some of it is probably just common nature, but Arch and his head coach Steve Sarkisian have this almost unbreakable connection, and it shows. Against Ohio State, the duo did everything they needed to to get Texas the win, and it truly showcased what a peak efficiency Longhorns team could look like. And that idea is dangerous. Very, very dangerous.

Either way, this thing is going to either be a blowout, or an instant classic. No in between. It goes down at noon EST on ABC.

Hotline's Call/Secondary Game of the Week

#19 Missouri Tigers @ #24 Mississippi State Bulldogs

There were many contenders for my call of secondary GOTW, but with all the ranked matchups, none matter more than this. While games like LSU and Texas A&M have playoff implications, this one has more. It's about proving yourself to the nation. Who's legit? Who's not?

Missouri has been here many times, but hasn't ever pulled through. They had some good shots through their time in the SEC, but haven't truly broken through in their time in the conference. At 3-0, can they finally make a run? Or is it all too soon for Truman the Tiger and his crew? They've certainly got a bid for this game to go their way. The Tigers have had slight trouble with Troy, but dominated Kansas. They know how to get stops on teams too. Troy didn't score past the 1st half, and the Tigers stopped Kansas when it mattered to pull away with a 38-21 win. The only thing stopping Mizzou in this tight SEC matchup? The Bulldogs from Starkville, Mississippi.

Mississippi State has been on somewhat of a miracle run through the first 3 this year. Dominated Louisiana-Monroe 62-13, then wreaked havoc on Minnesota, 38-13. Then, in a tight one against South Carolina, the Bulldogs game back from 16 down to rock the Gamecocks in a game where the score didn't reflect the domination that happened. Kamario Taylor threw 4 touchdowns for the Bulldogs in a game where it all depended on him to revitalize the offense. Mississippi State hasn't won much of anything in a long, long time. A top 25 win against a conference opponent could the the straw that breaks the Starkville-border shaped camel's back. A loss, and the Bulldogs could fall back into obscurity once again. The Bulldogs need this win, not just to contend or to rise in the rankings, but to bring back the Mississippi State football program as a real threat. Playing an SEC schedule isn't easy. Winning in the SEC is even harder. Winning in the SEC as a team who is regularly the most forgot about team in the SEC is a different level of difficult. Mississippi State, if they beat Missouri, is defying all of these odds stacked against them.

No matter who wins, this one is likely to not just have 2026 implications, but 2027 and beyond as well. This game will be broadcast to all who have access to SEC Network at 7:45 PM this Saturday.

Hotline's Group of 6 Game of the Week

For those of you who don't know (which is all but about 2 people), I like to do a Group of 6 GOTW. It's for the spectacular G6 games that don't get all the spotlight amongst the ranked matchups and big name teams. Here's this week's.

Boise State Broncos @ Western Michigan Broncos

For as good of a matchup as this is, I don't see enough people talking about this one. The inaugural Bronco Bowl has a lot of meaning in its debut. Both Broncos are 2-1, but should and could be 3-0. Let's talk about the brown broncos of Western Michigan first.

A decade ago, Western Michigan went 13-1, their best season since 1941. Exactly 10 year later, the Broncs look the same way as they did. You may argue that since they had "trouble" with Rice last week that they aren't capable of defeating the Blue Turf Broncos, but Western Michigan is definitely capable. They lost to Michigan on the most controversial call in 2026, one which was eventually overturned by the NCAA, unfortunately to no gain of Western Michigan. But still, that was at Michigan. So there's no telling what they could do at home against Boise State. Western Michigan running back Jalen Buckley has been delivering the heavy load for the brown Broncos this year. Even with 4 touchdowns---tied 12th in college football---he has an average yards per carry of just 4.9. The senior sure has to carry a lot against Boise, but if the passing game can take some of it off Buckley, the Broncos of Kalamazoo might just prevail. On the other hand...

Boise State has been rocking it this year. 2 years removed from the fateful departure of Heisman runner-up running back Ashton Jeanty, the blue Broncos have seemed to have found their footing. Maddux Madsen is playing well, but what Boise State truly is happy about is their new "Jeanty." Dylan Riley is third in the nation in rushing yards this season, is tied for eighth in carries at 62, but only has 2 touchdowns this season. Boise State sure would love it if he started his journey to rep the endzone of blue against Western Michigan. Boise State almost beat Oregon when they were ranked #2, barely losing 33-27 in a thriller that ended in blue feelings for the fans of the blue turf. Following that, the Broncos beat Memphis 38-20 where the blue Broncs dismantled the Tigers' offense in the second half. If they do that against Western Michigan, who knows?

Between two teams that had heartbreaks against ranked teams; two teams whose first matchups of 2026 ended in major discussion amongst college football fans all over. Two teams with the Broncos name. Two teams whose seasons have ended in disappointment more times than happiness. Their chances at a happy outlook for week 5 and beyond depend on just 60 minutes of football at 3:30 PM EST on ESPN2. If nothing else, give this game a quick nod when you scroll through the ESPN app, because this has real potential to be a season-altering game.

With that, the first edition of a series I'm coining "Call the Hotline" is over. Thanks for tuning in! And to all, a good and exciting week of college football is coming your way. Let's get started!