College football’s fourth week of the 2026 season delivered dramatic shifts as Oregon defeated USC behind backup quarterback Dylan Raiola after a serious injury to Dante Moore, Texas survived Tennessee with over ten defensive sacks, and Iowa stunned Michigan on the final play on September 26, 2026.
The first full weekend of conference play in late September brought chaos to the top tier of college football, upending preseason expectations across multiple conferences. While elite programs like Ohio State and Florida asserted themselves with dominant victories, others found themselves facing sudden questions as the calendar turns to October.
Oregon Resurvives in Los Angeles After Dante Moore Injury
Big Ten Week 4 recap
The most alarming moment of the weekend unfolded early in the second quarter at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum when Oregon quarterback Dante Moore scrambled and absorbed a vicious hit from USC linebacker Desman Stephens during a slide. An ambulance transported Moore to a hospital. Ducks coach Dan Lanning lambasted the hit after the final whistle as a disgusting play.
Enter Dylan Raiola. The former Nebraska starter stepped off the bench and immediately engineered a touchdown drive. As Raiola walked up to take his very first snap, the medical transport vehicle carrying injured Ducks starter Dante Moore could still be seen exiting the upper left portion of the display. That striking sequence mirrored the violent collision that sent Moore off the field and into medical care. Both squads experienced heavy emotional friction during this critical sequence that shifted momentum entirely. Two plays later, the ex-Nebraska signal-caller orchestrated a scoring march that successfully breached the end zone. Raiola finished the night throwing for 289 yards and two touchdowns, guiding the Ducks to a 41-27 road victory that kept their West Coast dominance intact under coach Dan Lanning. For USC and head coach Lincoln Riley, the evening revived familiar defensive woes despite offseason staff changes. Knowing full well he likely wouldn’t win the starting job should Moore return to school, Raiola deserves massive praise for his choice to join Oregon. Because he accepted a backup role to observe and grow, he equipped the Ducks to confront and conquer an immense hurdle that would have proved infinitely harder absent a secondary signal-caller possessing 22 collegiate starts. The Trojans simply cannot escape their recurring cycle. Repetition proves destiny: whenever a high-stakes, must-win showdown against a premier opponent arrives, the USC defense falters once again. Expectations were high for USC to finally secure a major victory, yet the squad stumbled against a substitute.
Texas Withstands Tennessee With Ten Sacks in Knoxville
College football week 4 contenders, pretenders
In Knoxville, the top-ranked Longhorns managed to escape Neyland Stadium with a win despite an inconsistent offensive showing. Even though Texas built a ten-point advantage late in the fourth quarter, they barely survived a furious final-minute push by the Vols to escape Knoxville victorious. Arch Manning did not throw a single touchdown pass, but the Texas defense terrorized Vols quarterback Faizon Brandon by recording over ten sacks in a performance reminiscent of a classic Will Muschamp defensive revival. Texas built a ten-point lead late in the fourth quarter before withstanding a frantic final drive by Tennessee.
Iowa Stuns Michigan on the Final Play at the Big House
Iowa handed Michigan its first loss of the season on a dramatic 16-yard touchdown pass from Hank Brown to Reece Vander Zee with just one second remaining on the clock. The 91-yard game-winning drive was aided by a crucial unnecessary roughness penalty against the Wolverines.
Takeaways from College Football Week 4
Jeremiah Smith Tying Records and Florida’s Resurgence
Elsewhere across the country, individual brilliance and unexpected blowouts reshaped the national scene. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith tied a program record by catching four touchdowns alongside 12 receptions for 217 yards in a 42-19 routing of Illinois. Meanwhile, under Jon Sumrall, the Florida Gators dismantled No. 4 Ole Miss 52-28 in Gainesville, proving far removed from their struggles during the Billy Napier era.
In Starkville, Mississippi State notched its first ranked win in over a decade as Kamario Taylor threw for over 350 yards to defeat No. 19 Missouri. Up north, Indiana improved its winning streak to 20 games overall behind Lee Beebe Jr.’s 203 rushing yards in a hard-fought 29-23 victory over Northwestern, while Wisconsin engineered a stunning 17-point comeback to defeat No. 13 Penn State 24-20 at Beaver Stadium.
