College Football Week 4 Look-Ahead Lines: Utah At Oklahoma State, Tennessee At Oklahoma

If you missed the last couple of years’ worth of conference realignment, Week 4 of the college football season might leave your head spinning. And even if you didn’t miss the major reshuffling, it might take a few quarters to settle into this weekend’s action. On tap are several landscape-defining conference matchups in the Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC. No. 11 USC visits No. 17 Michigan, No. 12 Utah battles No. 13 Oklahoma State, and No. 7 Tennessee faces No. 15 Oklahoma – all conference matchups in today’s age. In anticipation of such a huge college football weekend, sportsbooks released look-ahead lines for the Week 4 slate.

Here are the best available opening odds across several betting apps.

College Football Week 4 Look-Ahead Lines

Illinois at No. 23 Nebraska, Friday (8:00 p.m. ET, FOX)

Dylan Mahom–er, Riaola, rather, takes on a familiar conference rival Friday night. Sportsbooks opened Nebraska as a -8 home favorite over Illinois. Both teams enter Week 3 at 2-0 and with exciting wins under their belts. Illinois took down No. 22 Kansas in Week 2 as +5.5 home ‘dogs, while Nebraska (-6.5) upended Colorado in a very public 28-10 victory. The Huskers play FCS Northern Iowa this weekend (a program that lost both excellent coordinators this offseason) while Illinois hosts Central Michigan. Barring serious underperformances here – a total possibility following emotional wins – this line likely stays rooted for Sunday’s re-open.

You can take these programs out of the Big Ten West, but you’ll never take the Big Ten West out of these programs. Expect a defensive struggle with some surprises on a Friday night. Also anticipate a total opening under 50 points.

NC State at No. 22 Clemson, Saturday (12:00 p.m. ET, ABC)

It’s been a tough start to the season for the ACC and NC State in particular. The Wolfpack needed a late push to stave off FCS Western Carolina then got thumped, 51-10, by Tennessee. Clemson came out of the gate getting blown out, 37-3, by Georgia. The Tigers managed to get right the next week with a 66-20 blowout over App State. This Week 4 game is an enormous momentum swinger for either program.

Clemson is on bye this week and NC State hosts Louisiana Tech. Watch for the Wolfpack to approach Week 3’s tune-up game with a bit more tenacity than its Week 1 buy game. However, should NC State (-21.5) fail to impress this weekend, it’s possible this team just isn’t very good. Clemson opened as high as -12.5.

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No. 11 USC at No. 17 Michigan, Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)

USC sits on bye this week while Michigan (-22.5) hosts Arkansas State. The Wolverines still haven’t found a suitable quarterback, as Alex Orji and Davis Warren failed to impress in either of their first two games. Veteran Jack Tuttle could return for Week 3 (or Week 4) and vie for the starting job. USC opened as a -2.5 road favorite (or -3 if you wanted to back Michigan early).

Find a full assessment of USC at Michigan opening odds here.

No. 12 Utah at No. 13 Oklahoma State, Saturday (4:00 p.m. ET, FOX)

Our second of three weird new blockbuster conference games, the Big 12 landscape, will shift dramatically with the results of this game. Currently, the Big 12 is wide-open, with Utah a slim favorite over both Kansas State and Oklahoma State (with many, many others in the mix). Watch for the availability of Utah QB Cameron Rising, who may sit in Week 3 against rival Utah State. Rising suffered a “deep laceration” on his hand in Week 2 against Baylor and did not return. While Utah came away with the win, the Utes offense did not score after his departure.

Oklahoma State also travels to face a rival in Week 3, Tulsa. The Pokes are featured on this week’s college football upset alert for both a potential letdown spot (beat Arkansas in double overtime last week) and a lookahead spot against Utah. With such a narrow margin at open, this weekend’s action – as well as Rising’s long-term availability – could shift this line pretty significantly one way or another.

No. 7 Tennessee at No. 15 Oklahoma, Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC)

Oklahoma owns the sixth-most all-time wins in the FBS (946 and counting). Tennessee stands 11th (867 and counting). Vols head coach Josh Heupel played QB for the Sooners and coached for OU from 2006-14. The last meeting here ended in double overtime (2015). The bottom line: this game is packed with anticipation and excitement.

Following a disappointing 16-12 win over Houston, Oklahoma is a +3.5 home underdog. The Sooners host Tulane this weekend while Tennessee punches down to Kent State. Those looking for value, either way, may want to get on this line before Tulane and Oklahoma duke it out (especially for Sooners backers looking to get the crucial hook here). Oklahoma’s injuries to the receiving corps is worth your attention – five of the top six WRs are hurt.

College Football Week 4 Look-Ahead Lines: Odds COmparison

As more college football look-ahead lines become available at sportsbooks, this odds comparison table will update.

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