Josh’s College Football Rankings 2026–Week 4

The rankings saw some significant changes after the fantastic football we saw this week. There are plenty of new faces in the rankings. I think we are also getting a better picture of how good teams actually are this year. For example, some people questioned leaving Kentucky out of the rankings last week. Well, now it looks like Texas A&M is just not nearly as good as we thought (obviously they have had some injuries to their receivers, but that is part of football). 

1. Georgia (4-0)–#3–W 41-13 #24 Oklahoma. Georgia moves into the top spot because they just look like such a complete team right now.
2. Texas (4-0)–#1–W 20-17 #17 Tennessee. The Vols are a good team, but it felt like Arch Manning played a terrible game. The Longhorns need him to be better.
3. Ohio State (3-1)–#2–W 42-19 Illinois. The Buckeyes run defense is their only weakness, I think they gave up almost 200 yards to Illinois.
4. Notre Dame (4-0)–#4–W 49-10 Purdue. The Irish continue to roll over their opponents (they have outscored opponents 169-33–and three of those opponents have been Big Ten teams).
5. Miami (4-0)–#5–W 52-3 Central Michigan
6. Indiana (4-0)–#6–W 29-23 Northwestern. I know, some people will want to punish the Hoosiers for having a tough time with Northwestern, but I think this game should be a credit to how good the Wildcats are this year.
7. Alabama (4-0)–#8–W 49-18 #36 South Carolina. Keelon Russell accounted for five touchdowns. It looks like ‘Bama has another stud QB.
8. Florida (4-0)–#26–W 52-28 #7 Ole Miss. I was hesitant to rank the Gators too high after last week, but now I am a believer.
9. BYU (3-0)–#9–BYE
10. Utah (4-0)–#11–W 31-17 Iowa State. I am not totally sure about this team. I think they are very good, but I need to see more from them.
11. Ole Miss (3-1)–#7–L 52-28 #26 Florida. It would be easy to drop this team like fifteen spots after that beatdown by the Gators, but it was kind of a game until the 4th quarter. Maybe Lacy would have made a difference? Probably not.
12. LSU (3-1)–#10–W 35-6 #22 Texas A&M. The Tigers looked good against the Aggies, who looked pretty lifeless out there.
13. Oregon (3-1)–#20–W 41-27 #13 USC. The Ducks lost their QB due to a scary hit, and they were still able to take down the Trojans. Not bad having Raiola as your backup.
14. Texas Tech (4-0)–#12–W 49-14 Sam Houston. I keep dropping this team each week because their wins against lesser opponents are just so unimpressive.
15. Houston (3-1)–#19–W 42-28 Georgia Southern. The Cougars benefit from everyone above them losing.
16. Mississippi State (4-0)–#29–W 31-24 #18 Missouri. The Bulldogs continue to impress. It is nice to see after the last few seasons and their struggles.
17. Tennessee (3-1)–#17–L 20-17 #1 Texas. Hard to punish the Volunteers after almost upsetting the Longhorns.
18. SMU (3-1)–#23–W 34-24 Missouri State
19. USC (4-1)–#13–L 41-27 #20 Oregon. Same old USC. Great offense, no defense.
20. Iowa (4-0)–#25–W 20-19 #21 Michigan. I think everyone knows my hatred of Iowa, but I have to give them props for that win at The Big House.
21. Wisconsin (3-1)–NR–W 24-20 #16 Penn State. The Badgers have looked much better since that week one game against Notre Dame. The offense is still shaky, but the defense is solid.
22. Oklahoma State (3-1)–NR–W 41-24 #27 West Virginia. The Cowboys lost to Tulsa, but beat Oregon and West Virginia. I think they are starting to click.
23. Penn State (3-1)–#16–L 24-20 Wisconsin. Ugh. I have so much to say about this game. The Nittany Lions were without their top receiver, and it showed. The offense could not do anything. They blew a lead because they could not move the ball. If they play like that again, this team could be out of the rankings all together.
24. Missouri (3-1)–#18–L 31-24 #29 Mississippi State
25. Michigan (3-1)–#21–L 20-19 #25 Iowa
26. Pittsburgh (4-0)–#28–W 59-0 Bucknell
27. Auburn (3-1)–#34–W 21-15 #37 Vanderbilt. Auburn is looking much better after keeping a tight game with Florida and following it up with a win against Vandy.
28. Nebraska (4-0)–#31–W 31-13 Michigan State
29. Virginia Tech (4-0)–#32–W 21-14. James Franklin wins the matchup of former Penn State head coaches (fun trivia question–can you name the other times it has happened?).
30. Duke (4-0)–#33–W 62-7 William & Mary
31. Kentucky (3-1)–HM–W 45-21 South Alabama
32. Virginia (3-1)–#35–W 42-3 Delaware
33. Minnesota (3-1)–NR–W 27-24 #15 Washington. Are the Gophers good? Or was I just way too high on Washington?
34. Boise State (3-1)–#38–W 32-7 Western Michigan. Nice to see a team have no trouble with that Broncos defense.
35. Arizona (3-1)–#39–W 34-24 Washington State
36. UCLA (4-0)–HM–W 54-3 Maryland. I think Bob Chesney was the right hire for the Bruins.
37. Northwestern (2-1)–HM–L 29-23 #6 Indiana. The only team that lost and moved up. The Wildcats looked tough against Indiana.
38. Washington (3-1)–#15–L 27-24 Minnesota. Is this where the Huskies should have been ranked all along? Not sure, but they need to rebound from that loss because they have USC up next, then Iowa.
39. Cincinnati (4-0)–NR–W 31-26 #30 Kansas State
40. Vanderbilt (3-1)–#37–L 21-15 #34 Auburn

Honorable Mentions
Wake Forest (3-1)–NR–W 30-27 #14 Louisville. Do not sleep on the Demon Deacons. 
Kansas State (3-1)–#30–L 31-26 Cincinnati
Louisville (2-2)–#14–L 30-27 Wake Forest
Baylor (3-1)–NR–W 23-13 Colorado
James Madison (4-0)–NR–W 46-20 Old Dominion

So this Friday is my birthday! #23 Penn State travels to #37 Northwestern. Look, Matt Campbell needs to have the Nittany Lions ready for this game, and cannot coach so conservatively. Or we will see a repeat of last year? The Wildcats will be fired up for the game, since this is the opening of their new stadium. #26 Pitt is at #29 Virginia Tech as well. It would be a cool birthday present if…geez, who do I root for in this one?

The game I am most looking forward to this weekend is #7 Alabama at #16 Mississippi State. I hope this ends up being a battle between two young QBs. The #3 Buckeyes have to face #20 Iowa at Kinnick Stadium. I do not think the setting will matter much though. And lastly we have #27 Auburn at #17 Tennessee. I think this is another huge test for the Alex Golesh and his Tigers. If they could go into Neyland and pull out the win…

Tiny But Mighty
Gardner-Webb was beating Marshall 35-33. Unfortunately for the Runnin’ Bulldogs, they left too much time on the clock. The Thundering Herd marched down the field and kicked a field goal with six seconds left in the game. G-W is a solid team, they are 1-4, but they lost to Liberty by one. So that is just two points to two FBS schools. Their other losses came to Wofford (17-13) and Austin Peay (35-17). If you were wondering, Gardner-Webb is located in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, about 50 miles outside of Charlotte. 

Coaching Hot Seat
I think Luke Fickell took his name off the list. Same Dave Aranda. Baylor would need to fall apart down the stretch for him to make it on the list again.
Greg Schiano (Rutgers) still holds that top spot.
Mike Locksley (Maryland)–getting destroyed by UCLA does not look good
Mike Norvell (Florida State)–not sure what Norvell needs to do to keep his job (it seems like FSU is going to bite the bullet and buy him–especially with Florida rising from the ashes)
Thomas Hammock (Northern Illinois)
Dabo Swinny (Clemson)–I am convinced that the university will either ask him to retire after this season, or step down (give him some administrative job like President of Football Operations).

Heisman Watch
Jeremiah Smith–WR–Ohio State…217 yards receiving, 4 TDs
Darian Mensah–QB–Miami
Malachi Toney–WR–Miami
Kamario Taylor–QB–Mississippi State
Jaden Baugh–RB–Florida