Oregon heads to USC with both programs facing a massive prove-it game, Texas travels to Tennessee for another major test of Arch Manning, and LSU may already be staring at an early-season elimination game against Texas A&M.

College Football with Sam joins Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka for a loaded Week 4 preview as conference play begins to reshape the college football season.

First, the guys revisit some preseason opinions that have already changed. Oklahoma’s offense has been a major disappointment, Michigan’s defense has far outperformed its offense, while Florida and UCLA have quickly changed the conversation around their new coaching staffs.

Then it’s on to six ranked-vs.-ranked matchups, starting with Oregon at USC. Can Dante Moore and the Ducks recover from their disastrous start, or is Jayden Maiava ready to give USC the signature win it has been waiting for? With Oregon still searching for answers and USC’s defense raising its own concerns, the stakes are enormous for both programs.

Ole Miss also faces a fascinating emotional test at Florida just one week after its huge win over LSU. Can Trinidad Chambliss carry the Rebels again, or is this the perfect spot for Florida?

LSU and Texas A&M meet in what might already be an elimination game, while Texas heads to Neyland Stadium with Arch Manning still trying to prove he can deliver in a hostile road environment against a major opponent.

The guys also break down Michigan-Iowa, undefeated Mississippi State and breakout quarterback Kamario Taylor against Missouri, plus Oklahoma-Georgia, Nebraska-Michigan State, Wisconsin-Penn State, Western Michigan-Boise State, Kansas State-Cincinnati and UCLA-Maryland.

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Ole Miss got its revenge on Lane Kiffin, beating LSU 32-24 in an emotional night in Oxford—and raising some serious questions about the Tigers in the process.

Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka break down a revealing Week 3 across college football, starting with Trinidad Chambliss, Pete Golding and an Ole Miss team that answered LSU’s second-half comeback with a huge fourth-quarter response. What does the loss say about Sam Leavitt, LSU’s championship ceiling and everything still ahead for Lane Kiffin’s team?

The SEC discussion continues with Florida’s road win at Auburn, Mississippi State’s comeback victory at South Carolina and mounting pressure on Shane Beamer. The guys also reassess Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Texas and an Alabama team whose explosive offense is starting to look increasingly dangerous.

Then it’s around the rest of the country: Notre Dame’s uneven start, Northwestern’s breakout performance, Miami’s shaky second half at Wake Forest, Louisville-SMU and an ACC that remains almost impossible to sort out.

NBC Sports’ Nicole Auerbach joins Football Weather for a rapid-fire conversation about Indiana’s remarkable football transformation, the early state of the Big Ten and one of the biggest games of the season: LSU at Ole Miss.

Auerbach explains why Indiana’s rise under Curt Cignetti has been so unusual, whether the Hoosiers have established a sustainable new floor for the program, and what stands out about Cignetti’s approach behind the scenes.

The conversation then moves nationally. How concerned should we be about the Big Ten after a shaky opening stretch? Nicole weighs in on Ohio State, Oregon, USC, Penn State and Michigan before discussing a bigger question: despite all of the chaos around transfers, roster spending and governance, how healthy is college football itself?

Finally, the group previews an emotional LSU-Ole Miss showdown. Nicole explains why she trusts LSU’s defense, what Trinidad Chambliss brings to Ole Miss and what the game could reveal about LSU as a national championship contender.

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LSU visits Ole Miss in one of the biggest games of Week 3—and breaking Sam Leavitt injury news adds another huge variable to an already fascinating rivalry matchup. College Football with Sam joins Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka to preview the best games across the national college football schedule.

The guys begin with Houston at Texas Tech, a potentially revealing test for a Red Raiders team that hasn’t yet looked like the clear Big 12 favorite many expected. Can Houston change the conversation around the conference, or is Texas Tech ready to start looking like the contender it was supposed to be?

Then the pressure rises on several high-profile programs. Clemson faces North Carolina with Dabo Swinney suddenly dealing with real questions about the direction of the program, while Florida State hosts Alabama amid growing uncertainty surrounding Mike Norvell.

The guys also break down NC State-Vanderbilt, a massive ACC matchup between SMU and Louisville, Mississippi State-South Carolina and a fascinating Florida-Auburn game between two programs trying to establish themselves under new coaches.

Then comes the main event: No. 7 LSU at No. 8 Ole Miss. The revenge factor is enormous, Trinidad Chambliss has been playing at a high level, Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford—and during the show, LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt is listed as doubtful. Galen, Matt and Sam debate whether Ole Miss is positioned to make a major early-season statement.

Plus: Rutgers-USC, Miami-Wake Forest, UCLA-Purdue, Colorado-Northwestern and other games worth watching around Week 3.

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Oregon just suffered one of the biggest upsets of the young college football season, Texas erased a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit against Ohio State, and suddenly the Big Ten looks a lot shakier than expected.

Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka break down a chaotic Week 2, starting with Michigan’s grind-it-out win over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State’s remarkable turnaround against Oregon. One week after losing to Tulsa—and one year after getting demolished by the Ducks—the Cowboys physically controlled Oregon and handed Dan Lanning’s team a potentially season-altering loss.

Then it’s Texas and Ohio State. The Buckeyes dominated for three quarters and led 23-3 before Texas stormed back with 21 unanswered points to win 24-23. How much did the comeback tell us about Arch Manning and Texas? And are Ohio State’s recurring problems against physical opponents becoming a real concern?

Galen and Matt also examine what has gone wrong at Oregon, name North Dakota State and Mississippi State their Teams of the Week, and take a broader look at a surprisingly shaky Big Ten. Outside of Indiana and Ohio State, how many teams in the conference can actually be trusted right now?

The guys also update Football Weather’s early efficiency metrics, compare the AP Top 25 with FPI and adjusted performance data, unveil this week’s Merit Poll, and close with two spectacularly wet Football Weather Games of the Week.

College Football with Sam joins Galen and Matt for a special episode covering three major stories reshaping the early 2026 season.

First, they examine the escalating confrontation between LSU and the SEC over former professional players, including just how seriously the conference could respond if one of its biggest programs refuses to follow league rules. A post-recording update explains why the immediate roster crisis appears to have been avoided.

Then they dig into the controversial finish between Michigan and Western Michigan, the extra second that produced Michigan’s game-winning Hail Mary, and the questions surrounding the Big Ten’s explanation and replay procedures.

Finally, the College Football Playoff has begun formally evaluating a possible expansion to 24 teams. The guys debate what that could mean for scheduling, television money, Group of Six programs, conference championship games and the future value of rivalry week.

Plus, Sam weighs in on Michigan-Oklahoma, Ohio State-Texas and some of the most intriguing games ahead.

LSU made a massive opening statement against Clemson, while Michigan needed one of the wildest—and most controversial—finishes of the young college football season just to survive Western Michigan. Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka break down everything that mattered from Week 1 before turning ahead to a loaded Week 2.

The guys start with the teams that impressed them most. Miami looked like a legitimate national contender in a dominant road performance at Stanford, LSU overwhelmed Clemson despite an offseason filled with distractions, and Ole Miss survived a wild shootout with Louisville.

Then come the warning signs. Oregon struggled to put Boise State away, Notre Dame took time to get rolling against Wisconsin, and Michigan looked deeply concerning before being given one final second and converting a game-winning Hail Mary against Western Michigan. What does that performance mean before the Wolverines head to Oklahoma?

The conversation then turns to Clemson and Dabo Swinney. After another ugly performance against top-level competition, has Clemson's decline reached the point where the program simply can't get back to its championship standard—and can the Tigers even afford to make a change?

Galen and Matt also unveil their first Football Weather Merit Poll of 2026, ranking teams entirely on what they've accomplished this season rather than preseason expectations.

Then it's on to Week 2: Michigan at Oklahoma, Missouri at Kansas, Arizona State at Texas A&M, Minnesota-Mississippi State, Memphis-Boise State, Iowa-Iowa State and the huge showdown between No. 1 Ohio State and Texas.

Plus: the Football Weather Game of the Week takes us all the way to the Arctic Ocean and a snow-covered football field in Barrow, Alaska.

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Could LSU actually get kicked out of the SEC? Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka break down reports that SEC school leaders are considering extreme action against LSU over its pursuit of former professional players—then turn to the field for a full Week Zero recap and College Football Week 1 preview.

The show starts with the first real results of the 2026 season. USC handles San Jose State, Bill Belichick and North Carolina grind out a win over TCU, Virginia makes an early statement against NC State, Florida State raises more questions despite winning, Memphis picks up a potentially important Group of Six victory at UNLV, and North Dakota State looks immediately comfortable at the FBS level.

Then comes the biggest off-field story in the sport. With LSU continuing to push the eligibility issue surrounding former professional players, SEC presidents and university officials are reportedly discussing options ranging from membership probation and competition boycotts all the way to possible expulsion. Galen and Matt examine what the escalating confrontation says about LSU, Lane Kiffin, Greg Sankey and the balance of power inside the SEC.

Finally, it’s time for Week 1. The guys preview Boise State at Oregon, Baylor vs. Auburn, Miami at Stanford, Toledo at Michigan State, Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin, Ole Miss vs. Louisville and SMU at Florida State.

And the centerpiece: Clemson visits LSU in a fascinating opening-night test. Can LSU put two weeks of chaos aside and justify its preseason expectations, or is Clemson walking into the perfect situation to make an immediate national statement?

Plus, Football Weather debuts its new Weather Game of the Week and previews the return of the Football Weather Merit Poll.

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