Week 4 did NOT disappoint, mainly because ZT finally outpaced the Padre for the first time in 2025 ( ZT, you do recognize that makes you 1-3 and only 1 win ahead of the UMASS Minutemen who are 0-3 ….just sayin! ).
Notable games in Week 4 included Curt Cignetti & the Indiana Hoosiers beating Bret Bielema and the Illini worse than a rug at a spring cleaning. Michigan took care of a tough Nebraska squad on the road and Texas Tech rang Utah’s bell early on Saturday in Salt Lake City. Oh yes, Notre Dame picked up their 1st win of the season, as expected at home, over Purdue. Enough history and on to Week 5 other than 1 colorful exit from the Coaching ranks……
4 Top 25 Matchups this week including a Top 6 with Oregon traveling to meet Penn State in Happy Valley and the SEC with LSU vs. Ole Miss along with Bama vs. Georgia. USC vs Illinois is the final Top 25 tilt. Let’s get to it!
EXTRA LATE FRIDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Heck of start to the last weekend in September. UVA upsets #8 FSU in OT while Arizona State knocks off #24 TCU with a late FG. And even Alabama High School Football was wild as Mountain Brook beats Homewood ( 2 Birmingham teams ) with a wild walk off 2-point conversion in OT after a bad snap ( you really need to go find this one and watch the play ) and Williamson of Mobile becomes 1st team in 75 years to win a game 100-0 over Murphy of Mobile ( and yes, Williams is up 73-0 at half and requested to let the clock run in 2nd half but was denied by the Murphy HC). If this is any indication, Saturday should be PHENOMENAL!!!
Prognostication Update Padre 19-11 ZT 17-13 ( you’re still the 1st loser ZT! )
Padre still up first!!!
Most Florida fans were hoping this would be a “bye week” for Billy Napier—but alas, it was just a bye week without a game. Silver lining? At least we didn’t lose.
Now, on to my predictions…
Notre Dame @ Arkansas: At the risk of sounding overly dramatic – nobody snatches defeat from the jaws of victory quite like Arkansas. It’s both heartbreak and comedy, every single week. Meanwhile, Notre Dame is already being talked about as a potential CFP team if they win out. Some things never change. The sport might be unrecognizable with all the realignment and chaos, but Notre Dame still getting the benefit of the doubt? Timeless.
Call me hog-wild, but I think Arkansas pulls off the upset here. It won’t save Pittman’s job—nothing will—but he’ll at least get one more night to eat his Lucy Charms in peace. Arkansas 30, Notre Dame 27
Utah State @ Vanderbilt: Florida is 1-3 and can’t complete a forward pass. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, is 4-0 and running roughshod over opponents. Maybe this is why people thought the rapture was happening earlier this week. But for those of us left behind, Vandy keeps winning – on the field and in the library. The Revenge of the Nerds Tour continues. Vanderbilt 37, Utah State 13
Ohio State @ Washington: The Huskies are coached by a Gator (future Head Ball Coach at UF?). Ohio State is coached by a guy locked in the most bipolar coach–fan relationship in the history of college football. Ohio State has the better team, but for some odd reason, I sense a surprise in Seattle. The purple will topple the scarlet. Washington 27, Ohio State 23
LSU @ Ole Miss: Kiffin is mad because the Rebels never seem to get LSU at night in Oxford. Brian Kelly’s mad because his orange juice had too much pulp this morning (Sopranos fans, you get it). I went back and forth on this one, as it feels like a true toss-up. Gator fans are secretly rooting for Kiffin to just miss the CFP so he ends up in Gainesville. And in recent Gator Luck fashion, that means Kiffin’s crew pulls it off. Brian Kelly’s Saturday? Full of pulp. Ole Miss 24, LSU 23
Auburn @ Texas A&M: It’s rare you can truly say the refs cost a team a game. Sure, they all make mistakes – but last week, the Plainsmen were flat-out ambushed by some wild calls.
Still, I get the sense that loss was like asking out your high school crush… and she says “no.” The confidence takes a hit, and suddenly, you’re scared of girls and zone coverage. I don’t think Auburn bounces back from that one right away. The Aggies win comfortably. Texas A&M 30, Auburn 16
Tennessee @ Mississippi State: Cowbells vs. “Ain’t no telephone bills.” A true battle of football noise pollution (I secretly like Rocky Top – as do most football fans). Mississippi State has been one of the season’s biggest surprises—borderline adorable, really. And as a Gator, I’d love nothing more than to see them keep the chaos rolling and knock off the Vols. But unfortunately, reality is pulling into Starkvegas sometime between Saturday afternoon and early evening. Vols by plenty. Tennessee 40, Mississippi State 20
Oregon @ Penn State: My word—how many good games are we getting this weekend? And I’ve still got one more pick after this! You know the narrative by now. It’s basically a college football proverb at this point: James Franklin can’t win the big one. Is it unfair? Maybe. But clichés exist for a reason…because some things keep happening. And I think it happens again. Oregon walks into the “White Out” and paints it green. Oregon 26, Penn State 20
Alabama @ Georgia: Sure, Oregon/Penn State might be the “big” game on paper – but this one feels like the biggest. Maybe that’s just my SEC bias talking, but it’s hard to ignore the weight this carries for both programs. For Bama, it feels like a referendum on the DeBoer era – fair or not. For Georgia, it’s about cementing the narrative that the Dawgs have officially passed the Tide. I keep hearing a lot of folks picking Bama—and as a Gator, I’d love that. But as much as I hate that fire-engine/Crayola Crayon red, I think the location matters. Athens is the edge, and the Dawgs have the final bark. Georgia 30, Alabama 23
Enjoy your Saturday– and God bless college football!!
ZT is fired up after his 1st “win” of the season…..giving credit to patronizing the Waffle House after the Padre “dissed them” in Week 4.
22 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Vs Arkansas Razorbacks 11am
The Irish get in the Win column by thumping Purdue while the Hogs lost a heartbreaker to Memphis when they fumbled setting up the winning FG….some rumbling on HC Sam Pittman but too early for that in this case. Ark QB Taylen Green leads a solid offense that can score like hogs eating corn but the defense has more holes in it than a teenager’s story about how the car got a dent in it. Irish similar but just believe CJ Carr and gang will get it done since the survived the latest rapture prediction this week… Irish 38 Smash Burger with Bacon 35
Utah State Aggies Vs 18 Vanderbilt Commodores 1145am
NO WORRIES Vandy fans…you just scored the most points in 107 years and QB Pavia is NOT here on a H1-B visa! Love that he leads the ‘Dores in both passing and rushing yard. ZT loves that guy and of course HC Will note the west coast Aggies have taken care of business and never gave up in their loss to the “other” Aggies at College Station. Commodores not distracted with Bama next week and will boat race Utah State. Commodores 48 Need Caffeine 21
1 THE Ohio State Buckeyes Vs Washington Huskies 230pm
AP #1 on the road against the also undefeated Huskies. This will be a critical test for the Buckeyes post Texas as they beat Grambling and Ohio by a combined 107-9. Huskies can score points both in the air and on the ground. They also can smoke more weed in that state than you can in Ohio. A few other odd laws? Its illegal to put a hypnotized person on display in a store window ( assume a mannequin shortage at some point? ) and Sasquatch is a protected resident of the state. Enough already. Buckeyes 35 Hypnotized K 9s 23
4 LSU Tigahs vs 13 Ole Miss Rebels 230pm
Tigahs go to The Grove and will be interesting to see if the Rebels stick with QB Trinidad Chambliss ( who has played well in place of starter but injured Austin “Powers” Simmons ). They should. Kiffin will not be distracted just because his daughter is dating a LSU LB…ZT convinced its a bigger set up than the email from your 3rd cousin, Prince Akeem of Zamunda, needing money via Western Union. Hard to find weakness in the Tigahs but Landry “Mata Hari” Kiffin will provide enough info from the LSU linebacker she is “dating” to help secure the Rebels a W!! Rebels 31 LSU LB back on Tinder 30
26 Auburn Tigers vs. 9 Texas A & M Aggies 230pm
Auburn got hosed in Oklahoma ( remember Luke Combs said “ain’t no love in Oklahoma” ) on the TD play and a few others… they got to get over it quickly as traveling to College Station will only be more intense. Other issue at the Loveliest Village on the Plains, Hoops HC Bruce Pearl retired so the entire sports program, other than the equestrian team, is in a state of unrest. ZT a fan of AU QB Jackson Arnold ( not to be confused with Arnold Jackson from Different Strokes ) and AU has only had 1 turnover. The week off for A & M and playing at home with the 12th man is the X factor in this one. Aggies 31 Tears for Pearl 28
15 Tennessee Vols vs. 27 Miss State Bulldogs 315pm
UT can’t lose and become 0-2 in the SEC but the Bigger story is UNDEFEATED Bulldogs, the Mississippi version!!! Last time they were 4-0? Dak Prescott was the QB. Also, MSU has 3 of the next 4 on the road so need the W this week. Vols will turn QB Joey Aguilar loose with enough ground game to keep the airways open. ZT just feels it (but did eat chili last night so could be a different kind of “upset”. Upset Special. Bulldogs of Mississippi 34 Suck an Orange 31
6 Oregon Ducks vs 3 Penn State Nittany Lions 630pm
Happy Valley will have a WHITE OUT on Saturday night and it is a cool site for sure. unfortunately, the reason is so people are blinded and can’t see the stat that PSU HC James Franklin is 4-20 against AP Top 10 teams and 1-14 vs Top 5 teams. Good news? Oregon is #6 so that is the better stat. ZT just says “This bald headed guy is due!!!” ( full disclosure, ZT also has less hair than a solar panel ). Nittany Lions 27 Aflac’s West Coast Cousin 24
17 Bama vs. 5 Georgia Bulldogs 630pm
Alabama on the road under DeBoer is like the kid that goes to a friends to spend the night and then calls Mom at 11pm to come pick him up. Road Record at Bama is 2-4 ( still better than you ZT vs. the Padre this year! ). Only good news is Dawgs Fans discussing another “black out” and Gunnar Stockton has, so far, has not met the hype…. Bama O-line key as if ( Ok WHEN ) Kirby brings the pressure, Ty needs to NOT be tied up! Bama getting a few players back on the field this week. They need everyone. Again, until Bama can go on the road and “spend the night without calling mamma”, ZT not sold and GA 33 straight wins at home continues. Bulldogs 34 Mommy, come get me!! 27
ZT and the Padre out until Week 6……but only after your weekly Dad Joke
Dad Joke of the Week
What did the football player say to the flight attendant? PUT ME IN COACH!!
(Pretty sure that Dad Joke came from John Fogerty… just sayin.. )
Enjoy the weekend and get ready for October with all the football you can watch and the MLB playoffs as well to fill in those boring Tuesday nights!!!!
Pigskin Prognostications by the Piedmont Padre and Zimmern's Twin 