Week 4 Viewing Guide: Former Purdue Backup QBs are Taking Over the SEC

First things first: Indiana faces its first Power 5 conference foe of the year when it hosts Wake Forest at 3:30 pm on BTN. Check out Kyle’s preview here. If that’s not enough college football for you, here’s a viewing guide for the rest of Week 4.

#12 Georgia at #23 Ole Miss (Noon, ESPN)

On one side you have a team that blew two 21+ point leads in three games. The other team had to come from behind to barely eke out wins over Nicholls State and 2014 SEC East Runner-up Missouri. Someone has to win this game, right?

Prediction: Ole Miss 35, Georgia 27

#11 Wisconsin at #8 Michigan State (Noon, BTN)

Wisconsin now has a quarterback controversy, and Corey Clement is still questionable with an ankle injury he suffered against Akron. The Badgers looked very rough around the edges in a narrow win over winless Georgia State.

Michigan State has beaten an FCS school and a very bad Notre Dame defense. I still really don’t know if either of these teams are that good.

Prediction: Michigan State 24, Wisconsin 10

#19 Florida at #14 Tennessee (3:30, CBS)

Austin Appleby gets the start at quarterback for Florida, joining LSU’s Danny Etling as former Purdue QBs (who lost their starting jobs) who now are starting in the SEC. For the most part, Etling has looked solid through two games—which for LSU is a huge improvement over every Tiger quarterback since Matt Flynn. After starter Luke Del Rio’s injury against North Texas, Appleby will be Jim McElwain’s guy against Tennessee.

The best endorsement McElwain could give Appleby at a recent press conference was this: “He’s played. He’s been in games.” SEC East football, feel the excitement!

Prediction: Tennessee 17, Florida 13

#7 Stanford at UCLA (8, ABC)

You probably haven’t heard much about this since Lamar Jackson has stolen all the headlines, but Christian McCaffrey is still producing at a very high level. Last week’s 260 yard performance against USC marked the eighth straight game that McCaffrey has accumulated 200 or more all-purpose yards. Josh Rosen and the Bruins have had a shaky start to the season, and this is a must-win if the Bruins want any shot at the playoff.

Prediction: UCLA 21, Stanford 17

#17 Arkansas at #10 Texas A&M (9, ESPN)

Bret Bielema looks like he might have finally figured out how to start off a season on the right foot, and as weird as it is to say, Kevin Sumlin is still coaching for his job. Rawleigh Williams is the next in a long line of great Bielema running backs and should be the difference in this one.

Prediction: Arkansas 31, Texas A&M 30