Week 4 of college football is upon us, which means the start of conference play for most of the Power Five conferences. As such, we’ll be treated to some hard-fought rival games like No. 2 Georgia taking on Missouri or No. 14 Mississippi State visiting Kentucky. As is often the case with rivalry games, expect some upsets.
So, let’s talk about the games, leave questions on prospects, and enjoy the weekend!
Keep your eyes on
ER Oshane Ximines (Old Dominion)
Shoutout to Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller for pointing out that Ximines is one of the most underrated edge rushers in the class. The Conference USA leader in sacks is quick off the snap and active with his hands. No. 13 Virginia Tech has been rotating their tackles recently in hopes of finding a decent starting pair. Look for Ximines to make a name for himself on the national stage.
Other prospects to watch
QB Drew Lock (Missouri)
Lock was utterly dominate last week against the Purdue Boilermakers but the Georgia defense is a different story. The Bulldogs have already shut down South Carolina’s Jake Bentley in Week 2. Will Drew Lock suffer the same fate? Lock is one of the many passers vying to be the first quarterback off the board next April. A big game against this defense would certainly help his case.
WR Denzel Mims (Baylor)
Big, fast and good hands, Mims has everything you want physically in a wide receiver. A 6’3” track star, Mims can outrun and out-jump most defenders. Baylor isn’t a great team—which ensures that Mims doesn’t receive much press—but he is one of the best wide receivers in the country. Kansas has one of the best pass defenses in the country, so they should pose quite a challenge for him.
C/G Hjalte Froholdt (Arkansas)
The 6’5”, 315-pound Danish guard has yet to give up a sack this season, despite being surrounded by very inexperienced teammates. A recent convert from defensive tackle, Froholdt has taken to the guard position like a fish to water. His opponent this week is No. 9 Auburn, which sports a pair of NFL-quality defensive tackles who could make his life difficult.
(FS) Lukas Denis (Boston College)
Boston College loves safeties who can cover and Denis is no different. Although the senior is primarily a ball-hawking center fielder, he took some poor tackling angles last week against Wake Forest that led to some long runs. Look for him to bounce back against the Boilermakers—more of a dedicated passing offense—this Saturday.
LB T.J. Edwards (Wisconsin)
Wisconsin may not always have the most athletic defenders, but what they lack in agility, they make up for with discipline. Edwards exemplifies this belief. Always in the right place, and always one step ahead of the offense, the senior linebacker brings power every time he tackles the ball carrier. There are more than a few questions about his coverage ability, so Iowa tight end Noah Fant will serve as a great test for him.
Game of the Week
No. 18 Wisconsin at Iowa
Saturday, 8:30 PM EST
FOX
Who doesn’t love the Big Ten Conference’s quintessential brand of smash-mouth football? The Hawkeyes and the Badgers love to run the ball and play sound defense. Surprisingly, it’s the offense for both teams that contains the most NFL prospects. Noah Fant for Iowa is the best tight end in the nation, while the entire offense for Wisconsin is pro-ready and likely angry after their loss to BYU.