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NCAA Football Predictions: Week 4 Opening Line Report and Picks

by Joey House - 9/15/2025

College football Week 4 opening line report Bryce Underwood Michigan Wolverines

It's Week 4 of the College Football OLR, and two Power Four head coaches have already been given their walking papers as others find their coaching chairs heating up. The Big Ten's UCLA fired the former Bruins' running back great DeShaun Foster in just his second season after its 35-10 home loss to New Mexico on Friday night that left the Bruins 0-3. Virginia Tech gave 4-year head coach Brent Pry the axe after the Hokies also fell to 0-3. Pry's overall record in Blacksburg was 16-24, with just one winning season, and they dropped their first home game ever to Old Dominion 45-26 on Saturday.

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Coaching Hot Seats

The annual call for Billy Napier's ouster has begun, triggered by Florida's 20–10 loss to rival LSU. The Gators' 55–0 win over FCS Long Island University has lost its shine after back-to-back defeats to South Florida and the Tigers. What looked like a confidence-building start now feels like a familiar slide, marked by stagnant playcalling and a lack of urgency in key moments. Napier's tenure continues to raise the same questions about leadership and trajectory, with little evidence of meaningful evolution.

Deion Sanders is also under fire, with Colorado stumbling to a 1–2 start. The Buffaloes' only win came against newly promoted FBS member Delaware, a result that does little to quiet concerns about discipline and execution. Sanders still draws attention, but the on-field product isn't matching the noise. Colorado's early struggles suggest deeper issues with roster construction and game management that can't be masked by charisma alone.

Both coaches face mounting pressure, not just to win, but to prove they're building something sustainable. Early-season setbacks have exposed familiar flaws, and patience is wearing thin.

National Championship Hangover

For years, one of the most publicized angles in NFL betting was the "Super Bowl Hangover" trend, where the losing team of the previous season's Super Bowl would lose against the spread in its first game of the following season. Evidently, there may be a similar phenomenon developing in the college ranks. TCU, the runner-up in the 2022 National Championship, opened the 2023 campaign with the infamous 45-42 loss at home to Colorado in Coach Sander's FBS debut. Washington won and covered last season after losing in the 2023 National Championship game to Michigan. Notre Dame has hit a new low, having lost three consecutive games under head coach Marcus Freeman.

Week 4 Games

No. 24 Auburn vs. No. 16 Oklahoma (-6.5/48.5) Sep. 20, 3:30 pm ESPN+

Auburn moved to 3-0 by defeating South Alabama 31-15 at home, with the Tigers' run game producing 195 yards, but QB Jackson Arnonld, the former Sooner 5-star prospect, looked more like a 3-star, going 13-24 for 142 yards and 1 TD. Oklahoma dominated Temple 42-3 on the road, as freshman RB Tory Blaylock rushed for 100 yards and two scores on 14 carries, while the Sooners' defense limited the Owls to 105 total yards and kept them out of the endzone. Oklahoma's balanced attack and home edge exploit Auburn's secondary issues, covering comfortably in a controlled, under-the-total game.

PICK: Oklahoma -6.5

No. 21 Michigan vs. Nebraska (-2.5/44.5) Sep. 20, 3:30 pm CBS

Michigan bounced back to 2-1 with a 63-3 rout of Central Michigan, where QB Bryce Underwood ran for 114 yards and two TDs en route to the Wolverines' 625 total offensive yards and a tenacious defense that gave up 142 total yards and 3 points. Nebraska completed its non-con slate at 3-0 via a 59-7 thrashing of Houston Christian, amassing 550 yards behind QB Dylan Raiola's 222 passing yards and forcing two turnovers, while committing none of their own. Michigan is 5-2 SU and ATS against its Big Ten younger rival. Michigan's physicality up front wears down Nebraska late, covering in a defensive grind that stays under.

PICK: Michigan -2.5

Florida vs. No. 4 Miami (-7.5/52.5) Sep. 20, 7:30 pm ESPN+

Florida dropped to 1-2 after a 20-10 road loss to No. 3 LSU, where QB DJ Lagway threw five interceptions against a stout Tigers defense. Miami ascended to 3-0 with a 49-12 dismantling of South Florida, featuring over 500 yards of total offense. The Hurricanes are 4-2 SU/ 5-1 ATS in this rivalry. Miami's speed and depth overwhelm the Gators' turnover-prone offense, covering the spread in a game that pushes over on the Canes' firepower.

PICK: Miami -7.5

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