Rutgers looking to start weekend right

It’s a very special Upset Alert Saturday for Week 4.

Why? Because we get started a day early with a Friday Night Edition, courtesy of Big Ten rivals Iowa and Rutgers meeting up at 8’clock in Piscataway, N.J., before a FOX national television audience.

Both unranked, they offer an intriguing, if not compelling, viewing option tonight. The visiting Hawkeyes (2-1) bring the nation’s No. 3 defense into the contest and are 2.5-point favorites.

Meanwhile, the 3-0 Scarlet Knights have been a pleasant surprise on offense, averaging better than 460 yards per game and 46 points per game.

Senior QB Athan Kaliakmanis, a former starter at Minnesota now in his second year at the RU helm, in particular, has been a revelation. Mostly a game manager in the past, he has exploded on the scene in 2025 by throwing for 820 yards and 7 TDs (0 INTs) on a 72.9 percent completion rate.

The Knights, led by sophomore RB Antwan Ryamond, have shown they can run the ball, too – averaging almost 170 yards per game on the ground.

With that balanced attack, they managed to rank fifth in the country with controlling the clock. Iowa is strong in that regard, too, ranking 25th thanks to the RB tandem of Xavier Williams and Jaziun Patterson.

The Hawkeyes, though, do very little in the passing game.

Plan on the home crowd at SHI Stadium playing a big factor.

Now, on to Saturday ...

Tulane at No. 13 Ole Miss (-13.5), 3:30. Perhaps the best Group of 5 program four years running now, the 3-0 Green Wave are a legit pick here – not just to cover but win outright. Especially with starting QB Austin Simmons likely out for the 3-0 Rebels. Tulane may rely too much on QB Jake Retzlaff, the BYU transfer leads the Wave in passing and rushing.

No. 21 Michigan (-1.5) at Nebraska, 3:30. Not sure why the 2-1 Wolverines were ranked to start the season, and those questioning sentiments still exist. This should be “taking candy from a baby” for the 3-0 Huskers as QB Dylan Raiola proves he is worthy of all the hype and HC Matt Rhule shows he was the right man for the job – really for the first time in Lincoln.

Purdue at No. 24 Notre Dame (-26.5), 3:30. The spread seems too high, especially with the Irish D giving up 34 ppg, and the 2-1 Boilermakers possessing some solid talent on offense (QB Ryan Browne and RB Devin Mockobee, a career 3,400-yard all-purpose guy). ND likely gets its first win of the season, but the game should be competitive.

Michigan State at No. 25 Southern Cal (-17.5), 11. Seems like a pretty sweet late-night Big Ten tussle to cap the college weekend. Expect the 3-0 Spartans to challenge the 3-0 Trojans early, and then the spread later. Potentially great QB matchup in MSU’s Aidan Chiles (656 yards, 6 TDs) vs. USC’s Jayden Maiava (989 yards, 6 TDs).

Syracuse at Clemson (-16.5), Noon. Frankly, got more faith in little-known Orange QB Steve Angeli than the Tigers’ agregiously overhyped Cade Klubnik. Until 1-2 Clemson, a preseason national-title contender that has played lousy and lifeless for three straight weeks, shows something, forget taking it any game its giving points. Including 2-1 ’Cuse.

North Carolina at Central Florida (-7.5), 3:30. The HCs highlight this pitting of 2-1 Tar Heels and 2-0 Knights. For some reason, the gut says Bill Belichick pulls off his first eye-catching win … on the road to put a little dent in the Scott Frost Reclamation Project in Orlando.

BEST MATCHUPS

No. 9 Illinois at No. 19 Indiana (-6.5), 7:30. The most disrespected matchup of the weekend also happens to be the best – at least on paper. The two 3-0 squads appear to be mirror images of one another, in stats and scores. The Illini arguably have the best QB (Luke Altmyer), WR (Hank Beatty) and defender (LB Gabe Jacas) in the Big Ten, and the Hoosiers have the same in Fernando Mendoza, a Cal transfer, Omar Cooper Jr. and Isaiah Jones.

No. 17 Texas Tech at No. 16 Utah (-3.5), Noon. Fifth-year senior QB Behren Morton (11 passing TDs, only 1 INT) seems to give the 3-0 Red Raiders an edge here, but the 3-0 Utes are only allowing 8.3 ppg thus far. Neither team has faced much competition coming into this. So the game could say a lot about where each is and where each may be going.

No. 22 Auburn at No. 11 Oklahoma (-6.5), 3:30. If you get a chance to watch 3-0 Sooners QB John Mateer, make good use of it – soon. Not sure how much pounding he can continue to take as he states his case each week to be the Heisman frontrunner. Former OU QB Jackson Arnold should help make 3-0 Auburn competitive throughout, though.