Week 4: Turmoil, Chaos and Embarrassment

The fourth week of the college football season included upsets, statement wins, and embarrassing losses in the Big 12 and in the Top 25.

Photo: © Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

For the TCU Horned Frogs, the Battle of the Iron Skillet was no battle at all. It was an embarrassment to the team and to the fans. In 2019, SMU won the game, and Frogs fans thought the Ponies just got a little lucky. This year, SMU played with a chip on their shoulder after not being selected to join the expanding Big 12. They played as the dominant team on the field. They are now an impressive 4-0. The Horned Frogs have many issues on both sides of the ball that must be corrected soon.

The Frogs loss, as stinging and shocking as it ended up being, was not the only unexpected loss in Week 4. It was a week that had several upsets, a few close games that should not have been close, and a few Big 12 wins by teams fighting for respect. The Top 25 fared just the same. It was a collection of turmoil and chaos, just as everyone moves into conference play next weekend.

Here’s how each Big 12 teams fared plus some of the Top 25 results:

TCU (2-1) vs SMU (4-0)

SMU wins 42-34

For only the fourth time in the Gary Patterson era, TCU lost the Battle of the Iron Skillet. It was the first time since 1992-93 that the Frogs lost back-to-back games to the Ponies. Much more will be said about this game in the days to come.

Texas (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) vs Texas Tech (3-1, 0-1 Big 12)

Texas wins 70-35

After that loss two weeks ago in Fayetteville, the Longhorns have been pedal to the metal. In their first conference game of the season, UT exploded with 639 against the Red Raiders. Texas comes to Fort Worth next week and looks to regain respect as one of the top Big 12 teams.

Baylor (4-0, 2-0 Big 12) vs #14 Iowa State (2-2, 01 Big 12)

Baylor wins 31-29

Let this sink in. The Baylor Bears are now 4-0. They showed up on their field in those highlighter yellow unis with a determination to make a statement. The Bears took the lead to start the second quarter and had an eight-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Iowa State scored with under a minute remaining to bring the score within two. They went for the 2-point conversion to tie and send the game to overtime. Brock Purdy’s pass to Breece Hall fell incomplete.

Kansas (1-3, 0-1 Big 12) at Duke (3-1)

Duke wins 52-33.

As said earlier this week, this would have been a good basketball game. And Duke’s football team tried to make the score a basketball score. It’s Kansas. Frogs fans should just hope that TCU can beat the Jayhawks in November.

#4 Oklahoma (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) vs West Virginia (2-2, 0-1 Big 12)

Oklahoma wins 16-13

It was a squeaker in Norman. The Sooners never led in the game until time expired. The Mountaineers came in trying to make a statement. And the ‘Eers had the lead on multiple times. It came down to a field goal kick as time clicked down to zero. The kick was good and OU wins. Barely. That makes three very close games in Norman this year.

Oklahoma State (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) vs #25 Kansas State (3-1, 0-1 Big 12)

Oklahoma State wins 31-20

Oklahoma State is another team in the Big 12 fighting for respect and trying to establish that they deserved to be ranked. K-State was ranked in the AP Top 25, however, OSU was ranked in the Coaches Poll. The game started with four lead changes in the first quarter, but then the Pokes took control, with 481 total yards, 344 of those through the air.

In addition to those Big 12 games, there were several noteworthy games in the Top 25:

#5 Iowa vs Colorado State

Iowa wins 24-14

A win is a win. However, the Hawkeyes were behind at halftime and had to score 17 points in the second half to pull off the win at home to a Mountain West team. It should not have been this tight.

#7 Texas A&M vs #16 Arkansas

Arkansas wins 20-10

In the Southwest Classic game played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, the Razorbacks made a statement win to be Texas state champions after beating both Texas and now Texas A&M in three weeks.

#9 Clemson at N.C. State

N.C. State wins 27-21

In another shocking game of the week, Clemson has shown they are not a CFP caliber team without Trevor Lawrence at quarterback. They are now 2-2. This loss was not only a tough loss for Clemson, but for the entire ACC.

#21 North Carolina at Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech wins 45-22

Georgia Tech took the lead in the second quarter and held on. They had 395 total yards, slightly more than UNC’s 369. But it was all that was needed for the Top 25 upset.

#23 Auburn vs Georgia State

Auburn wins 34-14

The War Eagle did not even have a lead at home after the first quarter until less than one minute to play in the game. Auburn, on 4th and 9, scores a touchdown followed by a successful 2-point attempt. Two plays after the kickoff following that touchdown, Auburn intercepted with a Pick Six to score twice in the last minute.