The Best Kicks From the College Football Weekend

Week 4 of the College Football season featured several sneaker highlights.

Pat Benson | Sep 24, 2023

The Best Kicks From the College Football Weekend /

There is never a dull weekend for college football. However, Week 4 of the 2023 NCAA football season was considered by many to be the first slate of serious matchups. The action-packed Saturday also gave us some of our best sneaker moments of the young season.

Of course, schools sponsored by Nike and Jordan Brand often have the best footwear on and off the field. But just like there were a few upsets yesterday, we had some nice surprises in the sneaker world as well. Below is FanNation Kicks' list of the best footwear from Week 4 of the college football season.

Deion Sanders

Saturday was not the best day for the Colorado Buffaloes. Everyone knew it would be a tough matchup and even more challenging without Travis Hunter. However, Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders still gave us a nice sneaker moment.

Sanders wore his player-exclusive (or coach-exclusive) colorway of the Nike DT React in white and gold. We have seen Sanders rock these sneakers before, but Sanders (and his footwear) always demands our attention every time he steps onto the field.

Dan Lanning

Thanks to his fiery comments before, during, and after the game, Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning stole the show from his counterpart on Saturday. Not to mention the lop-sided victory. Also, Lanning showed he is capable of grabbing headlines with his footwear.

Lanning stormed onto the field in a pair of Nike Air Max 1 sneakers in a white and green colorway. Currently, the shoes are not available online. However, fans can stock up on Ducks apparel and sneakers on Nike's website.

Noah Whittington

Leading up to the big game between Colorado and Oregon, everyone was focused on Oregon's footwear. It is hard to outshine "Coach Prime," but the Ducks were able to do it with the help of Nike.

Earlier this week, we reported on Oregon's color-changing thermal reactive cleats. Not only did the color-changing technology on the Nike Dunk cleats work, but it looked magnificent on the field. Bravo to Nike and Oregon for continuing to push the envelope with their innovation.

Cedric Gray

The Oregon Ducks will always be the flagship for Nike, but the North Carolina Tar Heels carry the banner for Jordan Brand. In addition to sporting the ultra-clean white and Carolina Blue uniforms (with plenty of argyle patterns), the Tar Heels always have some of the best cleats.

During North Carolina's decisive win over the Pitt Panthers, some Tar Heels players like Cedric Gray (pictured above) rocked the Air Jordan 12 Low in a player-exclusive white and blue colorway. Luckily for online shoppers, there is plenty of Tar Heels apparel and sneakers available on Nike's website.

Dabo Swinney

It has been a rough season for the Clemson Tigers, but it is never wise to bet against head coach Dabo Swinney. On Saturday morning, the fiery coach sprinted onto the field in a pair of Nike Pegasus 40 sneakers.

Unlike most of the kicks we are discussing today, the Clemson-themed sneakers are actually available online. Tigers fans can purchase the sneakers for $140 in adult sizes on Nike's website. Now is the time to double down on Clemson, as they will surely turn things around soon.

Billy Napier

It was not the most impressive victory, but a win is a win for the Florida Gators. They have won three straight weeks and are back in control of their season. Before the game, we spotted head coach Billy Napier rocking an affordable pair of Air Jordan sneakers.

Napier wore the Air Jordan Legacy 312 in a blue and black colorway. Online shoppers are in luck as the shoes are available in multiple colorways at a discount in most styles on the Nike website. If they are good enough for Coach Napier, then they are good enough for us.

Ricky Pearsall

Remember when people used to moan about football teams wearing Jordan Brand uniforms? The answer was always easy because Michael Jordan's legacy transcends any one sport. Look no further than Florida Gators wide receiver Ricky Pearsall striking the Jumpman pose with a one-handed catch.

Pearsall was just wearing some general-release Jordan Brand cleats, but the photo is iconic. Gators fans can stock up on their team apparel and sneakers on the Nike website. Who knew Jordan Brand on the football field could look so good?

Caleb Williams

As expected, the USC Trojans took care of business against the Arizona State Sun Devils. It came as no surprise that reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams would dominate. However, Williams is full of surprises when it comes to his footwear.

Williams has to wear Nike cleats on the field, but the worldly quarterback rocks an eclectic mix of sneakers off the field. Thanks to the Trojans' social media team, we got a glimpse of Williams rocking Asics sneakers before the game. As USC gears up for another championship run, Trojans fans can prepare by shopping for their team's apparel on the Nike website.

Johnny Manziel

It is always a pleasure to see Johnny Manziel with a smile on his face. The former Heisman Trophy winner was in College Station on Saturday to watch the Texas A&M Aggies dismantle the Auburn Tigers (a big win for an adidas school over an Under Armour school).

"Johnny Football" rocked the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low 'Olive' colorway. The sneakers were released in limited supply this past April and now have a resale price close to $1,000 in some sizes. You can insert Manziel's patented money celebration right here.

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Published Sep 24, 2023

PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Kicks On Sports Illustrated. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.