CFB Week 4 winners, losers: Tennessee, Utah make statements

Three ranked vs. ranked games and one incredible finish in the Big 12 headlined Saturday’s college football action.

Here are Week 4’s winners and losers.

Winner: Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham

Associated Press No. 12 Utah (4-0, 1-0 in Big 12) proved it’s the team to beat in the Big 12 with an impressive 22-19 road win against No. 14 Oklahoma State (3-1, 0-1 in Big 12). The Utes were without sixth-year quarterback Cam Rising in their first road conference game as a Big 12 member, starting freshman Isaac Wilson instead.

Whittingham deserves credit for having his team up for the challenge. Wilson out-dueled Oklahoma State’s sixth-year senior quarterback Alan Bowman, while Utes running back Micah Bernard (25 carries, 182 yards) outpaced star Cowboys running back Ollie Gordon (11 carries, 42 yards).

The gritty win was a reminder that Whittingham belongs in any conversation about college football’s best head coaches.

Loser: Football in North Carolina

Is it basketball season yet? We’re asking for the entire state of North Carolina.

Putrid games from in-state rivals North Carolina (3-1) and NC State (2-2, 0-1 in ACC) were the lowlights from Saturday’s noon EST slate of games.

NC State was clobbered on the road at Clemson, 59-35, while North Carolina had an even more embarrassing 70-50 loss at home to James Madison (3-0). 

The two teams trailed by a combined 70 points at the half.

The Tar Heels had four first-half turnovers, including a scoop-and-score on a blocked punt to give the Dukes a 10-0 lead and a pick-six before the half that gave James Madison 53 first-half points.