College Football Storylines, Week 4: Arch Manning Set to Make First Start, Pivotal Big Ten Matchups

The first month of college football’s regular season is already coming to a close.

As Week 4 of the season gets going, many programs are officially kicking off their conference schedules, which means this weekend should provide a bit more clarity as to where each program sits. Here is a look at some key matchups and storylines to keep an eye on.

Arch Manning’s First Start

Arch Manning has not seen a ton of playing time through his first season-plus of his Texas Longhorns career, but what he has shown has been spectacular. Last weekend, Manning got a chance to let it loose for the majority of the game against UTSA after Quinn Ewers left the game with an injury.

Manning wasn’t perfect throughout the game, but he definitely showcased why he was so highly touted as a player. The QB completed nine of his 12 passes for 223 yards and four touchdowns while also adding a 67-yard touchdown run.

Now, as Ewers continues to recover from that abdominal injury, Manning will make his first career start when the Longhorns take on UL Monroe on Saturday night. It certainly isn’t the most notable matchup, but it is a special milestone for a player who projects to be one of the top NFL draft prospects in a couple years.

No. 22 Nebraska vs. No. 24 Illinois

For just the second time ever and the first time since 1985, the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Illinois Fighting Illini are matching up as top-25 teams. No. 24 Illinois is heading to Omaha this weekend for a matchup against No. 22 Nebraska in a game that could set the stage for either program to make a run towards the College Football Playoff.

Dylan Raiola has made plenty of headlines for his Patrick Mahomes impressions, but he certainly has lived up to them with his on-field performances as well. The freshman QB has completed 74% of his passes for 670 yards, five touchdowns, and just a single interception through the first three games of his collegiate career.

Raiola will face easily his toughest test yet, though, in an Illinois defense that has allowed just 8.7 points per game over their 3-0 start to the season. On the other side, Illinois QB Luke Altmyer has been equally impressive with his 647 yards and six touchdowns through three games.

No. 11 USC vs. No. 18 Michigan

Sticking with the Big Ten, this week could prove to be the last gasp of hope for the Michigan Wolverines if they want to keep any playoff hopes alive. The Wolverines have taken a very notable, and understandable, step back after their national championship season in 2023.

Their offense particularly has become very pedestrian in 2024, averaging just 23.3 points per game over the first three weeks, which was a factor in their 31-12 loss against Texas in Week 2. Now, they have a test against a high-flying USC offense that has gotten strong QB play from Miller Moss over their first two games.

No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Oklahoma

Saturday marks Oklahoma’s first in-conference game as a member of the SEC, and it doesn’t get much tougher for a debut than a matchup with the Tennessee Volunteers. Tennessee has a fierce defensive line that could cause some trouble for an Oklahoma running  game that has been dominant over the first three weeks of the season.

If that happens, QB Jackson Arnold will need to step up in a big way to carry the offense during his first conference start of his collegiate career.