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College Football’s Biggest Week 4 Disappointments: Oklahoma’s SEC Debut, the State of North Carolina

Oklahoma waited 38 months between its announced departure from the Big 12 Conference and its debut in the SEC. The culmination of more than three years of eager anticipation resulted in a sluggish 25-15 loss at home, one that was uglier than the final score suggests.

The Sooners kicked off their SEC membership under ideal conditions: a top 10-ranked opponent coming into Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, the return of a prodigal son as the visiting head coach, and a prime-time television kickoff.

However, Oklahoma managed only 222 total yards—just 36 on the ground—and went the game’s first 51:45 without a touchdown. Meanwhile, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel, who quarterbacked Oklahoma to its last national championship, watched as his Vols built a 19-3 halftime lead.

Under Heupel, Tennessee has been known for its explosive offense, and they showed flashes of that in Norman, particularly with Nico Iamaleava’s 66-yard touchdown pass to Dont’e Thornton Jr., which ignited a run of 19 unanswered points.

But it was Tennessee’s swarming, physical defense that stole the spotlight. This was perhaps an appropriate welcome to the SEC, given the conference’s reputation for defensive toughness.

With the setting and Heupel on the sideline, Tennessee evoked memories of Oklahoma’s 2000 Bowl Championship Series title team. That it was the Sooners’ inability to move the ball against a team coached by a former OU assistant, fired from his offensive coordinator post in 2014, only compounds the disappointment of an underwhelming SEC debut. 

Tennessee’s emphatic win wasn’t disappointing for everyone in the state of Oklahoma, though. Heupel’s mother, Cindy, who drove from Aberdeen, South Dakota, to Norman for Sooners games during the Vols coach’s playing days, died in May. 

“She was looking forward to this game. She’s got a lot of friends across the state who knew she was looking forward to it,” Heupel said in his postgame press conference. “It was unique for this to be a road game for me but a home game for a lot of my family.” 

Carolina Blues

If Hubert Davis’ North Carolina Tar Heels basketball team faced fellow 2024 NCAA Tournament qualifier James Madison, it’s likely the UNC hoopers would hold JMU to fewer points than the 70 Mack Brown’s gridiron Tar Heels allowed on Saturday.

“Embarrassing day. Shocking day,” Brown said in his postgame press conference. “You shouldn’t be at North Carolina and lose to a Group of Five team, period.”

It wasn’t just that the Tar Heels lost, especially to a program fresh off a Top 25 season. North Carolina allowed 611 yards, effectively launching a Heisman Trophy campaign for JMU quarterback Alonza Barnett III.

Barnett passed for 388 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for another 99 yards and two more scores. Not since Dalton Knecht dropped 37 points at the Dean Dome last basketball season had a visitor made such an offensive impression on Chapel Hill.

North Carolina’s anemic defensive showing, combined with NC State’s dismal outing at Clemson, made North Carolina college football the epicenter of disappointment in Week 4.

While the Wolfpack’s rout at Death Valley wasn’t surprising—NC State came into the game as a 17-point underdog—the 59-35 final score was one touchdown and an extra point more than that spread.

Saturday marked a low point in what has been an all-around disappointing start to NC State’s season. The Pack opened the year ranked in the Top 25, looking poised to break into the upper echelon of the ACC after several solid seasons under Dave Doeren.

Instead, NC State has backslid. A 41-point loss to Tennessee in Week 2 paled in comparison to Saturday’s debacle. Had Dabo Swinney not called off the dogs with Clemson ahead 52-7 in the third quarter, the final score could have been even worse.

Things deteriorated to the point where ESPN color commentator Greg McElroy lamented that the Pack’s “terrible” tackling was “unrecognizable” compared to past Doeren-coached teams.

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Tyrese Spicer comes off bench to propel Orlando City past Nashville SC

Jul 25, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando City SC forward Justin Ellis (22) battles for the ball against Nashville SC defense Jack Maher (5) during the first half at Inter.Co Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn ImagesJul 25, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando City SC forward Justin Ellis (22) battles for the ball against Nashville SC defense Jack Maher (5) during the first half at Inter.Co Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Second-half substitute Tyrese Spicer scored in the 72nd minute to lift Orlando City to a 1-0 home victory over Eastern Conference-leading Nashville SC on Saturday.

Justin Ellis notched the assist with a clever reverse pass to Spicer, who slipped behind the defense for a clear look at the goal. Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau turned in his second straight clean sheet with two saves.

The Lions (6-9-2, 20 points) had four shots on goal while Nashville (12-2-3, 39 points) had two. Nashville goalkeeper Brian Schwake had three saves.

In the 14th minute, Antoine Griezmann carried the ball wide into the attacking third and curled a cross to Ellis, whose header was on target but saved by Schwake.

Orlando kept up the pressure in the 28th minute when Ellis found Griezmann, whose left-footed shot bounced into Schwake’s hands.

Ellis threatened again moments later, shaking free of a defender before testing Schwake with a shot from the center of the box that lacked enough power to beat the goalkeeper.

As the first half wound down, Shakur Mohammed carried the ball out of midfield before slipping a pass to Andy Najar. Najar then played a through ball to a sliding Alex Muyl, whose attempt was saved by Crepeau at close range before the two collided.

Nashville had its best scoring threat in the 63rd minute when Najar settled a direct pass from midfield with a back-heel flick to Mohammed. The forward from Ghana blasted a shot in stride that Crepeau snared and quickly smothered.

Orlando withstood sustained pressure in the closing minutes. Crepeau came off his line to claim a corner kick in the 87th minute, denying Nashville a second opportunity.

Later, Daniel Lovitz’s cross in the 89th minute was headed away by Wilder Cartagena. Nashville finished with a 7-2 edge in corner kicks and a 52-48 advantage in possession, but couldn’t find the equalizer as Orlando dug in defensively.

Nashville had its five-match winning streak snapped and lost for the first time in 11 MLS matches (8-1-2).

–Field Level Media

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St. Louis City's Tomas Ostrak delivers only goal needed to beat Rapids

May 9, 2026; Commerce City, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rapids midfielder Paxten Aaronson (10) fields the ball ahead of St. Louis City defender Fallou Fall (27) in the second half at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn ImagesMay 9, 2026; Commerce City, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rapids midfielder Paxten Aaronson (10) fields the ball ahead of St. Louis City defender Fallou Fall (27) in the second half at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Tomas Ostrak scored in the 83rd minute to give St. Louis City a 1-0 home win over the 10-man Colorado Rapids on Saturday.

The victory extended St. Louis City’s winning streak to four regular-season matches and their points streak to seven matches (6-0-1).

After playing 71 minutes with an 11-on-10 advantage, St. Louis (7-6-4, 25 points) finally broke through on Ostrak’s tally. A nice passing play from Tomas Totland set up Ostrak for a superbly-placed shot from the edge of the box that sailed into the right side of the net.

Ostrak’s first goal of the season came seven minutes after the midfielder entered the match as a substitute. It was just Ostrak’s second regular-season match, as leg injuries sidelined him for most of St. Louis’ 2026 campaign.

Rapids defender Rob Holding was issued a straight red card in the 12th minute, and Colorado (6-10-1, 19 points) then went into a defensive shell. St. Louis outshot Colorado 18-2, with no Rapids shots on target.

It made for a quiet night for Roman Burki, as the St. Louis goalkeeper didn’t need to make a single save to earn his second shutout of the season. Nico Hansen made two saves for Colorado.

St. Louis also didn’t deliver much direct pressure, as only three of the home team’s 18 shots were on target. While the Rapids defended well, St. Louis City committed some self-sabotage with a season-high 22 fouls, continually interrupting their own attacks.

Jeong Sang-bin’s shot off the crossbar in the 37th minute was St. Louis’ best chance of the first half. Rapids defender Lucas Herrington made a pair of close-range blocks on Totland and Daniel Edelman during a St. Louis flurry in the 54th minute.

Holding was shown the early red card after he brought down Jeong in open play in the 12th minute, likely preventing Jeong from a breakaway chance. It was Holding’s second ejection in as many matches against St. Louis, as he also received a red card in the 50th minute of St. Louis City’s 1-0 win over the Rapids on May 9.

–Field Level Media

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Hunter Brown in control, Astros down White Sox for 5th straight win

Jul 25, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown (58) throws the ball against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesJul 25, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown (58) throws the ball against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Hunter Brown allowed two hits over seven shutout innings and Isaac Paredes drove in three runs to lead the Houston Astros to a 4-1 win over the host Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.

Jeremy Pena was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Paredes was 2-for 4 for the Astros, who have won five straight, including the first two of the three-game weekend series.

The White Sox, who managed five hits, have lost three of their last four.

They threatened in the eighth with runners on second and third and two out, but reliever Bennett Sousa replaced Bryan Abreu and retired pinch hitter Randal Grichuk on a popout to first.

After Colson Montgomery’s RBI single in the ninth, Josh Hader came in to get the last two outs for his 12th save.

Brown (2-1) finished strong, setting down 12 consecutive batters from the fourth through seventh innings. The right-hander did not walk a batter and struck out seven as he fired 60 strikes in 90 pitches.

Chicago starter Sean Burke (7-5) surrendered three runs (two earned) on four hits in six innings with a walk and 10 strikeouts.

It was a 0-0 pitcher’s duel through five with Burke also retiring 12 in a row, from the second through the fifth, but heading for trouble.

The streak was broken when Burke hit Cam Smith with a pitch to lead off the sixth. Pena’s single and a walk to Yordan Alvarez loaded the bases. Paredes then grounded a single to right that got past right fielder Braden Montgomery for an error that also allowed Alvarez to score for a 3-0 Houston lead as Paredes reached third.

Burke then limited the damage by getting Jose Altuve on a groundout and striking out LaMonte Wade Jr. and Christian Walker.

Paredes added an RBI single in the eighth to make it 4-0.

White Sox left fielder Sam Antonnaci robbed Paredes, who was leading off the fourth, of a likely home run with a leaping catch of his long drive by pulling the ball in just above the fence.

–Field Level Media

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