Week 4 picks, preview: WMU, Boise State share more than mascots, UM gets Iowa test
WMU hosts Boise State in a game that will help determine which Broncos will gallop toward a College Football Playoff bid.
The Week 4 slate has arrived, with a pair of big games kicking off at 3:30 p.m. in Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor, respectively.
But while the Michigan-Iowa showdown in the Big House is plenty important for both teams, Saturday’s Group of 6 showdown will have massive College Football Playoff implications for both teams. Elsewhere, Eastern Michigan hosts an FCS foe before diving into conference play, Michigan State gets to try and contain Nebraska’s offense at Spartan Stadium and Central Michigan heads south to face Miami (Fl.) in a buy game before conference play.
Kickoffs range from 1 to 6:30 p.m. amidst what should be a good national slate of games, too.
Let’s dig in to picks and previews.
Eastern Michigan vs. Lindenwood, 1 p.m., Rynearson Stadium, ESPN+
Eastern Michigan badly needs a win after dropping three straight, including back-to-back lopsided results vs. Big Ten foes. The opponent on Saturday offers the opportunity to get right, but an FCS foe upset Eastern Michigan in 2025. But with that context in mind, this EMU squad should be on high alert to start fast, get ahead, and bury what is an outmatched visitor in Lindenwood. The Eagles have done a lot of things well to start 2026, too; the defense is improved and taking the ball away while affecting opposing passers more, and the run defense has ticked up while the offense has flashed the goods in the passing game and put together promising stretches running the ball.
What needs to finally happen, though, is it all coming together in a complete, consistent performance. Saturday should be the time for that to happen against a Lindenwood team that’s only beaten Charleston Southern. Expect the offensive line to settle in and help key in a Noah Kim performance that’s closer to his Week 1 outing. Add in a solid rushing performance and a staunch day from the defense and a clean outing on special teams and EMU should be able to get out of Saturday with a needed and complete win.
Eastern Michigan 31, Lindenwood 10
Michigan vs. Iowa, 3:30 p.m., Michigan Stadium, CBS
This game is a Mark IV tank and some spats away from being a WWI reenactment; it’s going to be about trench play. Michigan’s offensive line has been underwhelming and is now banged up, with RT Andrew Sprague potentially missing a second-straight game. Iowa is fierce up front (and all throughout) on defense and will make life very hard on Bryce Underwood and Michigan’s rushing attack. But vice versa is also true. Michigan’s defensive line has been elite the past two weeks, and while Iowa has some more NFL-caliber linemen, the Wolverines will likely to be able to make their own share of plays.
For Iowa, the X factor is quarterbacking, as Hank Brown is set to start his first game for the Hawkeyes this year under center, and he’ll look often to wideout Tony Diaz. For Michigan, the offensive skill could be the difference; Michigan’s constellation of receivers and tailbacks — Jordan Marshall, Savion Hiter, JJ Buchanan and Andrew Marsh — is a much better collection than the opposition. Letting those playmakers get going could swing the game in Michigan’s favor in what’s going to likely be a close, low-scoring matchup between these teams.
Michigan 16, Iowa 13
Western Michigan vs. Boise State, 3:30 p.m., Waldo Stadium, ESPN2
The game of the week in the state, with massive Group of 6 playoff implications and some Bronco-on-Bronco crime. In a lot of ways this game holds a mirror for both teams, who each want to be physical and control the games at the lines of scrimmage and with defenses that beat up and punish opposing offenses. They both like to run the ball, and while Boise State has more proven acumen in throwing the ball with quarterback Maddux Madsen, Broc Lowry and his Broncos have shown increasing upside there this year.
The big gaps, seemingly, are that WMU’s rush defense is currently letting up nearly 160 yards a game (ranking around 100th nationally) and Boise State’s passing defense is among the worst in the country on a yards per game basis. There are weaknesses to target and exploit; also to be self-scouted and addressed. It should be a packed Waldo Stadium, and Western Michigan has every ability to make this a knockdown, drag out fight. But Boise State is the gold standard of the Group of 6 for a reason. Madsen and his wealth of experience help guide Boise State to a narrow win on the road.
Boise State 23, Western Michigan 21
Andrew Graham
Andrew Graham
Andrew Graham
Michigan State vs. Nebraska, 5 p.m., Spartan Stadium, Big Ten Network
A quietly important game for fleshing out the middle of the Big Ten standings and for Michigan State’s chances to get on a good path for bowl eligibility. But first that means handling the explosive Nebraska offense, which can gash opponents through the air or on the ground as transfer quarterback Anthony Colandrea has shined. Colandrea is tied for No. 7 nationally with 10 total touchdowns responsible for in three games. He’s a real dangerman that the Michigan State defense will need to account for.
And along with Michigan State’s defense needing to stay on top of this Nebraska attack, the Spartans offense will try to click into a higher gear against a defense that’s given up 14 points the last two games, albeit against an FCS team and a bottom-of-the-MAC Bowling Green. The Spartans should have more success, and if Alessio Milivojevic can respond after throwing two picks vs. Notre Dame with the run game churning along, the Spartans have a real shot. The offensive line will need to have a strong game vs. the likes of Nebraska’s Williams Nwaneri and Co. Pat Fitzgerald’s squad wins this one a la his higher-upside Northwestern teams: Gritty defense, just enough on offense, and capitalizing on every mistake the opponent makes.
Michigan State 34, Nebraska 30
Central Michigan at Miami (Fl.), 6:30 p.m., Hard Rock Stadium, The CW
The way this one is projected to go on paper is probably how this one is going to go. Miami has a credible case as the best team in college football through three games and features one of the best players in the sport in Malachi Toney at wideout. The rest of the Hurricanes are pretty damn good, too. And CMU head coach Matt Drinkall raved about this all on Tuesday on his weekly media call. And in response to being the proverbial David to Goliath here, the Chippewas plan to just cut it loose and play free. They’ll still be held to their own internal standards, but there’s no secret about which team has the overwhelming talent. Drinkall himself acknowledged the Chippewas need to play borderline perfect football just to have a chance to keep it close.
So the questions then become about staying healthy, getting guys good reps in this experience and repping and executing play-by-play to make sure it’s Miami beating Central Michigan, and not Central Michigan beating itself. If the Chippewas do that and acquit themselves well, Saturday in South Florida can be about seeing and feeling championship-level football and setting the right course for conference play afterwards. Toney might spend a lot of his night with plenty of separation; why that separation exists will be meaningful to how Central Michigan feels about this game.
Miami 59, Central Michigan 3
