Week 3 of the 2019 college football season is now past. Each week, there are some games that get a lot of attention that usually involve ranked teams or playoff contenders. However, there are also some underrated games that don’t get as much notice. Here are four games in week 4 that may be underrated:
Air Force Falcons (2-0) vs. #20 Boise State Broncos (3-0)
When: Friday, September 20 | 9:00 PM ESTÂ
Watch: ESPN2
The Air Force Falcons will head to Idaho to take on Boise State Friday night in a Mountain West showdown. Both teams are undefeated up to this point, and they also both have a win over a power 5 school. Air Force beat Colorado in overtime, and the Broncos made a big comeback against Florida State to go 1-0.
Like the other military teams, the Falcons are very run-heavy. In their opener, Air Force threw one pass that went for 41 yards. They also had 17 players get at least one rushing attempt that gave the team 429 rushing yards. Look for them to try and control the tempo with their play-style Friday night.
One of the bigger things for Boise State this week will be their quarterback play. Freshman quarterback Hank Bachmeier has been producing for the Broncos. However, redshirt sophomore Chase Cord has recovered from his ACL injury and is eligible to play. Head coach Bryan Harsin didn’t give a definite answer, but it can be interesting to see how he will use his quarterbacks moving forward.
#23 California Golden Bears (3-0) vs. Ole Miss Rebels (2-1)
When: Saturday, September 21 | 12:00 PM EST
Watch: ESPNU
This is a big game for both teams. California would love a 4-0 start including a road win against the SEC. Ole Miss is looking to gain some momentum by beating a ranked opponent before taking on the Crimson Tide.
Cal won a close one at Washington 20-19 a few weeks ago, and beat North Texas 23-17 to bring them to 3-0. Their defense has been helping out a lot by allowing less than 17 PPG after three games. That defense will want to keep that up this week against a fast tempo Ole Miss offense.
Ole Miss is 2-1 after finishing 5-7 last season with just one conference win. This game will be huge for them before moving into conference play. A loss here would greatly decrease their bowl game chances as Alabama, Auburn and LSU remain on the schedule for the Rebels.
#15 Central Florida Knights (3-0) vs. Pittsburgh Panthers (1-2)
When: Saturday, September 21 | 3:30 PM EST
Watch: ESPN2, ABC
UCF is coming off of a big win over Stanford, while Pitt will try to move forward and put the Penn State game behind them.
Central Florida showed why they consistently have fans wanting them in the College Football Playoff by cruising past Stanford 45-27. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel went 22-for-30 passing for 347 yards and four touchdowns. He has not been named starter against the Panthers as of Tuesday.
Pittsburgh is coming off a tough loss to in-state opponent Penn State. They were down a touchdown in the fourth quarter at Penn State’s 1-yard line when Pat Narduzzi brought out special teams for a field goal. They missed the field goal, which just added more fire to the flame for Pitt fans who likely would have wanted to see the Panthers go for the touchdown. Either way, the team cannot change what happened and can now try and prepare for their third ranked opponent in four games.
West Virginia Mountaineers (2-1) vs. Kansas Jayhawks (2-1)
When: Saturday, September 21 | 4:30 PM EST
Watch: ESPN+
Both of these teams are coming off of big wins. This one would be big for both teams to open up conference play with a win.
West Virginia started looking better last week by beating NC State 44-27. This is just one week after a 38-7 blowout loss to Missouri. They have scored 20, 7 and 44 points in their first three games. A key for them moving forward will be to try and balance that out, but of course the more points the better for them. Unlike in years past, this Kansas team is no walk in the park.
Kansas has opened up the season 2-1. One more win, and they tie their total from last season. With Les Miles coaching, this team can find themselves in a spot where they can make a bowl game. A 3-1 start would be a great step towards that goal. Kansas will want to perform well on both sides of the ball, and not play too nervous. Being at their home stadium could help this team Saturday afternoon.
Feature Image Courtesy of rockchalktalk.com
You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers along with Tommy.