This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
College Football Picks: Three Upset Picks in Week 4
It's Week 4 of the college football slate in the States, and we're starting to get many more conference battles rather than mismatches with games against cupcake opponents. This is where we get into the meat of college football. Let's look at three of the best upset plays on the schedule and one player who is primed and ready for a big weekend.
Arkansas Razorbacks 
at Auburn Tigers – Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET
The Razorbacks could very well be 3-0, but they lost a heartbreak to Oklahoma State at Jerry World in Arlington, Texas on Sept. 7.
Last week, Arkansas bounced back with a nice 37-27 victory over an underrated UAB side in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks rolled up 266 rushing yards as RB Ja'Quinden Jackson and QB Taylen Green took things into their own hands, or, well, feet.
Auburn bounced back from a 21-14 loss to California on Sept. 7, belting New Mexico on The Plains. However, Tigers faithful should be very concerned about the Razorbacks' rushing attack. A Cal 32-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter sealed the upset victory for the Golden Bears earlier this year, and Auburn allowed 157 yards on the ground to UNM, with a first-quarter rushing touchdown, too.
While Auburn has won seven of the previous eight meetings in this series dating back to Oct. 22, 2016, the Hogs came away with a 41-27 victory in the most recent trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Oct. 29, 2022. Arkansas is primed to push for the mild upset.
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Rutgers Scarlet Knights 
at Virginia Tech Hokies – Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET
The Hokies have the same concerns as the Auburn Tigers above. Virginia Tech welcomes an opponent to Lane Stadium who is tremendously effective at running the football, and the Hokies haven't been great at bowing their backs and stopping the opposition on the ground.
Rutgers has rolled up 307.0 rushing yards per game, with 6.8 yards per attempt. While facing FCS Howard and Akron is not exactly a murderer's row, it's still impressive. RB Kyle Monangai proved to be one of the most underrated backs in the Big Ten last season, and he rolled up 208 rushing yards and three touchdowns against the Zips last time out.
Rutgers will also be rested, as it had a bye, so Monangai and his offensive line will have shaken off any nicks and bruises with two full weeks of rest.
While Virginia Tech pulled away from Old Dominion last week in a 37-17 road win, the rushing defense was less than stellar. It allowed 243 yards on the ground to the Monarchs, including a 65-yard touchdown in the second quarter and two rushing scores total. It also allowed 147 rushing yards to Marshall and 181 rushing yards against Vanderbilt in an OT loss.
It's somewhat surprising to see Rutgers as an underdog in this Power 4 matchup. Take advantage.
BYU Cougars 
vs. Kansas State Wildcats – Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET
The Cougars were picked to finish in the bottom half of the new-look Big 12 conference, but they've fired out to an impressive start. Not only has BYU won all three games, including a gritty 18-15 road win at SMU on Sept. 6, but it has covered in all three outings, too.
BYU has had a lot of success so far because of its defense, which limits the opposition to just 14.0 points per game. While a solid defensive effort is expected against FCS Southern Illinois at home, no one predicted the Cougars would go on the road and win at both SMU and Wyoming in successive weeks, led by the D.
The Cougars will have their hands full against quarterback Avery Johnson, who diced up a very good Arizona team last Friday. In fact, I expected Arizona would give K-State a much harder time, if not win outright.
K-State was sharp in that game, but it was nearly tripped up at Tulane in the previous one, requiring late-game heroics to escape New Orleans with a 34-27 win. The home team could pull off the upset in this conference battle.
Week 4 Player To Pop
CJ Donaldson, RB, West Virginia 
West Virginia has had a proud history of top-tier running backs, some of which have gone on to bigger and better things. Avon Cobourne, Noel Devine, Steve Slaton, Wendell Smallwood and Amos Zereoue are some of the recent greats. Donaldson looks to be the next in line for greatness.
Donaldson has opened the season with 246 rushing yards, 5.5 yards per rushing attempt and one touchdown score in each of his first three games. He also had a 10-yard touchdown catch last weekend at Pittsburgh in a loss in "The Backyard Brawl."
Donaldson faces a Kansas rush defense that has been a little suspect. The Jayhawks were considered a preseason top-25 team, but they have consecutive losses, mainly due to run defense issues.
UNLV dropped 181 rushing yards at Kansas last week in an upset road win, and that's a bit concerning for the Jayhawks facing a top-tier rushing talent at Milan Puskar Stadium.
