Conference matchups around the nation add some spice to the final college football weekend in September. Saturday’s Week 4 action is full of top-25 teams making their conference game debuts for the 2022 season. Often accompanying that familiarity are tighter games and closer scores as teams with more intimate knowledge of one another serve as better litmus tests than the cannon fodder of nonconference play. 

In all, three conference games will feature a pair of top-25 teams trying to get an early leg up in the standings. There’s plenty to prove for the likes No. 10 Arkansas, No. 11 Tennessee and No. 21 Wake Forest as they seek more respect within their respective divisional races against ranked conference opponents. In the Big Ten, No. 3 Ohio State and No. 4 Michigan will try to keep strong starts going against teams they’ve dominated in recent years. Capping off the evening is a Big 12 battle between No. 6 Oklahoma and Kansas State in what has become a trap game for the Sooners lately. 

Be sure to stick with CBS Sports throughout the day for college football coverage from the opening kickoff onward. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the best games in Week 4.

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook | All times Eastern

Noon | Fox, fuboTV (Try for free) — The Terrapins will present a far deeper challenge to Michigan than any prior opponent, especially downfield with their aggressive passing attack. However, the Wolverines have been absolutely cleaning up against bad competition through their first three games. Many have waited for Michigan to make the change to J.J. McCarthy under center, so don’t be surprised to see the Wolverines also take a few more shots than usual. It might be a backdoor cover, but will be a cover nonetheless. Prediction: Michigan -17 — Shehan Jeyarajah

Noon | ABC, fuboTV (Try for free) — Wake Forest has found outright success or at least more competitive results against every other ACC team except for the Tigers, and the reason comes down to a major disadvantage at the line of scrimmage. Throughout the College Football Playoff era, we have been dazzled by some of the quarterbacks and wide receivers to come through Clemson, but the most consistent unit year-to-year has been the defensive line. That defensive front has overwhelmed Wake Forest over the years, disrupting all the intricate and well-crafted aspects of the…