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    • 11 are still unbeaten. When will they lose first?
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    11 are still unbeaten. When will they lose first?

    Madoc Meredith Posted on

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    There are 11 undefeated college football teams in the Bowl Subdivision as the regular season passes the halfway point, compared to the 22 teams that are still perfect through October. The number decreases every week; Last Saturday, Ohio State lost to Oregon for the first time in an epic Big Ten battle.

    The interesting thing is this: Of those 11 undefeated players, only two are slated for action this season – Army and Navy in this annual rivalry that will be played Saturday after the final College Football Playoff rankings are released.

    This creates the possibility that several undefeated teams, most of them in the Power Four, will advance to conference championship weekend. Partly due to conference expansion, early December saw undefeated teams meet to decide the ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten.

    History tells us that this will not happen. Michigan, Washington and Florida State were the only perfect teams to go to the postseason last year. In 2022, it was just the Wolverines and Georgia.

    So watch out for the list of 11 teams that will be reduced to normal size in the coming weeks. Here the plan is for each team to complete a perfect run:

    No. 1 Texas (6-0)

    First defeat: Sometime in the playoffs. (If any.)

    Texas, the only undefeated team in the SEC, has often proven dominant in rising to the top of the USA LBM Coaches’ Poll. Most recently, the Longhorns defeated Oklahoma 34-3, although Quinn Ewers struggled to get back on track after missing two games due to injury. Next comes the biggest test for a Georgia team that hasn’t quite recovered from its earlier loss to Alabama. Texas is the favorite against the Bulldogs, and for good reason.

    Smart money: Why Georgia has the highest paid college football coach

    DISH PROJECTIONS: Alabama was eliminated from the playoffs in favor of the SEC team

    No. 2 Oregon (6-0)

    First defeat: Big Ten Championship Game vs. Ohio State, Dec. 7.

    It may be too early for both teams to rematch in Indianapolis, especially since Ohio State has to get past Penn State on the road early next month. But after a thrilling game last Saturday, the Ducks and Buckeyes must be considered favorites to play again in less than two months with a first-round playoff bye at stake. This time we’re betting on Ohio State to make the most of this second chance.

    No. 3 Penn State (6-0)

    First defeat: vs. Ohio State, Nov. 2.

    Not to say the Nittany Lions won’t or can’t beat the Buckeyes. One reason for great optimism is the growth of an offense that is finding its stride under new coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. But history can’t be ignored: Penn State has lost seven straight in this series, including three in State College, although more than half of those losses were by single digits.

    No. 6 Miami (6-0)

    First defeat: at Georgia Tech, Nov. 9.

    Recent close matchups against Virginia Tech and California have raised some doubts about Miami’s ability to stay at the top even against a very manageable ACC schedule. On the other hand, these are close games that the program likely would have lost earlier in coach Mario Cristobal’s tenure, which has to mean something. Let’s bet the Hurricanes pass Saturday’s test in Louisville, winning at home against Duke and Florida State before skipping a road trip to Georgia Tech next month. The Yellow Jackets have won three of five games in the series.

    No. 12 Iowa State (6-0)

    First defeat: vs. Texas Tech, Nov. 2.

    The schedule looks like Iowa State could advance flawlessly into the final against Kansas State at the end of November. The team’s week-to-week improvement and high ceiling make this a realistic scenario, especially with Iowa State missing out on Brigham Young, Arizona State and Colorado. Instead, the second half schedule consists of Central Florida, Texas Tech, Kansas, Cincinnati, Utah and the aforementioned K-State game. While we allow for the possibility of an 11-0 start, let’s roll the dice on the Cyclones losing at home to a Texas Tech team that has rattled off four straight wins after a slow start.

    No. 13 Brigham Young (6-0)

    First defeat: against Oklahoma State, Saturday.

    BYU continues to fly under the radar despite very good wins against SMU and Kansas State. This race ends on Saturday. Oklahoma State has fallen off the map with three straight losses, but will bounce back after an open week to spark another second-half rebound for Mike Gundy and the Cowboys.

    No. 18 Indiana (6-0)

    First defeat: against Nebraska, Saturday.

    Indiana was one of the Power Four’s great success stories under new coach Curt Cignetti. Nebraska presents a different challenge than the Hoosiers have faced so far, as the Cornhuskers’ elite defense briefly faltered in the loss to Illinois but still ranks sixth nationally in yards allowed per game.

    No. 20 Pittsburgh (6-0)

    First defeat: against Syracuse, Saturday.

    The Panthers probably should have lost at least twice already – although you have to give some credit to a team that won just three times last year but found a way to go undefeated until midway through the season. Kyle McCord and the Orange represent a very tough test for a defense that ranks 101st nationally in yards allowed per game, although Pittsburgh ranks a slightly more impressive 62nd in yards allowed per attempt. Syracuse ranks second in the FBS in yards through the air per game and is first by a wide margin with 47.8 throws per game.

    No. 24 Army (6-0)

    First defeat: in North Texas, November 9th.

    That Army hasn’t played anyone of note makes it a tough team to lock down, although you have to admire the way the Black Knights have dismantled teams like Rice, Temple and Alabama-Birmingham. Expect that trend to continue against two more formidable opponents – East Carolina and Air Force – before the potent North Texas offense proves too much for them. The Mean Green is one of six teams in the FBS and just two in the Group of Five to average more than 500 yards of offense per game.

    Freedom (5-0)

    First defeat: vs. Jacksonville State, Oct. 30.

    Liberty’s undefeated record could last until a home game against Western Kentucky on Nov. 23, if not into the postseason. But the Flames could be defeated by a Jacksonville State team that has rebounded to win three straight games, the last two in Conference USA. These three wins were achieved by a combined score of 161-44 and the Gamecocks ran for a total of 991 yards with a remarkable 18 rushing scores.

    Navy (5-0)

    First defeat: vs. Notre Dame (at East Rutherford, NJ), October 26.

    Unlike Army, the Midshipmen have some national credibility with a win against Memphis on Sept. 21. This season’s strong start continues with a win Saturday against Charlotte, but Navy would have to make a Herculean effort to upset Notre Dame a week later at a neutral site.

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    Madoc Meredith
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