As we hit the midseason mark of college football, nearly two dozen teams are still undefeated. But let’s be real—most of them won’t make it to the College Football Playoff with perfect records.
We’re diving into which of these teams might finally stumble and when, based on CBS Sports’ expert predictions. They’ve pored over schedules and weighed the challenges ahead for each squad.
Unbeaten Teams Poised for Their First Loss
College football is wild—consistency matters, but chaos is always lurking. As conference play heats up, here’s a look at when some undefeated teams might finally trip up:
BYU Cougars
BYU’s season started strong, barely dodging a loss at Colorado. Now, they’ve got a brutal five-week run coming up against Utah, Iowa State, Texas Tech, and TCU.
CBS Sports sees their first loss happening at Arizona on October 11. Honestly, running that gauntlet without a scratch? Feels nearly impossible.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech almost lost at Wake Forest but survived. The rest of their ACC schedule isn’t doing them any favors.
The experts think Duke will hand them their first defeat on October 18. If Georgia Tech wants to keep the dream alive, they’ll have to be sharp.
Houston Cougars
Houston’s had it pretty easy so far. That changes this Saturday with Texas Tech coming to town.
They’re close to bowl eligibility, but CBS Sports expects Texas Tech to snap their streak this weekend. Houston needs to stay healthy if they want to keep winning.
Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana’s been rolling, but Oregon looms on October 11. Winning at Autzen Stadium would be huge for Coach Curt Cignetti, but that’s a tall order.
The experts figure Oregon, playing lights out, will be the ones to finally beat Indiana.
Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State heads to Cincinnati this weekend as a slight underdog, despite their No. 14 ranking. Their schedule doesn’t get any easier, with BYU, Arizona State, and TCU coming up.
CBS Sports predicts the Cyclones’ first loss will come at TCU on November 8.
Louisville Cardinals
Louisville bounced back from a rough first half against Pitt to win their ACC opener. Next up is a newly ranked Virginia team this Saturday.
The experts are betting on Virginia’s offense, led by Chandler Morris, to hand Louisville their first loss.
Maryland Terrapins
Maryland’s hot start is about to be tested by Big Ten heavyweights Washington and Nebraska. CBS Sports says their first loss comes against Washington this Saturday.
If Maryland’s defense doesn’t step up, it’s going to be a long game.
Memphis Tigers
Memphis faces South Florida at home in late October. If they survive that, Tulane comes to town with first place in the American on the line.
CBS Sports projects their first loss will be against Tulane on November 7. Sutton Smith’s play could make all the difference.
Miami Hurricanes
Miami is one of just three teams projected to finish the regular season unbeaten. They’ve already beaten two ranked teams and are in prime position for a top playoff seed.
Florida State is up next, but the experts think Miami keeps rolling.
Missouri Tigers
Missouri’s unbeaten run faces a big test at Alabama on October 11. Their secondary has looked shaky at times, and Alabama’s Ty Simpson might take advantage.
CBS Sports expects Missouri’s first loss to come at the hands of Alabama, even with Ahmad Hardy powering the ground game.
Navy Midshipmen
Navy leads the nation in rushing and could be 7-0 by November. Their November 1 game at North Texas is a big one.
CBS Sports thinks that’s where Navy stumbles, with tougher American opponents still ahead.
North Texas Mean Green
North Texas has a crucial matchup against South Florida on October 10. The winner probably takes the lead in the American conference.
The experts pick South Florida to hand North Texas their first loss, even with Caleb Hawkins and Makenzie McGill II powering the run game.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State has breezed through early tests, knocking off Texas and Washington. Their remaining schedule includes Illinois, Penn State, and Michigan.
CBS Sports is sticking with the Buckeyes to finish the regular season unbeaten.
Ole Miss Rebels
Ole Miss has some impressive wins, including one over Tulane. But Georgia looms on October 18 as their toughest test yet.
The experts expect Ole Miss to finally fall to Georgia, despite Lane Kiffin’s coaching magic.
Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma’s perfect season may hinge on whether John Mateer is healthy enough to play Texas on October 11. If not, Michael Hawkins Jr. faces a tough challenge against Texas’ defense.
CBS Sports predicts the Sooners’ first loss comes against Texas.
Oregon Ducks
Oregon is another team the experts think could go unbeaten through the regular season. Indiana and Washington are their biggest threats.
CBS Sports sees the Ducks reaching the Big Ten Championship Game without a loss.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech has a tough road trip to Arizona State on October 18. They’ve beaten Arizona State recently, but Tempe hasn’t been kind to them.
The experts predict Arizona State hands the Red Raiders their first loss, especially with the Sun Devils looking sharp in conference play.
UNLV Rebels
UNLV’s undefeated run has turned heads, but the schedule is about to get real with Wyoming up next. CBS Sports is calling it—Wyoming will give UNLV their first loss in the Mountain West opener.
Vanderbilt Commodores
Vanderbilt’s winning streak faces a huge hurdle at Alabama this Saturday. Bryant-Denny Stadium is no joke, and CBS Sports expects the Crimson Tide to end Vanderbilt’s run.
The summer trash talk between these two? That just adds some extra spice.
Conclusion
College football’s at that point in the season when the pressure really kicks in. Undefeated teams know they’ve got to keep their records spotless, but let’s be honest, that’s never as easy as it sounds.
Some squads look like they’ll keep cruising, but others? Well, the road ahead is rough and an upset feels almost inevitable. If you’re curious about predictions and a deeper dive, check out the analysis over at CBS Sports.
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