Only five Power Four teams are still undefeated after a wild Week 7, but let’s be real, not all records are created equal. The college football world is already sizing up who’s for real and who’s just riding a hot streak, especially with that number guaranteed to drop to four on November 7th when No. 2 BYU travels to No. 10 Utah. It’s time to dig into who the experts are actually trusting to go the distance.
Miami Looks Like the Real Deal for the Title
When CBS Sports’ College Football Playoff experts Brad Crawford and John Talty put their heads together, they both shouted one name: Miami. Crawford, who had the Hurricanes as his preseason No. 1 and national championship pick, isn’t backing down. He thinks the talk about their personnel losses from last season was way overblown, especially with guys like Malachi Toney and Ahmad Moten stepping up big. Their defense? It’s statistically better this season than last, giving up fewer yards, points, and explosive plays. Crawford straight up thinks Miami is the *only* team finishing the regular season without a loss. The only slight hesitation he has is a relatively untested schedule outside of a trip to Notre Dame on November 7th.
Talty agrees completely. He saw what Miami lost from last year’s title runner-up squad, but halfway through 2026, he’s convinced they’ve got all the firepower needed to hoist that CFP trophy. And how could you not be with Darian Mensah playing like the best quarterback in the country? The dude has dropped 18 touchdowns against a single interception through six games! Having Malachi Toney, one of the best receivers in the country, certainly doesn’t hurt. Talty admits the lack of challenging games gives him a slight scare, though Florida State did push them. He’s ready to be even more bullish if they can beat Notre Dame. Right now, Miami is on pace for the No. 1 overall seed and a first-round bye. That’s serious business.
Utah’s Undefeated Run Is on Thin Ice
While Miami looks ready to roll, Crawford isn’t buying what Utah is selling. After watching their entire 27-24 win over Colorado last weekend, he was decidedly unimpressed. Sure, Devon Dampier and Wayshawn Parker make an admirable offensive tandem, but this team hasn’t faced a lick of adversity against any quality opponent. They’re one of three Big 12 unbeatens, but Crawford clearly sees them as the weakest link.
Their schedule is about to get a whole lot tougher, too. This Saturday, they’ve got No. 14 Houston coming to town. And then, later next month, they’ll face BYU and Arizona. If they struggled to put away Colorado, those upcoming games are going to be a brutal test.
The spotlight is shining bright on these remaining unbeatens, but it feels like there’s a clear favorite emerging. Can Miami keep their pristine record intact against Notre Dame on November 7th? Or will Utah’s luck run out even sooner against Houston? We’re about to find out who’s truly built for this.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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