Only three teams in all of FBS have managed to keep a zero in their loss column through October 25, 2026, and that is absolutely wild. We’re talking about a historic low, folks. It’s been nearly half a century, all the way back to October 24, 1977, since major college football had just three undefeated teams left standing this deep into the season. Back then, it was Texas, Colgate, and Louisiana Tech holding strong. This year, it’s Miami, Utah, and UCLA. Seriously, if you blinked, you probably missed another upset.
Carnage Everywhere: The 2026 Upset Train is Rolling
This season has been an absolute grinder, proving that no lead or ranking is safe. Just recently, we saw No. 2 BYU get knocked off by UCF, which was a gut punch for Cougar fans. And then, No. 8 Texas Tech, a team many had high hopes for, went down to Cincinnati. Those two losses alone thinned the unbeaten herd significantly, setting the stage for this unprecedented situation. Teams are dropping like flies, week after week, making every Saturday a must-watch event. You can’t turn your back for a second, or you’ll miss the next seismic shift.
The Last Three Standing: Who Survives the Gauntlet?
So, with only three left, who actually has a shot at staying perfect? Miami looks like a serious contender to run the table, at least through the regular season. But for Utah and UCLA, things are looking much more vulnerable. Utah just pulled off a tough top-25 win against Houston, but now they have to hit the road to play Cincinnati, the same team that just handed Texas Tech its first loss. After that, it’s the legendary “Holy War” as BYU rolls into Salt Lake City. That’s no easy path for the Utes.
Then there’s UCLA. The Bruins are already playing with a backup quarterback because Nico Iamaleava is out for the rest of the season. That’s a massive blow. Even with a manageable remaining schedule, which includes visits to Minnesota and Michigan before hosting USC, losing your starting QB absolutely crushes your margin for error. If you think any of these three are just gonna cruise through the rest of the season unscathed, you clearly haven’t been watching the 2026 season unfold. Honestly, there’s even a real chance we could have zero undefeated teams if Miami stumbles against Notre Dame on November 7.
Playoff Mayhem: Brace for a Wild November
This kind of parity, this much chaos, is precisely what sets up a November for the ages. We’re talking neck-and-neck conference races coming down to the wire and College Football Playoff debates that will drive everyone absolutely mad. We’ve already witnessed what feels like 2007-level insanity, and the first College Football Playoff rankings haven’t even dropped yet! Those are coming on Tuesday, November 3.
The playoff race is wide open, wider than we’ve seen in a long time. Not only are there hardly any unbeatens, but the list of one-loss teams is shrinking fast too. We’ve got just 16 teams with one or fewer losses on their resume, and only 12 of those are even in a Power Four conference. ESPN FPI actually has 19 teams with at least a 20 percent chance of making the playoff field, and that doesn’t even count one-loss teams like Arizona or SMU. And get this: two-loss teams like Texas and Alabama are still given a better-than-50-percent chance by FPI. But after what we’ve seen this year, do you really think they can run the table? Unlikely. This November is going to be unforgettable, and I, for one, cannot wait.
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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