Teams with 1st Loss Week 0 and 1:
San Jose State
Navy
UTEP
New Mexico State
Ohio U.
Florida International
Hawaii
Florida
Kent State
Connecticut
Nebraska
Central Michigan
Miami (OH)
Georgia Tech
East Carolina
Virginia
Texas Christian
Arkansas State
Utah State
Bowling Green
Purdue
Louisiana Tech
Boston College
Akron
Indiana
Boise State
Rice
Buffalo
Massachusetts
South Florida
North Texas
Nevada
Army
Colorado State
Baylor
UTSA
Middle Tennessee
West Virginia
South Carolina
Toledo
Texas Tech
South Alabama
Old Dominion
(Sam Houston)
Coastal Carolina
Louisiana State
Northwestern
New Mexico
Ball State
Clemson
Percent of Teams with 1st Loss of Season
Week 0/1: 37.6% (50 of 133)
Maximum number of Undefeated Teams at the End of the Regular Season:
13: The 10 conference champs, Arizona State (not eligible for PAC-12 Championship), James Madison (not eligible for Sun Belt Championship), and Notre Dame
-We lost 2 possibilities this week with all independents except Notre Dame losing, but also gained one thanks to Arizona State's bowl ban (meaning PAC-12 could theoretically have 2 undefeated teams).
Week 0/1 Thoughts:
-It's good to have football back.
-The PAC-12 is starting it's final season in a recognizable form off with a bang. They are undefeated and Utah had a solid win over Florida. The PAC-12 has largely been left out of the playoff. This year is the start they want to finally make it back in. The last couple of years they have had no undefeated or 1-win teams leaving the conference out. They have several good games next week as a good further test.
-Worst start was probably for the MAC. They likely need an undefeated team to have a chance at the New Year Six bowl and they are already down to just 3 possible teams.
-We are already down to just one independent. The line-up this year was weaker without BYU and Liberty though.
-The Big Ten got two in last year, but most years it has been the SEC which is a threat to get two in. Those chances for slightly hurt by having LSU and Florida lose this week. There is still plenty of potential, but with other programs looking up, it wasn't the week one they would want to maximize chances at two bids.
-The Dion Sanders experiment in Colorado is off with a bang after a surprise defeat of a ranked TCU. They will be in-conference next year (although the previously scheduled TCU-Colorado return game might still be non-conference as Colorado due a return non-conference game).
-Florida State beating LSU could conceivably be very big. It limits SEC potential a bit, but more importantly keeps the Seminoles seriously in hunt which helps the ACC's chances a lot (even if Florida State loses one along the way). The conference would have been set-up beautifully if Clemson had won this week as well, but they lost on the road at Duke (great performance by the Blue Devils). So far, Florida State seems like the team to beat in the ACC.
-This is the last year for divisions in the Big Ten and the SEC. Unless something changes, we will only have two conferences with divisions next year (the Sun Belt and MAC).
Group of 5 NY6 Spot: Too many teams involved too much to say a lot. In the past, the committee has definitively favored the American, but with UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston gone though, things have opened up more. I think barring a huge win, MAC and Conference USA teams this year probably need to go undefeated to have a real chance. The American, Mountain West, and Sun Belt have more room to get in with a 1-loss team (or two loss as we came down to last year). The Mountain West losing more than half their teams week 1 did not help, but we'll see how things shake out over next few weeks before making many conclusions. I suspect the money is still on the American, but not by the margins it was before.
Week 2 Thoughts:
By my quick count, we have 27 games between undefeated I-A/FBS teams this week. Notes on a few games:
Undefeated Texas at Undefeated Alabama: The Tide are 7.5 favorites here. It will be a conference game next year, but for this year, this is very big for the Big 12 and SEC. Texas wins and they are definitely in running for a playoff bowl and the SEC's chances at two spots would already look pretty unlikely.
Undefeated Ole Miss at Undefeated Tulane: This game is big for the American. Tulane was in the New Year Six last year and is only a 6 point underdog in this game. They will probably be the favorite team to make it again with a win here.
Undefeated Texas A&M at Undefeated Miami (FL): Both have been a little disappointing of late, but still potentially a big SEC vs. ACC game. A&M is a small road favorite.
Undefeated Oregon at 1-loss Texas Tech: Oregon is just under a touchdown favorite on the road. Keeping top PAC-12 teams unbeaten out of conference will help a lot. On the flip side, Big 12 could use some major wins.
Undefeated Iowa at Undefeated Iowa State: Iowa is ranked and likely a contender in the Big Ten West's final year. Would be good for the Big 12 to get this win too.
Undefeated UCF at 1-loss Boise State: Boise State lost last week to Washington. If they lose this too, it is a very uphill to get back into the NY6 race. Win it though and it is a solid win and helps Mountain West out against competition.
Undefeated Wisconsin at Undefeated Washington State: The ranked badgers are only 4 point favorites on a west coast road trip. Washington State would really like to make this season special given what is happening in realignment. Wisconsin wants to be competing for the Big Ten West title in its last year.
Undefeated Cincinnati at Undefeated Pitt: Resumption of what was becoming a good series in the Big East.
Undefeated Appalachian State at Undefeated North Carolina: Wouldn't normally mention a game with this big of a line at this point in the season, but kind of feels like could be a trap game for North Carolina coming off the South Carolina win and with Minnesota next week. Would very much help Sun Belt to get a win here.
Undefeated SMU at Undefeated Oklahoma: This would be a 2024 SEC team vs. 2024 ACC team game.
Undefeated Stanford at Undefeated USC: Could this be the final game between these two for a long while?
(Note: As kind of an ode to how long I've been doing this list, while the numbers are from the current conferences, the teams are in order of their conferences from around when I started (2006)). Anyone new to FBS after that is listed on the bottom.
Remaining Undefeated Teams: ACC: 10, American: 8, Big 12: 10, Big Ten: 10, Conference USA: 3, MAC: 3, Mountain West: 5, PAC-12: 12, SEC: 11, Sun Belt: 10, independents: 1, total: 83
Florida State
Maryland
North Carolina State
Wake Forest
Duke
Miami (FL)
North Carolina
Virginia Tech
Colorado
Iowa State
Kansas
Kansas State
Missouri
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Texas
Texas A&M
Cincinnati
Louisville
Pittsburgh
Rutgers
Syracuse
Illinois
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan State
Minnesota
Ohio State
Penn State
Wisconsin
UAB
Marshall
Memphis
Southern Mississippi
Central Florida
Houston
Southern Methodist
Tulane
Tulsa
Eastern Michigan
Northern Illinois
Western Michigan
Air Force
Brigham Young
San Diego State
UNLV
Utah
Wyoming
Arizona
Arizona State
California
Oregon
Oregon State
Southern California
Stanford
UCLA
Washington
Washington State
Georgia
Kentucky
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
Mississippi State
Mississippi
Florida Atlantic
Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe
Troy
Fresno State
Notre Dame
Temple
Western Kentucky
Texas State
Georgia State
Appalachian State
Georgia Southern
Charlotte
Liberty
(James Madison)
(Jacksonville State)
