At the season’s halfway mark, nine teams have emerged unbeaten at 6-0, including top teams No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Oregon, No. 3 Penn State, and No. 6 Miami. These front-runners are expected to dominate, but five lesser-known teams have shocked fans with their flawless records.
Among the surprises, No. 9 Iowa State hasn’t seen a 6-0 start since 1938, No. 16 Indiana since 1967, No. 20 Pittsburgh since 1982, No. 23 Army since 1996, and No. 13 BYU since the 2020 pandemic-altered season. None of these five teams were in the preseason AP Top 25, and only Iowa State was receiving any votes. Liberty and No. 25 Navy also remain undefeated at 5-0, making the race for bowl games even more interesting.
Team Highlights:
Iowa State: The Cyclones were just 3-3 by this point last season. With nine returning starters on both sides of the ball and new additions to bolster the offensive line, Coach Matt Campbell has them on track, heading into a home game against UCF.
Indiana: The Hoosiers, 3-9 last season, faced a rough stretch with seven losses in eight games. New head coach Curt Cignetti, hired from James Madison, rebuilt the roster and added MAC Player of the Year Kurtis Rourke at quarterback. Indiana’s toughest challenge to date comes against Nebraska on Saturday.
Pittsburgh: Pitt’s turnaround under Coach Pat Narduzzi includes multiple narrow victories, such as their 28-27 win over Cincinnati. They’ll face Syracuse next in a Thursday night matchup on Oct. 24.
Army: After back-to-back 6-6 seasons, the Black Knights are now 6-0 for just the third time in school history and on a 10-game winning streak—the nation’s longest. Army will face East Carolina this week in a bid to extend their streak.
BYU: A challenging 5-7 season last year left BYU ready for change, and Coach Kalani Sitake has them tied atop the Big 12 standings with Iowa State and Texas Tech. BYU hosts Oklahoma State in their next matchup.
Spotlight on Top 25 Teams
- No. 2 Oregon: Fresh off a big win over Ohio State, Oregon will need to stay sharp against Purdue, who has shown resilience despite their 1-5 record.
- No. 5 Georgia: The Bulldogs visit Texas, who lead the SEC in pass defense, marking a significant test for Georgia QB Carson Beck.
- No. 10 Clemson: Clemson’s powerful offense, led by Cade Klubnik, is averaging over 500 yards in four of their first six games. Virginia visits this week.
- No. 17 Kansas State: The Wildcats, fresh off a close 31-28 win over Colorado, visit West Virginia, bolstered by strong performances from QB Avery Johnson and the defense.
- No. 22 Illinois: Illinois narrowly escaped Purdue with a 50-49 overtime victory and now faces Michigan, followed by Oregon.
Extra Points:
Vanderbilt’s 4-2 start is their best since 2008. A win against Ball State could see them in the Top 25 for the first time since 2013. Also notable, both Army and Navy represent the American Athletic Conference in the Top 25, and the Big Ten now joins the SEC in having three teams ranked in the top four for consecutive weeks—a rare achievement.
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