2026 Polls

[BB73]

Noted SEC slurper gets dragged in the comments.

Since the Buckeyes play 6 of those teams, he could be considered correct in saying they’re not playing 5.

 

[Bestbuck36]

Yeah our schedule alone should shut people tf up but, nope, still stupid

 

[gmen6981]

Since the Buckeyes play 6 of those teams, he could be considered correct in saying they’re not playing 5.

But Minnesota, USC, Nebraska, Purdue and Washington all DO play 5 of them so the dipshit is still wrong.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Which college football teams can go undefeated in 2026? Here are 10 potential candidates

Every college football team sets out to win each game, but only a select few have the talent, coaching and schedule favorability to pull off that feat

www.cbssports.com

Which college football teams can go undefeated in 2026? Here are 10 potential candidates​

Every college football team sets out to win each game, but only a select few have the talent, coaching and schedule favorability to pull off that feat​

The expanded College Football Playoff has changed the math, but regular-season perfection still carries value in postseason seeding. Unbeaten Power Four teams don't have to worry about résumé comparisons or strength-of-schedule arguments.

Pulling off an undefeated regular season, however, has never been more difficult. Championship hopefuls must overcome unexpected injuries, and even the nation's heavyweights face dangerous road trips capable of derailing title dreams.

Talent alone is no longer enough. Since 2020, only 10 teams have reached conference championship weekend with undefeated regular seasons, and no season has produced more than two such teams. Last year featured the rare unbeaten No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in the Big Ten championship game after Ohio State and Indiana navigated the first 12 games without a loss.

For this list, we're leaning on four traits that separate legitimate unbeaten candidates from everyone else: roster strength, coaching edge, survival ability and, perhaps most importantly, schedule favorability. The teams that navigate their toughest matchups with championship aspirations intact are usually the deepest, most disciplined and best prepared for adversity.

These 10 programs check at least two major boxes. One has the most forgiving schedule in the country, while others boast overwhelming talent or elite coaching. All have a path -- some more realistic than others -- toward finishing the regular season without a blemish.

1. Texas Tech​

Opponents in post-spring top 25: 0.......

2. Notre Dame​

Opponents in post-spring top 25: at BYU, Miami, SMU

3. Miami​

Opponents in post-spring top 25: Clemson, at Notre Dame

4. Oregon​

Opponents in post-spring top 25: at USC, at Ohio State, Michigan, Washington

5. Indiana​

Opponents in post-spring top 25: Ohio State, at Michigan, USC, at Washington

6. Georgia​

Opponents in post-spring top 25: Oklahoma, at Alabama, Florida (Atlanta), at Ole Miss, Missouri

7. Penn State​

Opponents in post-spring top 25: USC, at Michigan, at Washington

8. Ohio State​

Opponents in post-spring top 25: at Texas, at Iowa, at Indiana, at USC, Oregon, Michigan

That's right, Penn State has a better chance than the Buckeyes of finishing the regular season unbeaten because of the significant difference in their schedules.

Those odds improve considerably if Ohio State wins at Texas in Week 2, but no top 10 team faces a more difficult collection of road games than the Buckeyes. If a three-loss team reaches the CFP this season, Ohio State or Texas feels like the most likely candidate because of their schedules.

Chances increase significantly if ... the Buckeyes win their first two road games of the campaign against the Longhorns and Hawkeyes.

9. NC State​

Opponents in post-spring top 25: Louisville

10. Texas​

Opponents in post-spring top 25: Ohio State, at Tennessee, Oklahoma (Dallas), Florida, Ole Miss, at Missouri, at LSU, at Texas A&M