Three unbeaten teams remain in the FBS heading into Halloween weekend.
No. 1 Miami, No. 6 Utah and No. 7 UCLA all have matching 7-0 records.
The Hurricanes were No. 7 in the AP preseason poll after reaching the College Football Playoff championship game last season. That’s not a surprise. Utah was ranked No. 21 in the AP preseason poll and was seen as a Big 12 contender.
UCLA, which had an 8-16 record in its first two Big Ten seasons, is the surprise team. The Bruins are on pace to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time.
Indiana won the national championship with a perfect 16-0 record last season. Will one of these teams match that run? Which undefeated team will lose first? A closer look at the rest-of-season breakdown for the Hurricanes, Utes and Bruins.
MORE: College Football Playoff forecast entering Week 9
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No. 1 Miami (7-0)
Remaining schedule: at North Carolina (4-3), at No. 5 Notre Dame (6-1), vs. Duke (5-2), vs. Virginia Tech (6-2), vs. Boston College (4-3)
Combined record of opponents: 25-11
Stat that matters: Darian Mensah’s connection with Malachi Toney has been almost automatic. Toney has 66 receptions on 74 targets – an 89.2% catch percentage that is the best in the FBS, according to Pro Football Focus. Mensah is 41 of 49 for 703 yards, 10 TDs and no interceptions on passes between 10-19 yards. He’s the top intermediate passer in the game.
Lowdown: Miami reached the College Football Playoff championship game last year, and this year’s team appears to be better. Mensah and Toney are two of the top three Heisman Trophy contenders on an offense that leads the FBS with 49 points per game, and the defense has generated 20 sacks. Mario Cristobal has built consistency.
Biggest question: Can Miami avoid an ill-timed ACC upset against the remaining conference schedule, starting this in Week 9 against Bill Belichick-led North Carolina? Miami does have its last three games at home.
Toughest game remaining: at No. 5 Notre Dame (Nov. 7). This is the best game left on the regular-season schedule – especially knowing the implications of last year’s 27-24 thriller on the College Football Playoff picture. The Hurricanes have not won at Notre Dame Stadium since 1984 and will enter this year’s game as an underdog.
Projected record: 11-1
MORE: Malachi Toney’s massive game vs. Pitt has him among nation’s elite
No. 6 Utah (7-0)
Remaining schedule: at Cincinnati (5-2), vs. No. 8 BYU (6-1), at No. 22 Arizona (6-1), at TCU (3-4), vs. West Virginia (5-3)
Combined record of opponents: 25-11
Stat that matters: Utah is one of four teams in the FBS that ranks in the top 15 in scoring offense (37.4 ppg.) and scoring defense (14.6 ppg.). That’s a good combination for first-year coach Morgan Scalley heading into a tough stretch run. The other schools who have that combination are Miami, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 5 Notre Dame.
Lowdown: Devon Dampier ranks 24th in the FBS in total offense at 280.6 yards per game, and he is coming off a season-high 150 rushing yards in the 21-13 victory against Houston on Oct. 24. The Utes rank sixth in the nation in passing efficiency defense. Safeties Jackson Bennee and Rabbit Evans have two interceptions apiece.
Biggest question: Utah was 4-0 in November last season. The Utes were 1-3 in the final month the previous season. Will Scalley take this team to the Big 12 championship game for the first time?
Best bet for first loss: vs. No. 8 BYU (Nov. 7). The Utes have lost the last three installments of the “Holy War,” including a controversial 22-21 loss in 2024 at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The Utes also have three road games on the schedule, starting with this week’s matchup with the Bearcats. The Utes average 29 points per game on the road. Utah can still get through this schedule with one loss – but will that result in a Big 12 tiebreaker mess?
Projected record: 11-1
MORE: Pat McAfee says he felt unsafe at Utah for ESPN’s GameDay
No. 7 UCLA (7-0)
Remaining schedule: vs. Nevada (3-4), at Minnesota (5-2), vs. Illinois (4-3), at Michigan (4-3), vs. USC (6-2)
Combined record of opponents: 22-14
Stat that matters: The Bruins lead the Big Ten with 231 rushing yards per game. The Big Ten champion has led the conference in that category four of the last six seasons, and that includes national championship teams Michigan (2023) and Indiana (2025).
Lowdown: UCLA has the physical formula on both sides working under first-year coach Bob Chesney. Running backs Wayne Knight (627 yards, 12 TDs) and Anthony Woods (459 yards, 6 TDs) have been dominant, and SN Midseason All-Americans Sammy Omosigho and Tai’Shawn James lead a nasty defense that allows 14.6 points per game in Big Ten play and leads the FBS with 10 fumble recoveries.
Biggest question: Can quarterback Ty Dieffenbach, who ranks 16th in the Big Ten at 7.2 yards per pass attempt, lead the Bruins to the Big Ten championship game?
Best bet for first loss: at Michigan (Nov. 21). That late-November trip to Ann Arbor where weather could be a factor against the toughest-remaining defense on the schedule is the one. Sure, Minnesota and USC are potential spoilers, but the Wolverines will test that offense the most. Kyle Whittingham had a 10-5 record against the Bruins at Utah. The Wolverines could steal this game as part of their chaos season in the Big Ten.
Projected record: 11-1
