Entering Week 8 of the 2026 college football season, five undefeated FBS teams remain after a turbulent Week 7 saw fourteen ranked programs tumble. According to NCAA.com, the surviving unbeatens are Miami, BYU, Texas Tech, UCLA, and Utah, with James Madison also noted as an undefeated outlier.
Utah Defense Cements Under Value for Big 12 Totals
- Utah’s ranking, sitting 27th in total defense and 13th in scoring defense, cements the under value for high-paced Big 12 totals.
The Survival of the Unbeatens After Week 7 Carnage
College football changed dramatically when five of the top eight teams in the country lost on the same Saturday. The remaining unbeatens look nothing like the preseason script, featuring no traditional powerhouses from the SEC.
Miami survived its closest call yet, defeating unranked rival Florida State 43-35 in double overtime. That narrow escape launched the Hurricanes to the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 Poll for the first time since 2002, according to NCAA.com. Miami faces an upcoming test against Pitt, a team averaging 32.9 points per game with a backup quarterback.
BYU and Texas Tech Maintain Undefeated Records
BYU sits at 6-0 following an emotional 28-24 home victory over then-No. 2 Notre Dame. Sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier scored four touchdowns in three different ways—two on the ground, one through the air, and one on a catch—to snap Notre Dame’s streak of 16 double-digit wins. BYU now faces a tough road test against UCF, whose defense has surrendered eight rushing touchdowns all season.
Texas Tech maintains a clean 6-0 record, highlighted by a two-point victory over then-No. 22 Houston in September. Every other win for the Red Raiders has come by multiple scores. Utah also stands at 6-0, though the Utes recently beat Colorado by only three points, a stark contrast to earlier margins of victory of no fewer than 14 points.
BYU, Texas Tech, Utah, Houston and Arizona give the Big 12 Conference five College Football Playoff contenders entering Week 8. https://t.co/UOz78DcuoP
| Team | Record | AP Rank | Closest Call / Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami (Fla.) | 6-0 | No. 1 | 43-35 (2OT) vs. Florida State |
| BYU | 6-0 | No. 2 | 28-24 vs. Notre Dame |
| Texas Tech | 6-0 | No. 8 | Two-point win vs. Houston |
| UCLA | 6-0 | No. 9 | |
| Utah | 6-0 | No. 10 | Three-point win vs. Colorado |
Coaching Changes Fueling New Contenders
UCLA stands at 6-0 under first-year head coach Bob Chesney, who took James Madison to the College Football Playoff in 2025 before moving to a Bruins program that won just three games last season. The Bruins beat Wisconsin 17-7, relying on backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach during early-season injuries. UCLA’s schedule features a looming matchup against Michigan State.
Utah has continued rolling following the departure of longtime head coach Kyle Whittingham. Morgan Scalley has stepped in, leading the Utes to victories by an average margin of 25 points.
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