The 2026 college football season is almost here. Camps open in a few weeks, and before you know it, Week 1 will kick off with all the hype, hope, and heartbreak that makes this sport so electric. While the expanded College Football Playoff means you no longer need a perfect record to compete for a national title — heck, some 9-3 squads will probably sneak in — there's still nothing quite like an undefeated season.
ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) has crunched the numbers, running tens of thousands of simulations to identify which programs have the best shot at going unbeaten in the regular season. The model doesn't just guess; it factors in roster strength, schedule difficulty, and historical data to project outcomes. Here are the 10 teams FPI believes are most likely to finish the 2026 regular season with a zero in the loss column.
The FPI's Top 10 Undefeated Candidates
- Notre Dame — The Fighting Irish have a manageable schedule and return key pieces on both sides of the ball.
- Texas Tech — The Red Raiders are riding momentum from a strong finish last season and catch some breaks in conference play.
- Georgia — Kirby Smart's Bulldogs reload every year, and the defense should again be elite.
- Indiana — The Hoosiers surprised everyone last year, and FPI thinks they can keep it going.
- Ohio State — Loaded roster, favorable Big Ten slate, and a chip on their shoulder after last season's playoff miss.
- Miami — The Hurricanes are back in the national conversation under Mario Cristobal, and the schedule sets up nicely.
- Oregon — Dan Lanning has built a juggernaut in Eugene, and the Ducks avoid some of the conference's toughest tests.
- Texas — Quinn Ewers is gone, but the talent pipeline in Austin remains deep and dangerous.
- Penn State — James Franklin's squad is physical, experienced, and gets Ohio State at home.
- UNLV — The biggest surprise on the list: the Rebels have been rising quickly and could make noise in the Mountain West.
FPI is a projection-based model that simulates thousands of possible seasons. According to ESPN, it "is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team's performance going forward for the rest of the season." The model updates daily based on results and remaining schedules, so these odds will shift as the season unfolds.
Of course, going undefeated is still incredibly difficult. Even the best teams face trap games, injuries, and the chaos that makes college football so unpredictable. But if you're looking for a team to ride in your fantasy college football league or just want to know who might be playing for a spot in the playoff, these 10 programs are your best bets.
Notre Dame sits atop the list, and it's easy to see why. The Irish have a schedule that avoids most of the heavy hitters from other power conferences, and they return a veteran quarterback and a stout offensive line. But don't sleep on Texas Tech, which has quietly built a roster capable of challenging for a Big 12 title. The Red Raiders have a favorable crossover slate and could be this year's Cinderella story.
Georgia and Ohio State are perennial contenders, so their presence is no shock. But Indiana and UNLV are the wild cards here. The Hoosiers proved last season they could hang with the big boys, and the Rebels have been steadily improving under head coach Barry Odom. If either team runs the table, it would be one of the most remarkable stories of the year.
The season is still a few weeks away, but the buzz is building. Fans are already debating which teams are overrated and which are sleepers. One thing is certain: the new EA Sports College Football game will let you simulate these seasons yourself, but the real drama will unfold on the field. Buckle up.
