Heading into Week 7 of the 2023 college football season, there are 14 undefeated teams remaining. That includes Liberty, who already picked up a win this week over Jacksonville State on Tuesday.
As much hype as there is surrounding the Southeastern Conference every year, there's only one SEC team that's yet to lose a game this season. Believe it or not, the ACC and Pac-12 have three unbeaten teams remaining in the FBS.
Three of the 14 unbeaten squads are unranked, but another W this week might change all that. Let's rank the remaining undefeated teams as we head into Week 7 of the 2023 college football season.
14. James Madison Dukes (5-0)
James Madison joined the FBS just last season. The Dukes, now in the Sun Belt Conference, have started the season 5-0 with wins over Troy, Utah State, and a one-point victory over the Virginia Cavaliers.
JMU hasn't really played anyone in terms of top-notch competition, so it's difficult to rank the Dukes any higher than this. If James Madison can take down Appalachian State or Coastal Carolina, then we may have something to talk about in Harrisonburg, Virginia later this season.
13. Air Force Falcons (5-0)
Air Force is doing what Air Force does -- running the football. The Falcons are the No. 1-ranked rushing attack in the nation with more than 1,600 yards on the ground this season.
Air Force's 329 rushing yards per game are tops in the FBS. But, the Falcons rank 130th in pass yards with fewer than 100 yards per game in the air. The Falcons are one-dimensional, but still undefeated. At least Air Force knows who they are as a team, and it hasn't stopped them from winning games yet this season.
12. Liberty Flames (5-0)
Jamey Chadwell has the Flames playing very good football this season. Liberty is off to a 6-0 start having already won their Week 7 game against Jacksonville State.
Liberty is scoring points in bunches, and outside of hiccups against Sam Houston State, the Flames had put at least 30 points on the board in every game this season. Liberty could run the table in the CUSA, but do have a date with Western Kentucky on the road in Bowling Green later this season.
11. USC Trojans (6-0)
Sorry, I'm just not a believer in USC. While Caleb Williams is an incredible talent and the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Trojans defense cannot stop anybody.
Southern Cal had no business allowing teams like Colorado and Arizona to hang around as long as they did, and quite frankly should have lost last week to the Wildcats. With so many talented teams in the PAC-12 this season, it's only a matter of time before Lincoln Riley and the Trojans take on the chin.
10. Louisville Cardinals (6-0)
Jeff Brohm has taken the Louisville Cardinals and turned them into a contender for the ACC Championship this season. While UofL still has some issues to work out, the Cards are averaging 275 yards through the air and are scoring over 36 points per game.
Louisville's defense has been tremndous as well, and may actually be better than their offense. The Cards are holding opponents to just under 18 points per game. If you want to continue sleeping on the Cardinals, go right ahead, but I wouldn't recommend it.
9. North Carolina Tar Heels (5-0)
A blue blood in college basketball, UNC has a pretty good football team as well. Led by quarterback Drake Maye, the Tar Heels are quietly mowing down the competition this season.
With so much focus on the SEC and PAC-12, the ACC feels like it's been neglected this season. North Carolina has a test this week with the Miami Hurricanes coming to Chapel Hill, but there's a real chance that UNC could be undefeated before its three-game clash with Duke, Clemson, and NC State next month.
8. Oklahoma Sooners (6-0)
Yeah, the Sooners are ranked in the Top 5 of both the AP and the Coaches poll, but I've got to see more before I'm fully ready to believe in what they're doing in Norman this season.
Brent Venables has done a terrific job getting the Oklahoma program back on track, and winning the Red River Rivalry is no easy task. But let's see how OU handles success before anointing them as the best team in the Big 12.
7. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0)
As is the case with USC, I'm not ready to believe in the Ohio State Buckeyes quite yet. Ryan Day's team inched out a win over Notre Dame and needed a fourth-quarter rally to knock off the Maryland Terrapins.
Both games were gritty, tough wins on the part of Ohio State, but they've got some big matchups on the docket. If Ohio State runs the table, then they deserve every bit of adulation they're sure to receive.
6. Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0)
Penn State has the best defense in the country. There's really no comparison. James Franklin has the Nittany Lions playing at a very high level on the defensive side of the football, and that's going to keep them in almost every game they play.
But can the offense come through when it's needed? Penn State gets a cupcake this week in UMass and then goes on the road to The Shoe in Columbus for a head-to-head battle with Ohio State. If Penn State is looking to prove their worth, that's the game they've got to circle on the calendar.
5. Oregon Ducks (5-0)
College football fans saw how dominant the Oregon Ducks can be after they boat-raced Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes on national television a few weeks back. But that was a game the Ducks were supposed to win.
Can Dan Lanning get his team's defense as fired up for this week's game in Seattle as they were in front of the home crowd back in Eugene? If Oregon hopes to remain undefeated, the Ducks will have to take down the Washington Huskies on the road this week.
4. Washington Huskies (5-0)
Michael Penix Jr. has been phenomenal this season. If he's not the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy, he's definitely in the conversation. The Huskies have the best passing offense in the nation and are averaging nearly 450 yards through the air.
As was mentioned with Oregon, this week is separation Saturday for these two undefeated Pac-12 programs. Somebody is leaving Husky Stadium with a blemish on their record. Will it be coach DeBoer's team or do the Ducks have the Huskies' number?
3. Florida State Seminoles (5-0)
There might not be a better team in all of college football this season than the Florida State Seminoles. And yet, I can't bring myself to rank them any higher than No. 3. FSU has done everything right this season, and yet it seems as though the Noles continue to be overlooked.
Head coach Mike Norvell has the Seminoles playing at an extremely high level right now, and he's going to have to keep the foot on the gas with tough matchups against Duke and Miami still on the schedule. On the plus side, FSU does not have to play UNC or Louisville this season.
2. Michigan Wolverines (6-0)
Michigan's schedule has been soft, but until last week against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, not one team had managed to score over seven points. As good as Penn State's defense has been this season, the Wolverines are No. 1 in scoring defense, allowing just 6.6 points per game.
Combine that with the No. 17 scoring offense in the country, and Jim Harbaugh might have his best team ever assembled in Ann Arbor. Michigan faces a brutal three-game stretch to end the season, but will host the Buckeye in the Big House this November.
1. Georgia Bulldogs (6-0)
To be the best, you've got to beat the best. No one has done that this season, and until another team comes along and knocks off the defending back-to-back National Champions, I refuse to take them out of the top spot.
The Georgia Bulldogs got a wake-up call about two weeks ago against Auburn. The Tigers almost upset UGA on the road, but Kirby Smart's team prevailed 27-20. They then took out their frustrations on the Kentucky Wildcats last week. UK had been undefeated until they ran into the buzzsaw that is the University of Georgia.
After this week, there will be at least one less undefeated team in college football. With the Washington Huskies playing the Oregon Ducks, this list could shrink to at least 13, if not fewer by this time next week.
