CBS Sports predicts every undefeated college football team's first loss

Twenty teams remain undefeated in college football coming into the first weekend of October. Still, with what can happen on any given weekend, how many will remain that way for much longer, let alone past Saturday?

CBS Sports predicted the first loss for every team still unbeaten at this point in the season in an article on Wednesday. It had three teams remaining undefeated for the remainder of this season and three more making it into November, but had a quarter of those left going on to lose this upcoming weekend on October 4th to bring the total down to 15.

Here’s that projection at CBS Sports this week for the 20 remaining undefeated teams:

BYU Cougars – at Arizona (October 11th)

No. 23 BYU nearly wasn’t on this list this week as it had to come back in its last game and conference opener from down two scores to win at 24-21 at Colorado. However, with the league slate they’ll play over the next month, CBS had the Cougars winning one more tomorrow night to get to 5-0 before dropping their one the following weekend in Tucson.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets – at Duke (October 18th)

No. 17 Georgia Tech is another team that was tested last weekend, and even more so than others, as it took overtime to get out with a one-point win over Wake Forest in Winston-Salem. The Yellow Jackets will now have a bye before returning home to play Virginia Tech, with the Hokies having an interim coach already, where they’ll reach 6-0, but a road trip to Durham the week after is where CBS is guessing that the first loss will come for GT.

Houston Cougars – vs. Texas Tech (October 4th)

Year 2 is already off to a great start for Willie Fritz as Houston has tied last season’s win total already at 4-0. However, while the Cougars will have an improved record at season’s end, Saturday is where CBS Sports has their current win streak ending against one of the top teams in the conference, in No. 11 Texas Tech.

Indiana Hoosiers – at Oregon (October 11th)

No. 8 Indiana is once again exceeding expectations under Curt Cignetti, as the Hoosiers are on bye this week after a 5-0 start following a pair of conference wins over Illinois and at Iowa. There’ll be no shame for IU, though, if they don’t go up to Eugene next weekend and win in a Top 10 matchup at Oregon.

Iowa State Cyclones – at TCU (November 8th)

At 5-0, No. 14 Iowa State is — assuming it can continue winning in games like at Cincinnati and in matchups against BYU and Arizona State in Ames — in position to reach as good a mark as 9-0. However, a loss is likely to come somewhere for all of the teams in the Big 12, with CBS projecting the Cyclones to come in just over a month when they travel to play the Horned Frogs in Fort Worth.

Louisville Cardinals – vs. Virginia (October 4th)

Louisville, having had a very quiet start to the season, managed to stay undefeated in its conference and road opener last weekend, simply by winning the second and fourth quarters, in a 34-27 comeback victory at Pittsburgh. However, facing a team that’s already pulled an upset in league play last weekend, CBS has the Cardinals dropping their first of the fall at home against No. 24 UVA on Saturday.

Maryland Terrapins – vs. Washington (October 4th)

Maryland may have gotten to an undefeated record as easily as any one of these teams, with three non-conference games and then a good road win over Wisconsin. The competition takes a big step up for the Terps in their two-game homestand coming off their bye, though, with Washington this weekend being the pick by CBS before Nebraska also comes to College Park.

Memphis Tigers – vs. Tulane (November 7th)

The American is very likely to be the conference that produces the berth from the Group of Five into the CFP, with three teams on this list alone, including Memphis, which has a win over Arkansas on its resumé. The Tigers will play three of those other top-projected teams in the league in USF, Tulane, and Navy, with CBS circling the home game a month from now against the Green Wave being their first loss.

Miami Hurricanes – None

No. 3 Miami is the first team that CBS Sports is projecting to finish undefeated this season, with the Hurricanes already winning top matchups over Notre Dame, USF, and Florida to get to 4-0. They’ll still play at No. 18 Florida State on Saturday, coming off their bye along with conference matchups against Louisville and at SMU by November 1st, but ‘The U’ could be in for a special season if they can get through this next month still unblemished.

Missouri Tigers – vs. Alabama (October 11th)

No. 19 Missouri is en route to another great season, having won double-digit games each of the past two years in CoMo, at 5-0 with wins over Kansas in the Border War and over South Carolina to open conference play. But, coming out of its bye this weekend, Alabama again looks to be too much for the Tigers, with CBS having ‘Bama winning over Mizzou next weekend for the first loss.

Navy Midshipmen – at North Texas (November 1st)

Back to the American, Navy is also on pace for another great season under Brian Newberry. But, with the strength of their schedule late, the Midshipmen may make it unbeaten still through October, but almost certainly won’t through November, with CBS picking their game against North Texas.

North Texas Mean Green – vs. South Florida (October 10th)

Speaking of North Texas, and again in the American, the Mean Green are also among that top tier within the conference. However, coming off their bye, CBS has UNT losing their next game when they host South Florida next Friday night in Denton.

Ohio State Buckeyes – None

No. 1 Ohio State hasn’t lost since last year’s edition of The Game, going on to win the College Football Playoff and since opening this season at 4-0, coming off a 24-6 win at Washington. Now, the Buckeyes are the second projected undefeated team for CBS, as they’ll only play three games the rest of the way that could be of real concern in the Big Ten against Illinois, Penn State, and, of course, at Michigan.

Ole Miss Rebels – at Georgia (October 18th)

After just missing out on the playoff last season, No. 4 Ole Miss may be in a better position to be in the field this fall, being already at 5-0 with a quality non-conference victory over Tulane and a 3-0 mark in the SEC, highlighted by last weekend’s win over No. 4 LSU. That said, the Rebels’ resumé won’t remain an unblemished one as they’ll reach 6-0 off their bye with a win over Wazzu before dropping their first the following weekend between the hedges in Athens, according to CBS.

Oklahoma Sooners – vs. Texas (October 11th)

This is an unfortunate one as circumstances may be all that separates the Sooners from winning a few more games before their first loss. But, with the injury timeline for John Mateer, No. 5 Oklahoma should get to 5-0 this weekend against Kent State before CBS has them dropping their first to the Longhorns a week later during Red River in Dallas.

Oregon Ducks – None

No. 2 Oregon is the third and final undefeated projection by CBS, with the Ducks having already won the toughest game of their season with a 30-24 2OT victory at No. 3 Penn State in the Whiteout. Now, following their bye, a Top 10 home game in conference against Indiana may be the only thing standing between the Ducks and a second-straight undefeated regular season, spot in the Big Ten Championship, and berth in the CFP.

Texas A&M Aggies – at LSU (October 25th)

Off to its best start in almost a decade, No. 6 Texas A&M already has a Top 10 road win at Notre Dame and a conference victory over Auburn to get there. The Aggies now have three more winnable-enough games coming up against Mississippi State and Florida in College Station and at Arkansas before CBS has them dropping their first down in Death Valley to close out October.

Texas Tech Red Raiders – at Arizona State (October 18th)

No. 11 Texas Tech has emerged as the top team for now out of the Big 12, as it comes off its bye at 4-0 following a 24-point road win over Utah. CBS now has the Red Raiders getting to 6-0 with a win this weekend at Houston and over Kansas before losing their first against the Sun Devils in Tempe.

UNLV Rebels – at Wyoming (October 4th)

UNLV is one of the last remaining undefeated mid-majors, and the only one not in the American, as they’re at 4-0 to open their tenure under Dan Mullen. Even so, with three of those being one-score wins and them having not played a team that had a win at the time they played them, CBS has the Rebels set to lose their first on Saturday in their conference opener on the road against the Cowboys.

Vanderbilt Commodores – at Alabama (October 4th)

The Commodores shocked the world last season by knocking off Alabama in Nashville, which now has Vandy at a mark of 9-4 over its last 13, going back to that one over the Crimson Tide and now with a 5-0 start to this year. Now, to stay unbeaten this fall, No. 16 Vanderbilt will have to do it again, but on the road this time against ‘Bama, which CBS does not have them doing in Tuscaloosa on Saturday.