That is why they play games.
Their games against Alabama are on Saturday night. Those magical times when everyone forgets about the real world for a while.
The games are also held because Northern Illinois could beat Notre Dame.
No one thinks any of these five teams will win the College Football Playoff National Championship, but they are all still perfect. No one thought any of them would still have a 0 in their loss column in October, and these new teams are having a great time.
Our talk will be about Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, and Georgia for the rest of the year. Here are the five biggest surprises in college football so far this season.
5 Biggest College Football Surprises: October Version
5. Army Black Knights
Army stopped being fun.
The last two years, it went 6-6, but four of those wins were against FCS teams and two more were against Navy. It was not like they were in charge. The swag is back.
This was the team’s first 4-0 start since 2021, when it went 9-4 with a bowl win over Missouri. It might not seem like a big deal to beat Lehigh and Rice at home and Florida Atlantic and Temple on the road, but it was. Even better, no one has even come close.
The 24–7 win over the Owls of FAU was the closest game.
When will the fun end? Could it be East Carolina on October 19? But that game is at home. It will happen to Notre Dame in November at Yankee Stadium, but by then the Knights might be 9-0.
What is going to happen? There are no games against Tulane, USF, or Memphis, so Army has a good chance to win the AAC title. Also, Army-Navy is not in the AAC, so a lot of people think Army will win. Army will bowl for the first time in three seasons, at the very least. As it will…
4. Navy Midshipmen
Since 2019, Army has not had a lost season. That was the last time Navy had a good record.
Since 207, the last time a team started 4-0, Navy has a real win under its belt: a 56-44 shocker over Memphis. Army had a great first month.
The offence is great, and the team is 3-0 in AAC play. The rest of the way will be very scary.
When will the fun end? If not this week at Air Force, it will be October 26th at home against Notre Dame.
What is going to happen? Navy will go to a bowl game for the first time since 2019. But Navy still has to play USF and Tulane, while Army does not have to play any of the big teams. It will still be a great year even without the AAC title games.
3. Indiana Hoosiers
I was not sure if I should put Indiana here because…
I made the call. In a way.
The team got a lot of great players from James Madison when they hired new head coach Curt Cignetti. They also got a big deal when they signed quarterback Kurtis Rourke from Ohio.
I did say during the off-season that IU would surprise everyone and go to a bowl game. I did not see this kind of start coming.
The offence has been nearly unstoppable, and the defence has been good enough. With the win over Maryland 42–28, the school is off to its first 5-0 start since 1967, when it lost to USC in the Rose Bowl after a 9-2 season.
When will the fun end? On November 2, at Michigan State 2. But…
What is going to happen? It would not be surprising if IU beats Northwestern, Nebraska, Washington, and Michigan State on the road to go 9-0 before hosting College GameDay and Michigan on November 9th.
The Hoosiers will lose to Michigan and Ohio State, but they will beat Purdue. It might take a bowl game, but IU will have their first ever ten-win season.
2. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Rutgers could not have gone 4-0 to begin the season.
Yes, it would roll over Howard and Akron without a problem, but at Virginia Tech? Yes, 26–23.
In front of the whole country on TV against Washington? Yes, 21–18. Since 2012, this is the first 4-0 season for the team.
With a three-point lead, this is another team like the ones coached by Greg Schiano. The scores are in, and what is even better is that Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State are not up next.
When will the fun end? This week at Nebraska, but it is not a sure thing.
What is going to happen? They may not have a great record, but it will not be easy to go to Nebraska, USC, Maryland, and Michigan State, even if they do not play any stars.
Still, the Scarlet Knights will win at least two of their four home games against Wisconsin, UCLA, Minnesota, and Illinois in order to bowl again.
1. Duke Blue Devils
Last year, Duke was pretty good, but in the second part of the season, Mike Elko, who is now the head coach at Texas A&M, held the team together with duct tape and a prayer. Not a lot of people were excited about Manny Diaz taking over.
The Blue Devils are off to a 5-0 start for the first time since 1994.
Three of the four FBS wins were by six points or less, so it has not been easy. But the comeback win over North Carolina last week and the late-game fight at Northwestern were both great.
When will the fun end? This week at Georgia Tech.
What is going to happen? Getting that sixth win might be hard, but it will happen.
at Florida State (really), SMU (yeah, really), at Miami, at NC State, and at Virginia Tech. It would not be a huge surprise if Duke lost its next five games, but they won’t. One of those games will be won, and the last one will be won at Wake Forest.
