Undefeated and can they stay that way?

Eleven schools enter the last week of October without a blemish and as many as seven could be without a loss heading to a bowl game. Below I look at schools and what they have left on the 2012 schedule and rate them from a scale of 1-10, with the bigger the number the most likely they go without a loss. The numbers after the records are the AP/BCS ranking.

Also make sure and check out @joeylucci on twitter, starting on Thursday October 25th I will be posting a College Football question/survey and would like to hear from you (the person with the correct or best answer will be posted on Spadoraonsports.com).

On a side note before I get started with the undefeated blog, on Thursday August 30th heading into work to cover the start of College Football I was involved in a serious car accident that left me without the use of my hands for about five weeks. This caused me to set a lot of things aside like my weekly blog, radio shows, twitter and hectic schedule that comes this time a year. Every day I am getting closer to full health but still have a while to go before I am 100%. I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all the support and prayers during this time for not only myself but my family that has endured the pain as well!    

Alabama (SEC) 7-0, #1/#1
What is left in 2012: Mississippi State, at LSU, Texas A&M, Western Carolina, Auburn, possible SEC Title game
Could three National Titles in four years be on the horizon for the Crimson Tide? Alabama has looked to this point of the season every bit as dominate like in 2011 and 2009 for that matter. If they can get past MSU at home and win a big game down in Baton Rouge their next test most likely comes against Florida in the SEC Title game. The Tide is a program that clearly reloads and not rebuilds. UNDEFEATED METER: 8.0

Florida (SEC) 7-0, #3/#2
What is left in 2012: vs Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Jacksonville State, at Florida State, SEC Title game
Florida just like Kansas State in my opinion has surprised some in the College Football world and controls their own destiny. A win this weekend wraps up the SEC East and their next biggest test will be at Florida State in the regular season finale. The Gators have an interesting task at hand but are capable in HC Will Muschamp’s second year of doing something very special. UNDEFEATED METER: 7.0

Mississippi State (SEC) 7-0, #13/--
What is left in 2012: at Alabama, Texas A&M, at LSU, Arkansas, at Mississippi, possible SEC Title game
Obviously something has to give this week with the Bulldogs traveling to Tuscaloosa. After the weekend we will all be saying either the Tide is just that good or wow Mississippi State is 8-0! Even if MSU pulls the upset A&M has proved they are legit and a road trip to LSU most likely at night is scary. HC Dan Mullen continues to do an outstanding job but I think it is very unlikely the Bulldogs go unbeaten.
UNDEFEATED METER: 0.5

Kansas State (Big 12) 7-0, #4/#3
What is left in 2012: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, at TCU, at Baylor, Texas
HC Bill Snyder just continues to win and rise in the AP/BCS standings. I think a lot of us outside Manhattan are surprised at the start (1 am). When I look at the remaining schedule all the tossup games are at home giving the Wildcats an edge. When K-State beat WV last week it really opened my eyes to how dangerous this team is and I give them a solid shot to go 12-0 and possibly play for it all. I am a believer as Coach Snyder has got me drinking the “Purple Kool-Aid”! UNDEFEATED METER: 9.5 

Oregon (Pac 12) 7-0, #2/#4
What is left in 2012: Colorado, at USC, at California, Stanford, at Oregon State, possible Pac 12 Title game
The Ducks the last couple of weeks have slide in the BCS rankings despite winning. Some would say it’s because they haven’t play anybody and in a way I agree. At the start of 2012 I was thinking that the road trip at USC would determine who hosts the Pac 12 Title game (still my be the case). Other Pac 12 teams have emerged and hosting Stanford and the “Civil War” in Corvallis will test the Ducks physically. I still give UO a shot to run the table. UNDEFEATED METER: 6.0

Oregon State (Pac 12) 6-0, #7/#7
What is left in 2012: at Washington, Arizona State, at Stanford, California, Oregon, Nicholls State, possible Pac 12 Title game
The Beavers are a school that was off my radar to start 2012 but are fully on it now. The Pac 12 besides the SEC has been by far the best conferences to date. Starting QB Sean Mannion is not 100% but OSU showed last week they are still a crew to be reckoned with. To go unbeaten would mean wins at Stanford, vs Oregon and in the Pac 12 Title game; I just think that is too much to ask even for a team playing as well as OSU right now. UNDEFEATED METER: 0.5

Louisville (Big East) 7-0, #16/--
What is left in 2012: Cincinnati, Temple, at Syracuse, Connecticut, at Rutgers
Cardinals HC Charlie Strong has already equaled his win total from the previous two seasons of seven each. This Louisville team reminds me of the 2006 version when they started 8-0 and in the next week dropped a game at #15 Rutgers. Hosting Cincinnati off a loss will not be easy but if UL wins this week I can see a 11-0 squad traveling to Rutgers, I guess history does repeat it self in College Football (well UL fan would hope for a different result). UNDEFEATED METER: 5.5

Rutgers (Big East) 7-0, #18/--
What is left in 2012: Kent State, Army, at Cincinnati, at Pittsburgh, Louisville
I fully expect the Scarlet Knights to be 9-0 when they travel to Cincinnati. That road trip could be huge and a win might put a 11-0 Rutgers hosting a 11-0 Louisville for the “Big East” title and a more importantly a BCS bowl. A lot of work left to do put what a job first year HC Kyle Flood is doing. UNDEFEATED METER: 5.0

Ohio State (Big Ten) 8-0, #9/--
What is left in 2012: at Penn State, Illinois, at Wisconsin, Michigan
The Buckeyes are banned from any Big Ten Title and bowl game this year so the best they could finish is 12-0. At this point the 2012 Ohio State team is winning ugly, but isn’t winning the most important thing (escaped by one at Michigan St, three at Indiana and last week in OT vs Purdue)? HC Urban Meyer has a resilient club but with the health of starting QB Braxton Miller in question and road trips to Penn State and Wisconsin looming getting to 12-0 will be tough. UNDEFEATED METER: 7.5  

Notre Dame (Independent) 7-0, #5/#5
What is left in 2012: at Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, at Boston College, Wake Forest, at USC
The Fighting Irish have gone well beyond my expectations in 2012 already as I will admit, was thinking that HC Brian Kelly would be fighting for his job at this point of the season. Lets face it if ND does run the table they have an excellent shot at playing for it all. The road tests at Oklahoma and USC are going to be difficult and remember the last time that the Irish started 7-0 (in 2002), the next week upset #11 Florida State but lost the following week to Big East member Boston College, don’t they have Big East Pitt after #8 Oklahoma? UNDEFEATED METER: 1.5
  
Ohio (MAC) 7-0, #23/--
What is left in 2012: at Miami, Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, at Ball State, at Kent State, possible MAC Title game
The Bobcats are quietly making more notice them but the strength of schedule is really hurting as they play in the MAC. I can see Bowling Green beating them and the road game against Kent State will not be easy. Ending the regular season without a loss will be difficult but HC Frank Solich continues his success in Athens, OH.
UNDEFEATED METER: 2.0

Scale from most likely to least likely
Kansas State 9.5
Alabama 8.0
Ohio State 7.5
Florida 7.0
Oregon 6.0
Louisville 5.5
Rutgers 5.0
Ohio 2.0
Notre Dame 1.5
Oregon State 0.5
Mississippi State 0.5

Joey Lucci   10/26/2012
twitter@joeylucci