We have now reached the midway point of the college football season, and this season has yet to disappoint. We have seen several upsets in the top 10, and several teams in the group of five conferences are battling it out for one playoff spot. As we approach the winter months, the stakes in every game get bigger and bigger for teams battling for a place in the newly introduced expanded College Football Playoffs that will now include 12 playoff spots. Let us look at some surprising teams at the season's midpoint competing for a playoff spot. Indiana (Big 10)
Credit: Athlon Sports Arguably, one of the most surprising teams at this point of the season is the Indiana Hoosiers, led by first-year head coach Curt Cignetti. Cignetti became known to fans from his time at James Madison, leading them to a 19-4 record in the school’s first two seasons competing at the FCS level. Cignetti moved to Indiana, and his track record of winning has followed as the Hoosiers are off to a 7-0 start. Having an overall record of 126-35, Cignetti has never had a losing season as a head coach. Now, he has Indiana in prime position to make it into the conference championship game. Indiana this season has wins over Maryland, Northwestern, and a 56-7 victory over Nebraska this past weekend. No one expected Indiana to be a contender in the Big 10 with the new additions of USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington, but Cignetti has his team in prime position for a playoff spot. BYU (Big 12)
Credit: Sports Illustrated
The BYU Cougars are in their second season in the Big 12 after years of being an independent. Now, alongside Iowa State, they sit at the top of the Big 12 standings. BYU is heading into the week as the #11 team in the country and currently has the third-best odds to make it to the Big 12 Conference title game, only behind Iowa State and Kansas State. Coming into the year, BYU was not seen as a contender this year in the Big 12, as many betting sites had the Cougars winning five games total, having gone 5-7 in 2023. This season, BYU already has wins over Kansas State, Arizona, and last year's conference runner-up, Oklahoma State, this past weekend. BYU head coach Kalani Sitake is having one of the best coaching seasons of his career, considering BYU was not talked about compared to the likes of Utah, Kansas State, and Colorado heading into the 2024 season.
Iowa State ( Big 12)
Credit: Dos Moines Register
The second Big 12 team on the list, Iowa State, is off to a fantastic start. The Cyclones are 7-0 and tied with BYU at the top of the conference standings. Iowa State, entering week eight, is ranked as the #10 team in the nation and also the highest-ranked Big 12 team in the AP Top 25. The Cyclones, led by head coach Matt Campbell, are averaging 32 points a game in conference play, having beaten West Virginia, Baylor, Houston, and UCF, respectively. Iowa State is currently beating favorites to win the Big 12 despite being predicted to win around six games heading into the season. Much of Iowa State's success can be credited to quarterback Rocco Becht, who has thrown for 1,712 yards and passed 11 touchdowns on the season. No one saw this Cyclone team, who went 7-6 last season, at the top of the Big 12 standings heading into week eight. However, the Cyclones still have Kansas State, Utah, and Texas Tech to play, but at the moment, the Cyclones are in poll position for a conference title game appearance and potentially a playoff spot.
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