Mississippi State has shocked the SEC this season, jumping out to a 4-0 start to the season and climbing into the top 20. After the loss to Alabama on Saturday, the Bulldogs are still a respectable team. It also makes you wonder, what other teams have taken college football by storm this year. Luke Fickell and Wisconsin are the first team to come to mind. In a pivotal season for Fickell, he has the Badgers on a roll. They’re one of several teams this year that are a lot better than we expected them to be.
Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin has come a long way since they were embarrassed by Notre Dame at Lambeau Field in Week 1. This was a make or break season for Luke Fickell and he’s proving he’s finally turning a corner. The Badgers have won the last four games including wins over Penn State and Michigan State in the last two weeks. More importantly, they look like an offense that could be lethal. They’ve scored 30 points in all but two games this season. Fickell finally has a respectable team and it could mean the Badgers are a dark horse team to watch in the Big Ten this season.
Kentucky Wildcats
Will Stein and Kenny Minchey have brought inspired football back to Lexington. Minchey led Kentucky to a 17-point comeback to beat South Carolina in Columbia and that’s exactly the type of game that proves just how good this team is. Yes, the Wildcats struggled against Alabama after a hot start to the game, but they’re proving they’re no longer one of the bottom teams in the conference. Kentucky still has a gauntlet of a schedule remaining, but it’s clear they’re not going to get steamrolled. The Wildcats are not 4-1 and should move into the top 20. The rest of the SEC has every reason to be on high alert.
Oregon State Beavers
Don’t let Oregon State’s record fool you, they’re a legitimate team in the Pac 12 this year. They gave both Houston and Texas Tech close games and took down Colorado State on Saturday to improve to 3-2 on the season. The Beavers look like a team that could contend for the College Football Playoff down the road this season. They’ll need to beat Boise State toward the end of the season, but Oregon State is a good team. They’re better than their record shows and will have a lot of chances to show they’ve improved from the rough start.
Florida Atlantic Owls
Florida Atlantic might be a Group of 6 team to watch later this season. The Owls’ only loss was a season-opener to Florida and they’ve cruised the last month of the season. They’ll have a tough conference slate in the American Conference, but they very much could go the distance. They’re starting to get some exposure from the FanSided voters in the weekly Group of 6 power rankings and after this week, might work their way up the rankings. Like Oregon State, they’re a sleeper team that has an outside chance to get into the CFP.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Matt Rhule knew how important this season was for him and Nebraska to get it together. Anthony Colandrea has been playing really well for Nebraska with 904 yards, 10 touchdowns and just one interception. When Dylan Raiola announced he was hitting the transfer portal, Nebraska’s future didn’t seem too bright. Now, they look like a team, like Wisconsin, that could shake up the Big Ten standings.
North Dakota State Bison
North Dakota State is in their first year as a full FBS member and honestly we shouldn’t be surprised at how quickly they’re becoming one of the best G6 teams. The Bison are undefeated and have two shutouts. They’re my favorite to win the Mountain West at this point and could very well sneak into the CFP conversation. I think it will be hard to beat out a team out of the American or Pac 12 for a bid, but this Bison team is just as dangerous as we expected them to be.
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