Kentucky, UCLA among college football's biggest surprise teams in 2026
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 29, 2026, 1:09 PM
Last updated Oct 29, 2026
The 2026 college football season has seen unexpected performances, primarily from No. 8 Kentucky and No. 7 UCLA. Kentucky, picked 14th in the SEC preseason media poll, is now leading the conference and eyeing a College Football Playoff spot under new head coach Will Stein. UCLA, also undefeated at 7-0, has impressed in its first season with Bob Chesney as head coach. Other surprising teams include No. 15 Wake Forest and No. 18 Northwestern, both exceeding preseason expectations. As the season progresses, these teams will look to secure favorable postseason placements against tough competition.
- •Kentucky leads the SEC despite being preseason 14th.
- •UCLA is the only unbeaten team in the Big Ten.
- •Wake Forest and Northwestern are also exceeding expectations.
- •Kentucky's success follows the end of the Mark Stoops era.
- •Coaches Will Stein and Bob Chesney have made significant impacts.
- 1:09 PMYahoo Sports — Almost nobody saw this coming: 9 biggest college football surprise teams
"Nobody saw Kentucky coming. The Wildcats join UCLA, Wake Forest and Northwestern among college football’s biggest surprises of 2026.
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