The 3 most surprising teams of the college football season

The 2026 college football season has already yielded some surprising performances from certain teams. Three standouts include Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, and Florida.

Mississippi State, which had struggled in recent years, is off to a dominant start. Through four weeks, they are 4-0 and have a perfect 2-0 record in the SEC. Their turnaround has been fueled by a Heisman Trophy contender, Kamario Taylor, at quarterback. Their upcoming matchup against No. 7 Alabama will provide a clear indication of their true potential.

Oklahoma State has also defied expectations. After a rough two seasons, they have transformed under new head coach Eric Morris. Their season-opening win over No. 6 Oregon was particularly impressive, as they routed Oregon 39-31. Since then, they've maintained their momentum with wins over Murray State and a dominating shutout of West Virginia. This has led them to become the No. 19 team in the AP Poll despite being considered one of the weakest Power 4 teams heading into the season.

Florida surprised many after a disappointing 4-8 season. Head coach Jon Sumrall took over mid-season and has already engineered a dramatic turnaround. In just four games, Florida leads the nation in scoring, with 52 points in their last game against No. 4 Ole Miss. Their offense is red-hot, scoring at least 44 points per game, and Sumrall has become the first SEC head coach to record 200 points in his first four games.

While their upcoming schedule is tough, with tough opponents like Missouri, Texas, and Georgia, Florida's resurgence has made them a legitimate threat in the SEC and the College Football Playoff landscape.