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Not all undefeated teams are created equal.
Currently, eight NCAA Division I teams that are ranked in the top 25 have yet to lose, with four unranked teams also owning undefeated records. Of the ranked unbeatens, which teams might actually run the table? In NCAA Division I history, only 10 teams have had perfect season.
Here’s a a tiering of how likely the eight ranked undefeateds—No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Texas, No. 5 LSU, No. 7 Maryland, No. 9 TCU, No. 10 Iowa State, No. 13 Vanderbilt and No. 23 Nebraska—are to do the near-impossible and remain perfect the rest of the way.
Tier 1: True undefeated contenders
So far, UConn has been as good as it gets.
They are undefeated, defending champions and have yet to be truly tested.
Their head coach, Geno Auriemma, has accomplished the perfect season feat a whopping six times, so if anyone can guide a team to a flawless year, he’s the one. With Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong running things, the Huskies have the best chance to run the table.
Right behind UConn is Texas.
They might not have the pedigree the Huskies have, but the Longhorns have gotten off to an impressive 13-0 start. They are ranked No. 2 in the country, and considering they don’t face a top-five team until January, they should enter 2026 with as good a chance as any to continue stacking up wins.
Texas has a dynamic scorer in Madison Booker and upperclassman leadership from Rori Harmon to keep them in control, and so far, it’s worked like a well-oiled machine.
Last, but certainly not least in this tier is LSU.
The Tigers have a dynamic guard in Flau’Jae Johnson, and she’s led LSU to dominance early on. LSU is always a great team, but they might be better than ever.
An interesting wrinkle in the pursuit of perfection is that LSU and Texas both can’t finish undefeated. They’ll play each other on Jan. 11. Until then, both will have a shot at remaining undefeated and after that contest, the dream will remain alive for one team. That is, if they continue taking care of businesses until then.
Tier 2: It’s possible to be perfect
Teams in this tier have the opportunity to go undefeated, but are a level below the top tier. Still, until Maryland, TCU and Iowa State lose, the perfect season is in play.
Maryland is 12-0, but their schedule only gets tougher from here. They have only played two ranked team in Kentucky and Princeton (although the Tigers where not in the top 25 when they were beaten by the Terrapins), but have nine coming up in 2026. So, we’ll know soon enough if they are a great team or just one beating up on friendlier schedule.
TCU has a far lighter schedule than Maryland, with just four more ranked teams left to play.
They have Olivia Miles, the former Notre Dame guard who is tearing it up, averaging 18.1 points per game. Add in Marta Suarez, who leads the team, averaging 18.7 per game, and it’s clear why they’ve won the dozen games they’ve played so far.
Iowa State has one ranked win against its rival Iowa, but otherwise has faced an easier schedule. Still, the team is a blast to watch, and their center, Audi Crooks, has some of the best footwork you’ll ever see. She’s averaging 27.8 points per game and dominating on a nightly basis.
Similar to the LSU-Texas situation in the SEC, Iowa State and TCU will duke it out for Big 12 bragging rights later in the season, so one of them won’t make it out of this season undefeated.
Tier 3: It’s worth a try
Last, but certainly not least, are Vanderbilt and Nebraska.
Vanderbilt hasn’t played ranked opponents yet, but that will certainly change once SEC play begins. Mikayla Blakes is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 25 points a night.
Nebraska also has not played a ranked team, and as with Vandy, that will change quickly in conference play. The Big Ten features top teams like UCLA, USC and Iowa, so the Cornhuskers will be put to the test soon enough.
Once Vanderbilt and Nebraska face tougher challenges, they’ll fall, but so far, they’ve beaten every team that’s come in front of them and deserve credit for that.
We’ll see if one of these eight teams joins the other 10 historical undefeateds and ends the year with a title and a perfect record. Regardless of whether a team completes the feat or not, it’s always fun to watch the attempt.
Soon enough, this list of ranked unbeaten will shrink, and we’ll monitor which ones remain standing and have chance to pull off the near-impossible.
