Today I will look at the six teams in the FCS that remain unbeaten that are ranked in the polls between 10 and 22. How long can these teams keep things rolling, will it last all year?

No. 22/20 MICHIGAN (4-0)

The Wolverines are off to a great start to their season, a season that a lot of people didn’t know what to expect from this team. Tate Forcier has played great as a true freshman QB and Michigan is now thinking Big Ten Title. They opened with a big win over Western Michigan then beat a ranked Notre Dame team in week two. They followed that up with a win over Eastern Michigan and then last week survived their Big Ten opener against Indiana 36-33 largely due to a disputed interception call.

Michigan will go away from the Big House for the first time this season on Saturday to face a struggling Michigan State team. The Spartans will be looking to get their season righted so this should not be an easy game for Michigan. If they get by the Spartans then they travel to Iowa for a big showdown the following week. Games against Penn State and Ohio State later in the year will also be challenges. Expect Michigan to lose at least two or three games.

No. 18/16 KANSAS (4-0)

The Jayhawks have been impressive so far in 2009 behind the strong play of QB Todd Reesing. They opened with large wins over Northern Colorado and UTEP and then took down Duke from the ACC easily. Last Saturday they took on a good Southern Miss team and came away on top 35-28. In the four games they are averaging 511.5 yards of offense per game.

Kansas will have a good shot to make it to 6-0 because their next two games are at home against Iowa State and at Colorado. On Oct. 24 Kansas faces off against Oklahoma in what might be their first loss, but the game is in Lawrence so the Jayhawks could pull the upset to remain undefeated. If they do then they would have a road test the next week at Texas Tech and their final three Big 12 games are against Nebraska, Texas and Missouri. The Jayhawks are definitely contenders to win the Big 12 North but I would expect them to lose two or three games.

No. 13/17 IOWA (4-0)

The Hawkeyes are undefeated even without their starting RB Jewel Hampton, who hurt his knee during the summer and will miss the season. After Iowa survived Northern Iowa’s upset bid by blocking two field goals with under seven seconds left in week one the Hawkeyes have been on a roll. They beat Iowa State 35-3 and then Arizona 27-17 before going into Penn State and knocking off a top five Nittany Lions team 21-10 for the second straight year.

This Saturday Iowa takes on Arkansas State in a non-conference game and should move to 5-0 for their matchup against Michigan on Oct. 10. The game is in Iowa City so I give the edge to Iowa. Then they have two road dates against Wisconsin and Michigan State, which will not be easy games and they could drop either one. If they get by these two games then the only game standing between Iowa and an undefeated season might just be their trip to Columbus to take on Ohio State Nov. 14. The other remaining games would be against Indiana, Northwestern and Minnesota.

The Hawkeyes are the first team that I think have a legit chance to be undefeated that I have looked at, but I expect them to lose to Ohio State and maybe drop one other game.

No. 12/15 HOUSTON (3-0)

The Cougars are a surprise BSC buster team from Conference USA after their impressive start. QB Case Keenum has thrown for 1160 yards in three games and has his name in the early running for the Heisman Trophy. After opening with a blowout win over Northwestern State Houston shocked a top 10 Oklahoma State team on the road in week two, 45-35. After a bye week Houston knocked off Texas Tech 29-28, making it two-for-two against the Big 12, due to a goal-line stand in the fourth quarter.

Houston takes on UTEP on Saturday and should move to 5-0 to face their last non-conference test at Mississippi State. This might be their toughest game left on the schedule and if they get by could be looking at an undefeated season. Conference games against Southern Miss and Tulsa will also test Houston and then they would also have to get by the C-USA Championship game.

I think Mississippi State will ruin the hopes for Houston but if they do get by the Bulldogs then yes, I think we have our first undefeated team. Unfortunately for the Cougars it will probably end up like Utah last year for them.

No. 11/16 TCU (3-0)

The Horned Frogs have seen their fellow Mountain West contenders drop a game already so TCU is thinking this is their year. They won at Virginia then beat Texas State at home before traveling to Clemson and winning 14-10 last Saturday.

They take on SMU on Saturday in their last nonconference game and should be 4-0 for their matchup at Air Force on Oct. 10. The following week they take on Colorado State at home and then on Oct. 24 they face off at BYU. These are three tough conference tests and I do not think TCU will come through undefeated. If they do however, a date with Utah at home on Nov. 14 might be the only other game that stands between them and a perfect regular season.

The fact that TCU plays great defense might be enough to carry them past all their MWC foes but I expect at least one loss.

No. 10/11 CINCINNATI (4-0)

The Bearcats had a surprise year in 2008 and have carried the momentum over to 2009 behind the strong play of QB Tony Pike. In week one, they took on Big East foe Rutgers and gave them their only loss so far by winning 47-15. Then they put up 70 against Southeast Missouri State. The offense has cooled a bit the past two weeks, but they picked up a huge win at Oregon State 28-18 and then beat Fresno State 28-20 at home Saturday.

Cincinnati travels to Miami (OH) this week and should have no troubles there, setting up a huge matchup at South Florida on Oct. 15. I expect them to get by the Bulls without Matt Grothe and then their next test might not be until Nov. 13 when they play West Virginia at home. Their final two games are at home against the Big Ten’s Illinois and at Pittsburgh. These could be tough games.

Cincinnati is the first team that I am going to go out on a limb and say goes undefeated. Will the fact that they play in the Big East hurt their chances of making the National Title game though?

TOMORROW:

I will round out the series looking at the 17 unbeatens in the FCS by breaking down the five undefeated teams that are ranked in the top five.