Now at the midway point of the college football season, we have seen a lot from every team in the country. That said, we still want to see more from a handful of them.

In some ways, that's a bad thing. Michigan is a great example of that. Kyle Whittingham was supposed to stabilize the program when he arrived in Ann Arbor, but the team has regressed in several areas, especially on offense. Following a quarterback change against Penn State, the Wolverines have to prove that their 1-2 Big Ten record is not indicative of their coaching staff or roster talent.

Conversely, teams like Kentucky must prove that they can keep the good times rolling. The Wildcats have been one of the SEC's biggest and best surprises under first-year coach Will Stein. The challenge will be maintaining that success as the team's ranking climbs and the target on its back gets bigger and brighter.

We can't redo the first half of the 2026 season, but there is still a lot of football left to play. That being the case, these six teams ought to be on a mission to prove themselves.

Oregon Ducks

Prove that they aren't the most disappointing team in college football

No team in the country has more to prove than Oregon, which has been a mess throughout the first half. The Ducks were 30 seconds away from losing to Nebraska and falling to 3-3. In theory -- although not in execution -- Oregon has the talent to run the table and reach the College Football Playoff at 10-2. That's especially true now that Julian Sayin is out for the long term for Ohio State.

If Dante Moore returns from his concussion, it raises the offense's ceiling, and the defense has improved lately. On that side of the ball, the Ducks rank 23rd nationally in EPA per play and 24th in success rate. The bones of a great team are here, but it just hasn't meshed on the field. If Oregon can survive Illinois and Northwestern over the next two weeks, it will get the chance to reignite its season against the Buckeyes.

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Kentucky Wildcats

Prove that the first half was no fluke

The Wildcats are one of the country's biggest surprises through seven weeks. Will Stein has positioned Kentucky as a legitimate College Football Playoff contender, but the hard part is still ahead for the team. The Wildcats must sustain this level of play over the last five games as the pressure rises and the number beside their name gets smaller.

The good news for Kentucky is that it has a relatively manageable schedule the rest of the way, but the layups are few and far between. The Wildcats do get Vanderbilt this week, but they close with Tennessee, Florida, Missouri and Louisville. There aren't any guaranteed losses in that stretch, but Kentucky will have to bring it each week. If the Cats are going to get to the finish line relatively unscathed, they have to improve on third down on both sides of the ball. Kentucky ranks 136th in third-down conversion rate offensively (29.1%) and 130th in third-down conversion rate on defense (47.1%).

Michigan Wolverines

Prove the offense was a quarterback problem -- not a coaching staff problem

Through the first half of the Penn State game, Michigan had scored a grand total of 50 points against Power Four through 14 quarters. After the Wolverines benched Bryce Underwood and replaced him with freshman Tommy Carr at halftime, they scored 21 second-half points to beat the Nittany Lions.

It's not like Carr was an All-American. He totaled just 83 yards but rushed for what ultimately became the game-winning touchdown. At the very least, Michigan was able to move the ball in a way it hadn't with Underwood running the offense. With Carr getting the start again this weekend against a great Indiana defense, we'll see whether he has what it takes to elevate the offense. Either way, the coaching staff has to find some answers on that side of the ball. Kyle Whittingham will be feeling the heat because he could be one-and-done in Ann Arbor if the Wolverines don't get back on track.

UCLA Bruins

Prove they're a bona fide College Football Playoff contender with a backup QB

This season has already been a success in Westwood with UCLA doubling its win total in Year 1 under Bob Chesney. The Bruins are 6-0 and ranked in the top 10 for the first time since 2022, and there's a chance they can get to 10-0 before a road trip to Michigan on Nov. 21. In order for that to happen, however, UCLA will have to navigate its admittedly manageable schedule with backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach running the offense.

The Bruins survived Wisconsin last weekend by leaning on a defense that allowed just seven points. With Michigan State, Nevada, Minnesota and Illinois on deck over the next month, UCLA isn't likely to need an explosive offense to win. Having said that, the margin for error is much smaller now. The silver lining is that the Bruins' passing game wasn't great when Nico Iamaleava was healthy, so they should be able to adapt.

Texas A&M Aggies

Prove that things aren't as dire as they've looked in College Station

When the preseason AP Top 25 poll dropped, No. 8 Texas A&M was immediately identified as one of the more overrated teams in the country, but no one could have predicted this. The Aggies are 1-3 in conference play, and Mike Elko is having to apologize for blasting message board posters in his postgame press conference.

The major issue for Texas A&M is that the schedule won't get any easier in the second half, starting with a trip to Tuscaloosa this weekend. Of course, a big challenge also presents a big opportunity. The hay is probably in the barn as far as quarterback play is concerned, but can Texas A&M get more consistent output from its running game? Can the defense hold up and give it a shot to beat a couple of ranked opponents over the last six weeks? That could offer some optimism for the program as it aims to return to the College Football Playoff in 2027. Besides, the idea of spoiling the season for Texas has to be appealing.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Prove that the ACC should be a two-bid league in the playoff

The Demon Deacons are very quietly in position to face Miami in the ACC Championship Game. They're 6-1 with a top-25 win over Louisville and a 13-point loss to what is now the top-ranked team in the country, Miami. Because of its lackluster schedule, Wake Forest faces an uphill battle in the push for a playoff spot.

That's why the Demon Deacons have to make the most of every opportunity in front of them. It will need to beat quality opponents like Virginia, SMU and Duke. It will have to score convincing wins over Merrimack and Georgia Tech. Even still, the Demon Deacons would have to keep it respectable against the Hurricanes in Charlotte -- if the conference title game is indeed a rematch. But make no mistake, Wake Forest could make this thing interesting. Jake Dickert's squad boasts the third-best scoring offense in the ACC, and the defense is surrendering fewer than 20 points per game.