Group of 5 Conference Power Rankings, Week 3: San Diego State on the rise
Houston Cougars 1-0 (0-0)
Last week: Def. Arizona 19-16
Last rank: 6th
One of several teams impacted by hurricanes during the first two weeks of the season, Hurricane Harvey forced Houston to cancel its scheduled season opener against UTSA. The Cougars finally kicked off the season on the road against Arizona, and though the offense showed considerable rust – particularly with two Kyle Allen interceptions in the first game for the former Texas A&M signal caller in two seasons – the defense carried the way in a 19-16 victory.
Led by All-American candidate Ed Oliver, who accounted for an astounding 11 tackles along the defensive line and added 1.5 tackles for loss, the Cougars limited Arizona to just 152 rushing yards on 30 carries – an average of 3.9 yards per attempt. The performance was no small feat given the Wildcats ranked up 506 rushing yards and averaged 10.8 yards per carry against Northern Arizona the previous game.
San Diego State Aztecs 2-0 (0-0)
Last week: Def. Arizona State 30-20
Last rank: 5th
It’s difficult to imagine any G5 team breaking into the College Football Playoff after two weeks worth of largely lackluster performances and missed opportunities, but count San Diego State among those with at least a sliver of hope. The Aztecs were less than dominant in a 38-17 season opening win over UC Davis, but picked up a solid 30-20 win over Arizona State a week ago.
Running back Rashaad Penny scored three ways – a 95-yard touchdown run, a 99-yard kickoff return and a 33-yard reception – while amassing 353 all-purpose yards in the victory. Penny gained 216 rushing yards on just 18 carries, making him the nation’s leader with an average of 206.5 yards on the ground through two games.
A win over Stanford this week would likely almost assuredly make San Diego State the No. 1 team in next week’s G5 power rankings.