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Group of 5 Power Rankings, Week 3: Boise State, UCF vie for top honors

By Daniel Stave

LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 16: Boise State safety Jordan Happle (32) reacts to an interception against Oregon during the first half of the Las Vegas Bowl Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017, in Las Vegas. The Boise State Broncos would defeat the Oregon Ducks 38-28. (Photo by: Marc Sanchez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 16: Boise State safety Jordan Happle (32) reacts to an interception against Oregon during the first half of the Las Vegas Bowl Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017, in Las Vegas. The Boise State Broncos would defeat the Oregon Ducks 38-28. (Photo by: Marc Sanchez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 14: Head coach Charlie Strong of the South Florida Bulls gives directions to his team during warmups prior to their game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Raymond James Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Joseph Garnett Jr. /Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 14: Head coach Charlie Strong of the South Florida Bulls gives directions to his team during warmups prior to their game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Raymond James Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Joseph Garnett Jr. /Getty Images) /

4. South Florida Bulls (AAC) 2 – 0

One of Week 2’s most entertaining games featured USF outlasting Georgia Tech in a 49-38 scoring duel. The win gives the Bulls a 2-0 start after Week 1’s 34-14 defeat of Elon.

Freshman kick returner Terrence Horne returned two kicks for touchdowns in the first quarter alone. Blake Barnett–who lost the quarterback battle at Alabama to Jalen Hurts in 2016–guided the Bulls’ offense. Barnett threw for 202 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He scored twice on the ground as well to go along with 91 rushing yards.

Charlie Strong has South Florida in the middle of a competitive American Athletic Conference in his second year.

Up next: Saturday versus Illinois.

3. Houston Cougars (AAC) 2 – 0

Another challenger in the American is the Houston Cougars. College football fans knew about star defensive lineman Ed Oliver, but the emergence of D’Eriq King as a quarterback makes Houston another College Football Playoff sleeper.

Houston moved up to third in the Group of 5 rankings after Week 2 by dominating Arizona last weekend. The Cougars had a 38-0 lead in the third quarter before the Wildcats got a few garbage-time scores to make it a 45-18 final.

King threw for 246 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 31 yards and two more scores in the dominant effort.

The Oliver-led defense held Heisman candidate quarterback Khalil Tate to only eight yards rushing.

Up next: Saturday at Texas Tech

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