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UCF’s College Football Playoff hopes still have a pulse

By Daniel Stave

TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 03: UCF's Head Coach Josh Heupel and his Knights take the field before the College Football game between the UCF Knights and the South Florida Bulls on November 23, 2018 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 03: UCF's Head Coach Josh Heupel and his Knights take the field before the College Football game between the UCF Knights and the South Florida Bulls on November 23, 2018 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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LINCOLN, NE – SEPTEMBER 15: Offensive lineman Jake Andrews #55 of the Troy Trojans and running back B.J. Smith #26 and offensive lineman Kirk Kelley #78 celebrate a touchdown in the second half at Memorial Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE – SEPTEMBER 15: Offensive lineman Jake Andrews #55 of the Troy Trojans and running back B.J. Smith #26 and offensive lineman Kirk Kelley #78 celebrate a touchdown in the second half at Memorial Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

UCF tops our Group of 5 power rankings but losing McKenzie Milton to injury could cost the Knights a New Year’s Six bowl berth.

Four teams in the Group of 5’s top 10 faced off in Week 13, while the rest ended their regular seasons with decisive wins against over-matched opponents. Three months and hundreds of games later, the top of the Group of 5 power rankings looks a lot like it did at the beginning of the season.

Central Florida made it through another regular season undefeated (although they suffered a different kind of loss last weekend).

Boise State held down the two spot for several weeks at the beginning of the season– even taking over the top spot for one week — and is back in the top three after closing the regular season with a seven-game winning streak.

Appalachian State moved up to second a few weeks after Boise State fell, and stayed there until a pair of late-season losses. They re-take the second spot after winning their 4th game in a row.

Group of 5 Power Rankings entering Championship Weekend

10. Troy Trojans (Sun Belt Conference) 9-3

The Trojans suffered their first conference loss in the regular season finale against Appalachian State, 21-10. The Mountaineer defense stymied Troy, holding them to 232 yards and causing four turnovers. The win means Appalachian State will host the Sun Belt Conference championship game instead of Troy.

The loss wraps up an interesting season for Troy. Their season was bookended by losses to two of the Group of 5’s top teams, as they opened the season with a blowout loss to Boise State and ended it with last week’s loss to Appalachian State.

In between, the team won nine of 10, including a road upset of Nebraska. The only loss in that run was a disappointing 22-16 loss to 5-6 Liberty. The end result is a third-straight bowl appearance and a chance for a third-straight 10-win season.

Up next: Bowl Game TBD.

9. Army Knights (Independent) 9-2

Army has two weeks off before they play the last regular season game of the college football season, the annual Army-Navy game. This year’s game will be played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia for the second consecutive year.

Army has won the last two meetings after Navy won 14 straight matchups from 2002-2015. Army seems to have the edge again, as Navy has struggled to a 3-9 record in 2018.

Up Next: December 8 vs. Navy.

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