Group of Five rankings entering Week 6 after UCF lost at home, SMU looks like the best team in Texas and Cincinnati mounts a playoff argument.
This week in the Group of Five, we learned that the Tulsa Golden Hurricane UCF Knights’ number. For the second consecutive season, the Golden Hurricane upset the Knights. The loss puts the Knights at a considerable disadvantage in their bid to reach a New Year’s Six bowl game. The Knights are not the only team who had their New Year’s hope dashed.
The Memphis Tigers lost to the SMU Mustangs. With the AAC eliminating division play this season due to UConn’s exit, no one has the advantage of making up an early loss by winning their division. In the Sun Belt, Louisiana and Coastal Carolina are the only undefeated teams. The BYU Cougars have been one of the more impressive teams in the country. The Cougars have mauled everyone they’ve played this season.
Editor’s Note: BYU and Army are included as part of the Group of Five power rankings even though the Independents aren’t technically Group of Five programs.
Group of Five power rankings entering Week 6
5. Coastal Carolina (3-0, 1-0 Sun Belt)
The Chanticleers are two undefeated programs in the Sun Belt after their 52-23 dismantling of the Arkansas State Red Wolves last weekend in Conway, South Carolina. The squad on the aqua turf has proven themselves one of the better programs in the Group of Five this season.
Transformational quarterback play can change the fortunes of a program quickly. Chanticleers redshirt freshman quarterback Grayson McCall has been outstanding this season. McCall was especially good against Arkansas State, throwing for 322 yards and four touchdowns.
The Chanticleers will need every bit of magic when they travel to Lafayette to take on the Ragin Cajuns in a battle of the last two undefeated teams in the Sun Belt.
4. Louisiana (3-0, 2-0 Sun Belt)
The Ragin’ Cajuns have played survive and advance their first two weeks of conference play after defeated Iowa State in Ames to begin the season. Georgia State took the Cajuns to overtime, and it took a last-second field goal to beat Georgia Southern. The Cajuns survive and advance tactics have kept their record unblemished.
The postponement of their game against Appalachian State set up a showdown against upstart Coastal Carolina. It is strength on strength. The Chanticleers come into this game as one of the potent offenses in the conference against one of the best defenses in the Sun Belt in Louisiana. The winner of this game keeps their New Year’s Six hopes alive.
3. SMU (4-0, 1-0)
After a lackluster opening performance against the Texas State Bobcats, the SMU Mustangs have largely flown under the radar. They’ve gone through their schedule, scoring lots of points and throwing for lots of yards. The Mustangs had the opportunity to prove themselves against Memphis, and they did.
Redshirt senior quarterback Shane Buechele put the Mustangs on his back and led them to a three-point win against Memphis who had not played a game since their September 5th opening game due to COVID. Buechele threw for 474 yards and three touchdowns. The win puts SMU in a prime position in the AAC. A victory against a tough Tulane team sets up a potential first-place match between the Mustangs and Bearcats.
2. Cincinnati (3-0, 1-0)
Two things keep teams in football games, a running game and a dominant defense. The Bearcats have both. The Bearcats running back by committee is working to the tune of nearly 180 rushing yards per game. Cincy has given up just 8.5 points per contest for their last two outings. The Bearcats are not going to wow you with flash.
Cincinnati is a ground and pound team. They are not going to rack up 500 yards of offense every game. What the Bearcats are going to do is grind you down for sixty minutes and force you into a bowling shoe ugly game. This week, the Bearcats get Tulsa a week before a showdown against SMU. Don’t peek ahead, Bearcats; learn from UCF.
1. BYU (3-0)
The Cougars have lived up to their nickname this season. BYU has mauled everyone this season, giving up just eight points per game this season. Zach Wilson threw as many touchdowns as incomplete passes (24-of-36, 2 TD, 3 rushing TD) and threw for 325 yards as BYU romped against Louisiana Tech 45-14. The running game racked up 188 yards against the Bulldogs.
The Cougars’ defense has been equally as dominant. Louisiana Tech had just 74 rushing yards against the BYU defense. The Cougars forced two turnovers and sacked Tech quarterback Luke Anthony three times. BYU is in an odd position, however. Since BYU is independent, they are not eligible for the Group of Five New Year’s Six Bowl bid. However, if the Cougars continue to obliterate opponents as they have so far this season, an at-large bid is not out of the question for BYU. Maybe a playoff berth is in reach too.
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