It's another top 5 showdown in the FanSided G6 power rankings. Boise State has already taken down Memphis when they were ranked No. 2 in the G6 poll. Now the Broncos will face Western Michigan. Western Michigan doesn't have a lot to prove after going toe-to-toe with Michigan, but they do have to show they're a legitimate contender when it comes to playing the top G6 teams. This week fits the bill.
Along with the top 5 showdown, three new teams made an appearance in this week's poll. Here's a look at the new G6 poll after three weeks and what it means for the G6's race for the College Football Playoff.
G6 top 10 poll: Top 5 unchanged as G6 rankings take shape
RANK | TEAM | RECORD | POINTS | PREVIOUS RANKING |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Boise State Broncos | 2-1 | 67 | 1 |
2 | North Dakota State Bison | 3-0 | 59 | 2 |
3 | Western Michigan Broncos | 2-1 | 49 | 3 |
4 | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 3-0 | 43 | 4 |
5 | New Mexico Lobos | 2-1 | 41 | 5 |
6 | USF Bulls | 3-0 | 38 | 8 |
7 | Memphis Tigers | 3-1 | 33 | 6 |
8 | James Madison Dukes | 3-0 | 29 | Not ranked |
9 | Appalachian State Mountaineers | 3-0 | 13 | Not ranked |
10 | Colorado State Rams | 2-1 | 4 | Not ranked |
- Dropped out: UTSA Roadrunners, North Texas Mean Green, San Diego State Aztecs
- Others receiving votes: Oregon State (4), UTSA Roadrunners (3), UMass Minutemen (2)
What changed in Week 3
James Madison debuts in rankings
- Avg. rank this week: 6.9
- Highest rank this week: 3
- Lowest rank this week: 9
There’s a lot of dissension among the voters this week on James Madison, for good reason too. Yes, the Dukes are fresh off their first ever College Football Playoff appearance, but they have an easier schedule than they had last year. At least they had Louisville on their schedule to boost their resume. It’s hard to see them getting in good faith with the CFP selection committee if teams like Western Michigan continue to win.Â
USF Bulls trending upward
- Avg. rank this week: 5.6
- Highest rank this week: 3
- Lowest rank this week: 8
USF is another volatile team in this week’s rankings, though it’s a little less justified in their sense. They’ll have a lot to prove this year with a weaker schedule than last year – a win against Florida was carrying their CFP resume until a late season collapse. Though the Bulls’ non-conference schedule is weaker this year, they’ll have Memphis and Tulane this year, which are good wins to have from the G6 perspective.
Appalachian State finally cracks top 10
- Avg. rank this week: 7.8
- Highest rank this week: 7
- Lowest rank this week: Not ranked
Appalachian State appeared on ballots each of the last two weeks and they’ve finally received enough votes to get into the top 10. Like James Madison and USF, they have a really weak schedule so it will be interesting to see if they can get enough respect at the end of the season to get ranked if they’re still undefeated.Â
Just missed the top 10
Oregon State Beavers
Oregon State was tied with Colorado State with four points, but per the tie-breaker rules (better average points), landed at No. 11 in this week’s poll. Watch out for the Beavers who had a tough start to the season with Texas Tech and Houston. The Beavers have a lot of chances to work through the G6 rankings this year with games against Colorado State and Boise State. They’ll have to win out, but it’s not too much of a stretch for the Beavers to get into CFP contention late.Â
UMass Minutemen
It was only a matter of time before UMass made its way into the eyes of the voters. The Minutemen went 0-12 last season and now they’re 3-0 with a win over Rutgers. It is very realistic they run the gamut this year and go from 0-12 to 12-0. It will take a lot to get into CFP contention with the MAC historically being one of the lower tier conferences, but it’s not outlandish. It would be one of the best stories in college football.
Notable G6 matchups this week
Boise State Broncos at Western Michigan Broncos
The winner of this game just might get ranked in the AP top 25 poll. If not, they’ll certainly be the No. 1 team in the FanSided G6 poll. Boise State already took down Memphis in a clash between the top two teams. Western Michigan nearly beat Michigan and proved they are one of the best G6 teams this season. This game will either validate or prove they still have work to do to be one of the best in G6. This has a lot of implications on the G6 poll and which G6 team will ultimately convince the CFP selection committee they deserve an at-large bid.
Colorado State Rams at UTSA Roadrunners
Colorado State essentially replaced UTSA in this week’s poll. This will essentially be a CFP contender elimination game. Neither team can afford a loss in this game and even if their CFP chances are slim. This should be an exciting game when it comes down to teams that could sneak into the CFP. UTSA has had an up-and-down season while Colorado State has improved and shown they can be a threat in the G6.Â
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