Welcome to the regular season finale of the G5 Top 25. We now know who will be playing for the conference championships. (Though the Mountain West required a series of algorithms because nothing can be easy in the Group of 5.) But we are here. We know who will be bowling – shout out to JMU and Jacksonville St. – the where will be determined throughout the week.
1. Tulane (11-1) – There are two ways to look at Friday’s 29-16 win over UTSA. On one hand, the Green Wave did what they always do. They caused five Roadrunner turnovers and punished them with 227 rushing yards. On the other hand….well….I’ll get to that when I talk about UTSA. As it is, the Green Wave gets a chance for their second consecutive AAC title – and likely NY6 Bowl – when SMU comes to town Saturday.
2. Liberty (12-0) – Give the Flames credit, they did everything they could have to this point to justify consideration for a NY6. And being 25th in the official playoff rankings suggests they are at least warranting consideration. But there is one more step. They need to beat a white-hot New Mexico State (probably comfortably) and hope Tulane and maybe Toledo underwhelm in their conference title games.
3. Toledo (11-1) – If not for a last-second field goal by Illinois in Week One, this team may be the favorite for a NY6 Bowl bid. As it is, they sit at 11-1 and with a second win over Miami OH this weekend, may still be in the running.
4. SMU (10-2) – This offense is scary when it is humming, as it has been for the most part this season. But what is also scary is the prospect of facing Tulane without the lynchpin of that offense. Quarterback Preston Stone got injured Saturday in their 59-14 rout of Navy. It remains to be seen who will be the Mustang quarterback Saturday in New Orleans, but who it is will likely go a long way in determining how much of a chance this team has to win the conference title.
5. James Madison (11-1) – Ok, so they didn’t go undefeated and won’t have a chance to play for a conference championship, but the college football gods have a way of sorting everything out. After destroying Coastal Carolina 56-14 in Conway, the Dukes learned that they would make a bowl bid thanks to the overabundance of postseason games. It will be very interesting to see where they land.
6. Troy (10-2) – In a division filled with mediocrity and unpredictability, the cream rose to the top rather quickly. The Trojans have won 9 in a row and have a chance at back-to-back conference titles (and perhaps a bit of revenge after last year’s loss via Hail Mary) this Saturday when they host Appalachian St.
7. Memphis (9-3) – Good, but not quite good enough. That’s the theme for the Memphis Tigers this year. They beat everyone on their schedule they should have, but couldn’t get over the hump against the toughest tests (Missouri, Tulane, SMU).
8. UNLV (9-3) – I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt a bit and say that Saturday’s 37-31 loss to San Jose St. was a case of a hot team just wanting it a bit more than the Rebels. Luckily, the odds were in UNLV’s favor, as they made it to the MW Championship game, where they will host Boise St. I still think this is the best team in the conference, but the confidence with which I say that is waning.
9. New Mexico St. (10-3) – You would understand if the Aggies lost Saturday.
They had already clinched a spot in the conference title game and were coming off a win AT Auburn, something Alabama barely did. Jacksonville St. thought that was their bowl game (it’s not but we will get to that). But when a freight train gets going, it’s hard to stop it. And that’s kinda what NMSU is right now. This is a 10-win team that is a very real threat to Liberty this weekend in what should be a very entertaining game.
10. Miami OH (10-2) – It’s not always pretty, but 10-2 is 10-2. And that’s where the RedHawks sit after a 17-15 win at Ball St. They now get a second swing at the Goliath that is Toledo. The last game was a 21-17 battle, so it’s certainly not impossible for the team from Oxford to become MAC Champions.
11. UTSA (8-4) – So that “other hand” I referenced earlier? UTSA doesn’t always play well in the games that they need to win to get to the next level.
Last year’s bowl game against Troy was an opportunity against a very good team to make a statement in the G5. And they lost. This year they had opportunities against Power 5 foes Houston and Tennessee to show out. And while Frank Harris didn’t play in Rocky Top, it likely wouldn’t have mattered. And then Friday, in a chance to play for an AAC title, they came out tight and turned the ball over five times. Look, I like this program a lot, but with Harris (and possibly Jeff Traylor) gone, they are about to look a lot different. And I don’t know if they have just built a strong foundation or a wrecking ball is coming.
12. Jacksonville St. (8-4) – Also reaping the benefits of a lack of mediocrity, Jacksonville St. will go bowling. They are probably going to end up in Birmingham or Boise, but it’s more the principle of the thing. This is a good team that deserves something that, quite frankly, a Minnesota doesn’t.
13. Ohio (9-3) – A season that started with a Week Zero loss at San Diego St. can end with a tenth win if they defeated the TBD bowl opponent. That’s a level of success that comparable to their big brother school in Columbus.
14. Boise St. (7-5) – We are a week away from finding out if Boise St. is the best team in the MW, but Ashton Jeanty is the best player, full stop. Winning their last 3 games gives the Broncos a chance to go to Vegas and take on UNLV in a battle of the Boise St. rushing attack vs. the stout run defense of UNLV.
15. San Jose St. (7-5) – The proverbial “odd team out” won 6 in a row to turn their fortunes around after a 1-5 start. A bit of a bummer if you are a Spartan fan but they should make for a fun watch in whatever bowl they get. (And if Dick Vermeil is reading this, hi.)
16. Wyoming (8-4) – We are probably splitting hairs a bit in ranking teams in this conference, but I like how the Cowboys finished strong by winning 3 of their last 4 games. Good season (Cow)boys.
17. Appalachian St. (8-4) – Winners of 5 in a row, the Mountaineers will be playing for a conference championship at Troy Saturday. A pretty successful season for a team that might have been playing for their coach’s job. (Especially after a midseason loss at Old Dominion that doesn’t look so bad in hindsight.)
18. Bowling Green (7-5) – Winners of 5 of their last 6 with only a one-point loss to Toledo as their blemish, the Falcons are playing very well. They will be a tough out in their bowl game.
19. Air Force (8-4) – I don’t really want to rank Air Force or Fresno St. after the Novembers those two teams went through, but this is a 3-month season so here we are.
20. Fresno St. (8-4) – Losing 3 in a row to close out the season – including two to the bottom of the conference – is not a great way to close things out. They simply ran out of gas.
21. Coastal Carolina (7-5) – Losing the last two games of the season to Army and James Madison kinda ends the Chanticleers season on a down note. And it would be nice for Grayson McCall to get a proper sendoff. But they are going to a bowl in Tim Beck’s first season. Let’s see what Year Two looks like.
22. Texas St. (7-5) – With wins over Baylor and South Alabama on their resume, but also a one-point win over UL Monroe and giving up 77 points to Arkansas St., it’s safe to say this team struggled with consistency throughout the year. But a 7-5 record is a success given where the Bobcats have been in recent years. I don’t know where this team will end up when bowls are announced, but they are must-see.
23. South Florida (6-6) – Congrats to the Bulls for qualifying for a bowl after their 48-14 win over Charlotte. Behind quarterback Byrum Brown, this team is looking like what people envisioned when Alex Golesh came from Tennessee. I like what they have going on here.
24. Rice (6-6) – The qualified for a bowl on the merit of their ability on the field and didn’t have to rely on their big brains to earn a bowl bid. I don’t know if it is sustainable, as it is harder to recruit due to location and educational limitations. But back-to-back bowl bids is definitely a thing they can use as a selling point.
25. Old Dominion (6-6) – Big ol shout out to the boys from Norfolk, who became bowl eligible thanks to a miraculous 25-24 comeback win over Georgia St. Saturday. Expectations were low for the Monarchs. In a Sun Belt East that was considered WIDE OPEN, this was the one school that most people dismissed. And while they weren’t really a threat to win the conference per se, this is still a successful season.
So there is this week’s Top 25. Who is overrated? Underrated? Let us know on any of the @walkonredshirts socials. Also, we have partnered with Underdog Fantasy to help give you our Underdog picks for each weekend! Sign up today with Promo Code WALKON and get your first deposit doubled up to $100! Sign up HERE.
