What a week of college football. Six Group of 5 teams beat Power 5 teams, even with UCF and Boise State both losing as favorites. Two of those wins were against top 25 teams, with Fresno State showing they belong and BYU making a bid to be the Pac-12 champion holding a 3-0 record against the conference with two more games the rest of the season against Pac-12 opponents. Cincinnati survived a difficult test at Indiana, while UCF’s loss to Louisville was particularly stinging as it was the Knights’ only chance to face off with a Power 5 team this season. How did all of this change up our rankings from last week? Well, something like this:
#1. Cincinnati Bearcats (Last week: 1)
Cincinnati played the first of two consecutive games in the state of Indiana against preseason top-20 teams Saturday, struggling in the first half against the Hoosiers before a 15-0 effort in the fourth quarter sealed a 38-24 win. Desmond Ridder went as his team did, having a difficult start to the game including an interception that led to Indiana’s first score of the game before recovering to finish 20-36 for 210 yards and a touchdown. Ridder added 45 yards and a score on the ground, while Jerome Ford found the end zone twice on the ground as well. The Bearcat defense forced four IU turnovers including three interceptions of Michael Penix Jr., who they held under 50% passing Saturday afternoon as well. Cincinnati gets a bye week this week and a chance to see its next opponent, Notre Dame, face a difficult challenge against Wisconsin in the meantime. The Bearcats head to South Bend Oct. 2 for a 2:30 pm EDT game against the Fighting Irish.
#2. BYU Cougars (4)
Back-to-back wins over ranked Pac-12 foes have the Cougars back in the limelight after a phenomenal 11-1 season a year ago. It was an up-and-down game for Jaren Hall, who finished 15-27 with 214 yards and two touchdowns while also throwing two interceptions. He was bailed out on one of the picks, an awful throw straight to the hands of ASU’s Merlin Robertson, when Tyler Allgeier ran him down on the sideline and punched the ball out of his hands. To Hall’s credit, he was also chasing Robertson and came up with the ball after the fumble to regain possession. The BYU defense forced three turnovers in addition to the double-turnover play as the Cougars technically had four takeaways. That allowed BYU to hold the Sun Devils to just 17 points in the 27-17 win. BYU should get a chance to breathe easy next week hosting USF, who has yet to play a game within 20 points of an FBS foe. Kickoff for the game is set for 10:15 pm EDT Saturday.
#3. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (2)
Coastal Carolina struggled to stop the Buffalo running game, as the Bulls piled up 262 yards and three touchdowns on the ground Saturday. The Chanticleers were able to respond to the pressure of its first road test of the year and earn a 28-25 win. Grayson McCall was 13-19 for 232 yards and three touchdowns on the afternoon, though his interception was the only turnover in the game. Shermari Jones played a huge role in getting Coastal to the win as he picked up 149 yards on just 16 carries with a touchdown. Silas Kelly was big for the Chants defensively, recording 10 tackles, nine of them solo, with one for loss and a pass breakup. Coastal returns home for what should be another light, easy contest against UMass Saturday at 1 pm EDT.
#4. Fresno State Bulldogs (NR)
I will admit when I am wrong and I will certainly have to admit that I had overlooked Fresno State last week. I did not give the Bulldogs much consideration with wins over UConn and Cal-Poly, even though those wins came by a combined 98 points. Fresno had also played a one-score game with Oregon before taking down UCLA in the Rose Bowl this week. Fresno was able to overcome a four-point deficit with less than a minute on the clock and a limping quarterback to pull off the 40-37 win. Jake Haener threw for 455 yards on 39-53 passing with two touchdowns and an interception. Haener was clearly already hurting when he went to the ground untouched, clutching at his left hip, after delivering a 19-yard touchdown pass to give Fresno a 33-30 lead with 2:55 to play. But when Dorian Thompson-Robinson led the Bruins down the field for another score, the Bulldogs needed one last miracle drive out of Haener, which he delivered in completing five consecutive passes after an incompletion to open the drive for 75 yards and the game-winning touchdown. Ronnie Rivers added 126 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in the win. Fresno State returns home for a matchup with 0-3 UNLV Friday at 10 pm EDT to open Mountain West play. The Rebels’ 0-3 start includes a loss to FCS Eastern Washington.
#5. Liberty Flames (5)
Malik Willis continued to be everything for the Liberty offense, throwing for 242 yards and four touchdowns, running for 77 yards and two more scores, and not turning the ball over in the Flames’ 45-17 rout of Old Dominion. The Monarchs stood little chance, as Liberty’s defense made nine tackles for loss and five sacks, including three by Kendy Charles, in the win. CJ Daniels and Kevin Shaa both had two touchdown catches for the Flames as they moved to 3-0 on the season. Next week, Liberty heads to Syracuse for its first of two matchups against Power 5 schools this season. The Orange thus far have easily dispatched Ohio and Albany around a disappointing 17-7 loss to former Big East rival Rutgers. Friday night’s contest is set for 8 pm EDT.
#6. San Diego State Aztecs (8)
#7. Utah State Aggies (9)
#8. UTSA Roadrunners (7)
#9. UCF Knights (3)
#10. SMU Mustangs (10)
#11. Memphis Tigers (On the Bubble)
#12. Western Michigan Broncos (NR)
#13. Nevada Wolfpack (6)
#14. Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (13)
#15. Appalachian State Mountaineers (15)
Dropped Out
Toledo (11), Charlotte (12), Marshall (14)
On the Bubble
Army, Houston, Marshall, UAB, Kent State
Murphy's Field 