Just about every team is now into conference play, providing plenty of opportunities to see some of the best Group of 5 teams start playing each other and get more clarity in these rankings. In the meantime, Cincinnati not only secured its lead on the Group of 5 but paved its own path to a great case for entry into the College Football Playoff if it can finish the season undefeated when the Bearcats took down Notre Dame this weekend. Here’s how the top of the Group of 5 conferences look after last week‘s action:
#1. Cincinnati Bearcats (Last week: 1)
Cincinnati, as mentioned in the opening, went into Notre Dame and came away with a huge 24-13 victory Saturday to move into the top 5 of just about every major ranking. If the Bearcats can run the table in the AAC, it would set up an opportunity for the Group of 5 to get an entrant into the College Football Playoff for the first time. Desmond Ridder went 19-32 for 297 yards and two touchdowns in the win, while the Cincy defense shined once again. The Fighting Irish managed less than 100 rushing yards and completed just 50% of their passes while throwing two interceptions in the game. Cincy also forced a fumble to finish with three takeaways while Notre Dame scored just twice. Cincinnati hosts Temple Friday at 7 p.m. to begin AAC play.
#2. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (2)
Coastal once again dominated an inferior opponent, opening Sun Belt play with a 59-6 win over UL-Monroe. Grayson McCall was 13-13 for 212 yards and two scores and then sat for the entire second half as the Chants felt safe with a 38-3 halftime lead. Coastal ran for 275 yards against the Warhawks as they cruised to victory. The defense got in on the fun as well with an interception by Lance Boykin, a blocked punt returned for a touchdown, and three sacks in the game. Coastal is once again a huge favorite as the Chanticleers head to Arkansas State Thursday. The road should get a bit tougher after that trip with a game in Boone, North Carolina against Appalachian State in two weeks.
#3. BYU Cougars (3)
The Cougars went to Utah State and earned a 34-20 victory on a Friday night that didn’t feel as close as the final score. Part of the reason it didn’t feel close was the domination of Tyler Allgeier, who ran for 218 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries. That performance helped BYU outgain Utah State 466-345 in total yards, while the Cougars also won the turnover battle 2-0. A missed field goal for BYU and 11 third down conversions for the Aggies, along with two successful fourth down attempts, helped keep Utah State in the game. BYU had two Mountain West teams on its schedule this year, and put them back-to-back as the Cougars host Boise State this week after last week’s success against Utah State. Saturday’s kickoff will be at 3:30 p.m.
#4. SMU Mustangs (5)
SMU stayed undefeated on the year with a routine win over South Florida Saturday. The Mustangs came in as heavy favorites and played like it, winning by 24 points behind 301 passing yards and four touchdowns from Tanner Mordecai. SMU beat USF in just about every aspect of the game, with more passing yards, more rushing yards, a better third down conversion rate, longer punts, and fewer penalties. The win got SMU a 1-0 start to AAC play before the Mustangs travel to Navy Saturday at 3:30. The Midshipmen are coming off of a surprising win over UCF and have an option attack known for giving even the best opponents fits defensively.
#5. San Diego State Aztecs (6)
San Diego State sat idle and let a Fresno State loss move them into the top 5 of our rankings. The Aztecs also earned a top-25 spot in the AP Poll behind the strength of its 4-0 record that includes a pair of wins over Pac-12 foes. SDSU’s success has been largely about Greg Bell and the rushing attack, as Bell has 409 yards on the ground and four touchdowns through four games. As a team, the Aztecs average just over 250 yards per game on the ground. A defense that has forced seven turnovers and made 35 tackles for loss, including 11 in a week 2 win over Arizona, doesn’t hurt either. SDSU kicks off Mountain West play this week hosting New Mexico Saturday at 9 p.m.
#6. UTSA Roadrunners (7)
#7. Western Michigan Broncos (8)
#8. Nevada Wolfpack (12)
#9. Liberty Flames (10)
#10. Fresno State Bulldogs (4)
#11. Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (13)
#12. Appalachian State Mountaineers (14)
#13. Houston Cougars (On the Bubble)
#14. Utah State Aggies (11)
#15. Wyoming Cowboys (OTB)
Dropped Out
UCF (9), Memphis (15)
On the Bubble
UCF, Air Force, ECU, Toledo
Murphy's Field 
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