It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to unveil this week’s Group of Five Power Poll.
As always, remember that these rankings are fluid, and will change from week-to-week depending on what transpires on the gridiron.
Here’s the latest edition of the poll:
* Please note that BYU is not included in these rankings since the Cougars cannot capture this bid!
—
1. Houston (3-0) — Make no mistake about it: the Cougars are the top “mid major” in the land. Sure, some of the other top contenders have more wins against Power 5 opponents, but UH’s win over Louisville will look a lot better as the year progresses. Regardless, Houston has excelled on both sides of the ball during the first month of the season, ranking seventh nationally in total offense, fifth in rushing defense, and third in turnover margin. It’ll be interesting to see how the Cougar D fares against Tulsa, which ranks fourth in the country total offense, averaging 604 yards per game. A decisive win in that contest would separate Houston from the rest of the pack.
2. Toledo (3-0) — Last week, I wrote that the Rockets have the best resume of any “mid-major” team. I still feel that way after watching UT in action against Arkansas State. Toledo’s defense was absolutely awesome on Saturday, recording six sacks, forcing five turnovers, and limiting the Red Wolves to just 208 yards of total offense. Given that no one’s been able put the ball in the end zone against the Rockets – opponents have scored just one touchdown in 11 trips inside the red zone – don’t be surprised if they end up in a New Year’s Day bowl game.
3. Boise State (3-1) — The Broncos move up to No. 3 after thrashing Virginia 56-14. While it might seem unfair to place Boise in front of a few undefeated teams, the fact of the matter is that the Broncos earned it. After all, BSU has two victories against Power 5 opponents (Washington and Virginia), and was literally a knockdown away from a victory over BYU. With a stingy defense that’s allowing just 4.16 yards per play and offense that looks much more explosive with Brett Rypien at the controls, the Broncos are a very dangerous team, and could easily vault to the top of this list if they were to win out.
4. Temple (4-0) — For the second straight week, the Owls moved down one spot, landing at No. 4 in the latest poll. However, it’s worth noting that these drops weren’t the result of anything Temple did — they happened because the team that passed it turned in an impressive performance. Temple still has a very solid body of work, thrashing Penn State and beating Cincinnati with a healthy Gunner Kiel. Unfortunately, the Owls’ schedule gets considerably weaker over the next few weeks with games against Charlotte, Tulane, and UCF, which increases the odds that another team could pass them during that time if it were to post an impressive victory.
5. Memphis (4-0) — The Tigers turned in another monster offensive performance last week, rolling up 570 yards in a 53-46 victory over Cincinnati. Although this victory prompted me to consider putting Memphis at four, I changed my mind after noticing that it allowed over 7.5 yards per play in each of the last two games. However, after finding a way to pull out a “W” in both of those contests, the Tigers certainly deserve a spot in this poll. With games coming up with Ole Miss – which is number one in the Student Section Top 25 – and Tulsa, the Tigers will have plenty of opportunities to move up in this poll.
6. Navy (3-0) — The Midshipmen move up to No. 6 after a hard-fought victory over UConn. Keenan Reynolds and the Navy option attack have been virtually unstoppable this year, recording over 300 yards in every game and running for an average of 5.95 yards per carry. Their defense has also been impressive, ranking 21st nationally in scoring and 17th in total defense. However, despite these solid numbers, I’ve got the Middies towards the bottom of this list because of their schedule. While beating East Carolina and UConn is not an easy task, these wins still pale in comparison with the resumes of the teams at the top of the list, which have all beaten at least one Power 5 conference opponent.
7. Bowling Green (2-2) — This was not an easy call to make, as there were many deserving teams for the final spot. With that said, the Falcons get the nod because of their victory over Purdue, which was their second win over a Big Ten opponent this season (prompting some BG fans to ask, “What’s the B1G deal?“). None of the other teams listed below can match that.
Others receiving consideration: Air Force, Ohio, Western Kentucky, Georgia Southern, Tulsa, UConn, Colorado State, Utah State, Arkansas State
