Week 5 of the college football season is here! Teams are flowing in-and-out of the playoff field, and the Group of 6 competition is heating up. There were multiple massive games this past week across the country, and the field has changed. Check out the bracket, plus our full breakdown of G6 contenders below!
1. Texas (4-0): The Longhorns remain at the No. 1 overall spot, thanks to their win over Ohio State.
2. Georgia (4-0): The Bulldogs dominated Oklahoma this past Saturday to stay at No. 2. They await their first real test Oct. 10 when they travel to Alabama.
3. Notre Dame (4-0): The Fighting Irish sit at No. 3 with three middle to low-tier power conference wins. They play two weak ACC opponents in UNC and Stanford before traveling to Provo for an important game with BYU.
4. Miami (4-0): The Hurricanes are sitting at No. 4 with a solid win over Wake Forest. They should win their next four games, putting themselves at 8-0 before they head to South Bend to face off with Notre Dame.
5. Indiana (4-0): The Hoosiers are at No. 5 with a close road win over Northwestern. They await the Ohio State Buckeyes on Oct. 17, when they come to Bloomington for arguably the most important game of Big Ten play.
6. Ohio State (3-1): The Buckeyes are lacking a signature win. However, they are a fourth quarter collapse away from being ranked No. 1 right now. If they are able to take down No. 14 Iowa this weekend, they will jump ahead of Indiana.
7. Alabama (4-0): The Crimson Tide currently possess three solid power conference wins, but are still looking for a signature victory. They have a big opportunity on Saturday when they host No. 16 Mississippi State.
8. Florida (4-0): The Gators are the surprise of the season so far, picking up a dominant win over Ole Miss last weekend. This propelled them into the field. They must handle business on the road against No. 25 Missouri this weekend to hold their position.
9. Texas Tech (4-0): The Red Raiders have a solid win over the Houston Cougars, which currently gives them the edge over their Big 12 counterpart, BYU. Texas Tech’s schedule is relatively easy and if they handle business; they will go 12-0.
10. BYU (4-0): The Cougars best win was at home against Arizona, meaning they still need a big win to improve their resume. On Oct. 17, they have a perfect opportunity. Notre Dame comes to Provo for one of the biggest home games BYU has ever had.
11. Ole Miss (3-1): The Rebels struggled against Florida this past weekend, but their strong resume is keeping them in the field. They have wins over Louisville and LSU through four games. Looking ahead, they have massive opportunities against Texas (Oct. 24) and Georgia (Nov. 7).
12. Boise State (3-1): The Broncos are still the favorite for the G6 spot, especially after their dominant win against Western Michigan on Saturday. Read more about them below!
Other Considered Teams: LSU, Utah, Iowa, Oregon, Mississippi State
G6 Contenders
Boise State (Pac-12)
The Broncos are the current favorite for the G6 bid. They are now 3-1 on the year, with a close loss to Oregon, and wins over Memphis, South Dakota and now Western Michigan. On Saturday, Boise State came into Kalamazoo and dominated Western Michigan 32-7. WMU was on our contenders list, until Boise kicked them off. The Broncos jumped into the AP Poll this week, finding themselves ranked at 22. Now, their focus shifts to Pac-12 play. Their toughest match-ups are against Fresno State, Oregon State and Colorado State. Boise just has to keep winning to hold their position.
North Dakota State (Mountain West)
The Bison are 4-0 through four weeks, with wins over Jacksonville State, Fordham, Air Force and Sacramento State. The Bison were on bye this past week. Now, it’s all Mountain West play. In the MW, there are plenty of opportunities. Their toughest games are road tests against UNLV, New Mexico, Hawai’i and SJSU. NDSU plays just about every top team in the Mountain West, on the road. These are tough games but they are also massive opportunities for a team looking to make the College Football Playoff in their first year as an FBS team.
James Madison (Sun Belt)
The Dukes are 4-0 to start this season, beating Liberty 20-13, Wagner 87-3, San Diego State 26-13, and Old Dominion 46-20. In the Sun Belt, there are plenty of contenders for the title. The main ones are JMU, App State, Troy, Louisiana and Georgia State. The Dukes play nearly all of these teams. However, this week they host Marshall. When it comes to contenders, they travel to App State, and host Troy later on. There are plenty of opportunities for JMU in a loaded Sun Belt.
South Florida (American)
The Bulls are 4-0 to start the season, with wins over FIU, Army, Delaware State and Bowling Green. This Saturday, the Bulls host Temple to begin AAC play. Their toughest AAC games are UTSA on the road, and a three game stretch to close out the regular season where they host Memphis, travel to FAU and host Tulane. The Bulls should be undefeated heading into that final stretch if they want a shot at the playoffs.
Tulsa (American)
The Golden Hurricane remained in the race as a long-shot after their 34-6 loss to Arkansas. Their upset win against Oklahoma State is keeping them in the mix. They will have to win out if they want a shot at sneaking into the playoffs. That trek starts on Thursday night when they host North Texas.
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