Conference play is fully underway, with numerous marquee match-ups going on each week. This past week contained tons of impactful games, and we will get you caught back up. Below, you will find a full bracket update and a breakdown of all the current contenders for the G6 bid.
1. Texas (5-0): The Longhorns remain at No. 1, with no reason to move them down. This week, they match up with Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry.
2. Georgia (5-0): The Bulldogs stay at No. 2. They await a massive test this weekend when they travel to Alabama.
3. Notre Dame (5-0): The Fighting Irish sit at No. 3 with three middle-tier power conference wins. They await their first test when they travel to Provo Oct. 17.
4. Miami (5-0): The Hurricanes are sitting at No. 4 with a solid win over Wake Forest. They should win their next three games, putting themselves at 8-0 before they head to South Bend to face off with Notre Dame.
5. Ohio State (4-1): The Buckeyes jumped up to the No. 5 spot with a road win over Iowa. They await a massive test Oct. 17 when they head to Bloomington to face off with Indiana.
6. Alabama (5-0): The Crimson Tide currently possess four solid power conference wins, including a huge win over Mississippi State. However, they are still looking for that signature victory. An opportunity for that win comes this weekend, as they host the Georgia Bulldogs.
7. Indiana (5-0): The Hoosiers face a serious test this weekend, as they travel to Nebraska. The weekend after that, they host Ohio State. This upcoming stretch will say a lot about IU.
8. Texas Tech (5-0): 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.
9. BYU (4-0): The Cougars have decent wins over Arizona and TCU. This Friday, they host Iowa State. However, they await their first major test Oct. 17 when they host Notre Dame.
10. Ole Miss (3-1): The Rebels struggled against Florida in their last game, 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).
11. LSU (4-1): The Tigers have a solid resume so far, with big wins over Clemson and Texas A&M. Despite their loss to Ole Miss, they are currently in the field. Looking ahead, they have multiple big opportunities to pick up marquee victories.
12. Boise State (4-1): The Broncos are still the favorite for the G6 spot. Read more about their outlook below.
Other Considered Teams: Utah, Oregon, Missouri, Tennessee, Florida
G6 Contenders
Boise State (Pac-12)
The Broncos are the current favorite for the G6 bid. They are now 4-1 on the year, with a close loss to Oregon, and wins over Memphis, South Dakota, Western Michigan and Utah State. The Broncos remain in the AP Poll this week, finding themselves ranked at 23. Now, their focus shifts to Pac-12 play. Their toughest remaining match-ups are against Fresno State , Oregon State and Colorado State. This Saturday, Boise heads to Fresno State for a 10:30 p.m. kick-off. Boise just has to keep winning to hold their position.
North Dakota State (Mountain West)
The Bison are 5-0 through five weeks, with wins over Jacksonville State, Fordham, Air Force, Sacramento State and Wyoming. In the MW, there are plenty of opportunities. Their toughest games are road tests against UNLV, New Mexico and SJSU. NDSU plays just about every top team in the Mountain West, on the road. They face-off with UNLV this Saturday at 7:00 p.m. There are plenty of opportunities to pick up marquee wins for the first-year FBS program.
James Madison (Sun Belt)
The Dukes are 5-0 to start this season, beating Liberty 20-13, Wagner 87-3, San Diego State 26-13, Old Dominion 46-20 and Marshall 45-17. 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. This weekend, they head to Georgia Southern. 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.
New Mexico (Mountain West)
The Lobos are 4-1 through five weeks, with a close loss to Oklahoma, and dominant wins over: Central Michigan, Mercyhurst, New Mexico State, and UTEP. Looking ahead, the Lobos’ main competition in the Mountain West consists of NDSU, UNLV, Air Force and San Jose State. New Mexico plays each of these teams at some point this year, starting with NDSU Oct. 24. If they can take down NDSU, they are in a great spot.
Memphis (American)
The Tigers also sit at 4-1 through five games, with a loss to Boise State. Their wins are against UNLV, Arkansas State, UT Martin and Charlotte. At the moment, it’s a bit of a long-shot for the Tigers, but the race for the AAC is wide open. The biggest games on their schedule are South Florida, Tulane, Army and Navy. The first opponent out of the group is Tulane Oct. 16.
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