Of the Group of 5 conference teams featured this week, five are already bowl eligible. Three more teams will become bowl eligible with a win this week. Below are the breakdowns for week 11.
Tulane (6-2, 3-1) @ Memphis (8-1, 4-1) 9:00 p.m. ET, Nov. 7, Memphis, TN on ESPN
The Green Wave and Tigers are two of the best Group of 5 teams this season. This is the premier game in the Group of 5 this week. Tulane also has the distinction of being the team with one of the most coveted coaches in this hiring cycle, Jon Sumrall.
QB Jake Retzlaff leads the Tulane offense, having a combined 2,135 yards with 16 TDs. Freshman RB Javin Gordon is second on the team with 329 rushing yards and 3 TDs. Tulane averages 408.3 yards and 25.9 points per game.
Tulane’s defense has struggled this season, giving up 402.0 yards and 25.5 points per game. DBs Javion White and Jahiem Johnson have combined for 5 INTs.
The Memphis offense is one of the best in the FBS, averaging 429.8 yards and 37.7 points per game. QB Brendon Lewis has completed 69.1 percent of his passes for 1,869 yards with 10 TDs and 4 INTs. Lewis also leads the Tigers in rushing with 562 yards and 8 TDs. WR Cortez Braham, Jr. has 39 catches for 632 yards and 7 TDs.
Memphis’ defense is tied for seventh in the FBS with 12 INTs. LB Sam Brumfield has 66 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 1 INT. 10 different Tigers have at least one INT.
Louisiana Tech (5-3, 3-2) @ Delaware (4-4, 2-3) 3:00 p.m. ET, Nov. 8, Newark, DE on ESPN+
In its final year as a member of Conference USA, Louisiana Tech has had an up-and-down season. The Bulldogs have struggled on the road, going 1-2.
The Bulldogs are averaging 176.6 rushing yards per game. RB Clay Thevenin leads with 439 yards and 6 TDs. Thevenin has also chipped in 16 catches for 109 yards in the passing game.
On defense, Louisiana Tech gives up 371.8 yards and 18.12 points per game. The Bulldogs are 19th in the FBS in defensive points per game and tied for fifth with 13 INTs. DB Jacob Fields leads the team with 56 tackles and has 1 INT that he returned 86 yards for a TD.
Delaware is the opposite of Louisiana Tech in that this is the Blue Hens’ first season in Conference USA. QB Nick Minicucci leads the offense with 2,421 passing yards, 15 TDs and 4 INTs. Minicucci’s yards are ninth in the FBS. WR Kyre Duplessis leads with 42 catches for 581 yards and 4 TDs.
LB Gavin Moul leads the Blue Hens’ defense with 70 tackles. Unfortunately, the defense has been leaky this season, giving up 412.8 yards and 32.1 points per game. Expect a shootout in this game.
Miami (OH) (5-3, 4-0) @ Ohio (5-3, 3-1) 7:00 p.m. ET, Nov. 4, Athens, OH on ESPN2
This is a rematch of the 2024 MAC Championship Game, won by Ohio, 38-3. So far, Miami is undefeated in conference play while Ohio has only one loss.
Miami is a typical Chuck Martin team, grinding offense and tough defense. RB Jordan Brunson and QB DeQuan Finn have combined for 774 rushing yards. WR Kam Perry leads the FBS in yards per reception with 27.8.
The Miami defense surrenders 21.38 points and 326.6 yards per game. The Redhawks are tied for 11th in the FBS with 25 sacks. LB Adam Trick leads the team with 6.5 sacks.
First-year Ohio head coach Brian Smith has the offense humming. The Bobcats are averaging 434.8 yards and 29.3 points per game. QB Parker Navarro has completed 67.6 percent of his throws for 1,786 yards with 11 TDs and 7 INTs. Navarro is second in rushing at 504 yards and 4 TDs. RB Sieh Bangura leads the team with 728 rushing yards and 9 TDs.
The Ohio defense gives up 384.0 yards and 24.8 points per game. Safety Adonis Williams, Jr. is tied for 18th in the FBS with 40 solo tackles.
San Diego State (7-1, 4-0) @ Hawai’i (6-3, 3-2) 11:00 p.m. ET, Nov. 8, Honolulu, HI on Mountain West App/Scripps Sports
In the category titled “Teams That Came Out of Left Field,” I present to you the San Diego State Aztecs. Head coach Sean Lewis, known for his offensive background, is winning more with defense in 2025.
SDSU’s offense is led by RB Lucky Sutton, who is 12th in the FBS with 820 rushing yards. Sutton also has 8 rushing TDs. WR Jordan Napier has 45 catches for 610 yards and 2 TDs.
The stout Aztec defense is No. 2 in the FBS, giving up a paltry 10.0 points per game. SDSU is No. 6 in the FBS in total defense, giving up 246.2 yards per game. LB Owen Chambliss leads the team with 71 tackles. EDGE Trey White is tied for 23rd in the FBS with 6 sacks.
Hawai’i is looking to gain some ground in the Mountain West Conference standings. Timmy Chang’s Rainbow Warriors average 29.7 points and 410.0 yards per game. The offense is led by redshirt freshman QB Micah Alejado, who has completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 2,124 yards with 15 TDs and 6 INTs.
On defense, the Warriors give up 25.67 points and 357.7 yards per game. Hawai’i is tied for No. 25 in the FBS with 22 sacks. DL Jackie Johnson, III, is tied for 23rd in the FBS with 6 sacks.
James Madison (7-1, 5-0) @ Marshall (4-4, 2-2) noon ET, Nov. 8, Huntington, WV on ESPN2
The James Madison Dukes are on a six-game winning streak. The offense is seventh in the FBS with 244.1 rushing yards per game. RB Wayne Knight leads the team with 659 rushing yards and has 5 TDs. QB Alonza Barnett, III is third on the team in rushing yards with 364 but leads the team with 10 rushing TDs.
Defensively, the Dukes are 11th in the FBS, giving up 16.12 points per game. The 251.4 yards per game rank seventh in the FBS. JMU is tied for 19th in the FBS with 23 sacks. LB Trent Hendrick leads the team in tackles with 58 and is tied for the team lead with 3 sacks.
Marshall is a surprising 4-4 team. The Thundering Herd roster was gutted when former coach Charles Huff left for USM. Marshall hired Tony Gibson, who put together a good roster that has handled itself very well thus far. QB Carlos Del Rio-Wilson has completed an amazing 70.7 percent of his passes for 1,286 yards with 13 TDs and 3 INTs. He also leads the team in rushing with 414 yards and tied for the lead with 4 TDs.
Marshall’s defense gives up 146.9 rushing yards per game. That will be a problem facing a run-heavy squad like JMU. DB Boogie Trotter is tied for the FBS lead with 5 INTs. The thinking is that Trotter will be in single coverage for most of the game, as Marshall will want to load the box against JMU’s rushing attack.
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