TJ Chapman
Lead Columnist, Editor
Week 4 in the Group of 5 features three games that are conference matchups. The games below from Conference USA and the MAC, while not conference games, are against other Group of 5 squads.
Sadly, the best game in the Group of 5 this weekend will be missed by most of the country. It starts at 11:59 p.m. ET Saturday. Below are this week’s featured games in the Group of 5.
North Texas (3-0, 0-0) @ Army (1-1, 0-0) noon ET, Sep. 20, West Point, NY on CBS Sports Network
North Texas’ offense has been lighting up the scoreboards this year. The Mean Green are tied for 11th in the country at 47.7 points per game. Facing a clock-controlling offense like Army will reduce that considerably. It’s up to redshirt freshman QB Drew Mestemaker to make sure Eric Morris’ offense capitalizes on every drive.
Mestemaker has completed 70.2 percent of his passes for 764 yards with 9 TDs and 0 INTs. WRs Wyatt Young and Cameron Dorner each have 10 catches and 2 TDs.
On defense, the Mean Green are only giving up 232.3 yards per game, good for 17th in the country. The run defense gives up 103.7 yards per game. Given Army’s offense, that will change this weekend.
Army stumbled in its opener, losing in OT to Tarleton State. Nonetheless, the Black Knights found their game in Week 2, winning at Kansas State while controlling the ball for 40:29.
QB Cale Hellums leads the Black Knights with 161 rushing yards and 3 TDs. WR Noah Short and QB Dewayne Coleman each have over 100 yards for the season.
LB Andon Thomas leads head coach Jeff Monken’s defense with 23 tackles after just two games. Army gives up 295.0 total yards per game.
Nevada (1-2, 0-0) at Western Kentucky (2-1, 1-0), 7:00 p.m. ET, Sep. 20, Bowling Green, LA on ESPN+
Ty Helton’s Western Kentucky squad is lighting up the scoreboard. The Hilltoppers are averaging 39.0 points and 467.3 yards per game.
QB Maverick McIvor has completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 941 yards with 10 TDs and 1 INT. Helton’s pass-happy offense has led to four different receivers with double-digit receptions so far.
The defense has been leaky, giving up 25.0 points and 382.7 yards per game. DB Dave Herard leads the team with 14 tackles.
2nd-year head coach Jeff Choate’s Wolf Pack has struggled so far. A win at home against Sacramento State is sandwiched between two losses, at Penn State and at Middle Tennessee State.
Nevada is surrendering 25.67 points and 387 yards per game. The offense can’t seem to get out of its own way. The Wolf Pack is -5 in turnovers. Nevada can’t continue to turn the ball over and expect to win games.
Troy (1-2, 0-0) @ Buffalo (2-1, 1-0), 3:30 p.m. ET, Sep. 20, Buffalo, NY on ESPN+
The Buffalo Bulls opened conference play with a 31-28 victory at Kent State this past weekend. 2nd-year head coach Pete Lembo brought in Kansas State transfer QB Ta’Quan Roberson to lead the offense.
Roberson has thrown for 558 yards with 5 TDs and 2 INTs. On the ground, Roberson is second on the team in carries (28), yards (148) and rushing TDs (2).
Replacing an All-American like Shaun Dolac is a tall task. Nevertheless, Dolac’s former LB mate, Red Murdock, seems up to the challenge. Murdock is 8th in the country with 32 tackles.
Troy head coach Gerad Parker is also in his 2nd year with his team. RB Tae Meadows carries the load for the Trojans, rushing for 269 yards and 1 TD. Meadows is averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
Troy’s defense kept Clemson’s offense in check, surrendering only 316 yards in a losing effort. Yet, Memphis gouged Troy’s defense for 431 yards last week.
Murdock and the Buffalo defense shouldn’t have trouble with the Troy offense. Roberson and the Buffalo offense will need to connect early and often to take the momentum early and smother Troy.
Fresno State (3-1, 0-0) @ Hawaii (3-1, 0-0), 11:59 p.m. ET, Sep. 20, Honolulu, HI on Scripps Sports
On paper, this should be the best game in the G-5 this weekend. Fresno State is seeking its first win at Hawai’i since 2019. The team also aims for its first overall win against the Rainbow Warriors since 2022. This will be the final game as conference foes as Fresno State joins the Pac 12 next year.
QB EJ Warner has completed 72.4 percent of his passes for 716 yards with 4 TDS and 5 INTs. He must take care of the ball. The Bulldogs need this for a chance at the W.
Fresno State has a dynamic duo at RB with Josiah Freeman and Rayshon Luke. Luke’s 5 rushing TDs is 3rd in the country.
LB Jadon Pearson is tied for 4th in the country with 35 tackles. The defense gives up 213.2 passing yards per game, which, unfortunately, falls in line with what Hawai’i likes to do.
Head coach Timmy Chang’s high-flying offense gets its QB1 back. Micah Alejado has been hobbled by an ankle injury so far this season. He has received most of the reps with the 1st string offense. He is expected to start.
WR Pofele Ashlock and RB Landon Sims lead the Rainbow Warriors in receiving with 235 and 155 yards, respectively. 13 different Rainbow Warriors have caught a pass this season.
Hawai’i’s defense has been stingy, surrendering only 274.5 yards per game. Of that total, only 154.5 yards per game come through the air. With Fresno State running a pass-happy offense, akin to Hawai’i, that will surely change.
This has the makings of being a shootout with both offenses throwing as much as they do. The over/under is listed as 48.5. I’m going to guess this game will be over that total at halftime.
Southern Miss (2-1, 1-0) @ Louisiana Tech (2-1, 1-0), 7:30 p.m. ET, Sep. 20, Ruston, LA on ESPN+
Head coach Charles Huff’s Golden Eagles have already surpassed the Southern Miss win total from 2024. Having the number of transfers who followed Huff from Marshall has paid off early in 2025.
QB Braylon Braxton has completed 68.7 percent of his passes for 692 yards with 7 TDs and 2 INTs. Braxton is second on the team in rushing with 105 yards.
The top two receivers are Marshall transfers Elijah Metcalf and Tychaun Chapman. The duo has combined for 16 catches for 224 yards, but neither has a receiving TD yet.
However, the Southern Miss defense is not on par with the offense. USM gives up 419.0 yards and 25.3 points per game. Those numbers rank No. 110 and No. 89, respectively, in the country.
USM is tied for No. 2 in the country with 6 INTs and leads the nation with 25 pass breakups. However, Louisiana Tech is a team that relies more on running the ball. There will be fewer opportunities to add to those totals.
Louisiana Tech’s pass defense gives up 221.0 yards per game. That will play into the offensive strength of Southern Miss.
The Bulldogs will need to pressure Braxton and force him into mistakes. LB Mekhi Mason is second with 23 tackles and leads the team in tackles for loss with 6.5 and sacks with 3.
TJ Chapman
Lead Columnist, Editor
Week 2 was a very good week for the Group of 5. There were upsets of Power-4 programs, such as West Virginia losing at Ohio. But the major upset of the day came when USF stunned the Florida Gators 18-16 in Gainesville, FL. If USF can ride this wave of momentum, the Bulls will be […]
TJ Chapman
Lead Columnist, Editor
Broadcast Information The Navy Midshipmen host the UAB Blazers as both squads open conference play in the American. The Midshipmen walloped the VMI Keydets in Week 1, 52-7. UAB held on to defeat the Alabama State Hornets 52-42. In-Conference Head Start Navy and UAB will be the first in-conference meeting for the American in 2025. […]
TJ Chapman
Lead Columnist, Editor
Week 1 of the Group of 5 games saw the team predicted to get the G-5 College Football Playoff spot lose big. The USF Bulls crushed the Boise State Broncos 34-7 on Thursday night. Now, the G-5 playoff spot is up for grabs, more so than most believed prior to the Week 1 games. While […]
