TJ Chapman
Lead Columnist, Editor
This week’s slate of Group of 5 games includes a few that are, on paper, going to be tremendous games. The combined records in the games are as follows: American Conference has a record of 6-1. Conference USA has a record of 4-2. The Mountain West Conference has a record of 6-2.
The game in the American Conference will be crucial. It will help decide who advances to the conference championship game. Below are this week’s featured games in the Group of 5.
Rice (3-1, 1-0) @ Navy (3-0, 2-0) 3:30 p.m. ET, Sep. 27, Annapolis, MD on CBS Sports Network
This game is set up to be the best G-5 game of the week and may be the quickest. Like Navy, head coach Scott Abell’s Owls are a run-heavy team. The Owls are 15th in the FBS with 246.2 rushing yards per game. 13 different players have attempted a run for Rice.
Quinton Jackson and Daelen Alexander have combined for 100 carries for 515 yards and 4 TDs. QB Chase Jenkins is 3rd on the team with 215 yards and leads with 3 rushing TDs.
The Rice defense is in the middle of the pack in most major statistical categories. LB Andrew Awe had 11 tackles in last week’s win at Charlotte. He is tied for the lead with 28 tackles.
Navy is doing what Navy typically does: run the ball effectively. Coach Brian Newberry’s Midshipmen lead the FBS with 375.3 rushing yards per game.
The triple threat of QB Blake Horvath, RB Alex Tecza and TB Eli Heidenreich is formidable. They have combined for 110 carries. They have gained 726 yards and scored 10 TDs. It’s no surprise that Nave holds the ball for an average of 34:24 per game.
Navy’s defense is anchored by DL Landon Robinson. He is second on the team with 19 tackles. He leads the team with 4.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. The Midshipmen only surrender 82.3 rushing yards per game, which will cause problems for the Rice rushing attack.
New Mexico State (2-1, 0-1) @ New Mexico (2-1, 0-0) 4:00 p.m. ET, Sep. 27, Albuquerque, NM on Mountain West Network
Two weeks ago, New Mexico State beat Tulsa 21-14. The same Tulsa who just knocked off Oklahoma State for the first time since 1951. QB Logan Fife has struggled at times but has hit 12 different Aggies with a pass. The Aggies have rushed for a paltry 142 yards on the season.
Head coach Tony Sanchez’s defense has been hemorrhaging yards, surrendering 401.3 total yards per game. However, a large portion of that, 574 total yards, came in last week’s loss to Louisiana Tech.
Not many people anticipated New Mexico’s performance as they headed into the Battle of I-25. Few expected them to have been 1-1 against their Big Ten opponents. The team suffered an opening-game loss at Michigan. First-year head coach Jason Eck’s squad then dominated UCLA. The game ultimately sealed the fate of Bruins’ coach DeShaun Foster. After a bye week, the Lobos host their rivals from Las Cruces.
The Lobos’ offense is not as potent as New Mexico State’s, but it is more balanced. The Lobos’ defense is giving up almost as many yards as the Aggies. This game has all the makings of a shootout.
Eastern Michigan (1-3, 0-0) @ Central Michigan (2-2, 0-0), 1:00 p.m. ET, Sep. 27, Mt. Pleasant, MI on ESPN+
The good news for Eastern Michigan head coach Chris Creighton is that the Eagles defeated Louisiana last week, 34-31. The bad news is that Eastern Michigan has yet to play defense in 2024.
The Eagles’ defense is giving up 507.0 yards per game, which ranks them No. 133 out of 134 teams listed on the NCAA stats website. This total includes 479 given up to FCS Long Island University, who defeated the Eagles in Ypsilanti.
QB Noah Kim and the Eastern Michigan offense need to score on every drive. This is necessary if they have any hopes of winning this rivalry game.
While not as bad as their rivals, the Central Michigan defense is giving up 394.0 yards per game. Chippewas’ first-year head coach Matt Drinkall employs a 3 QB system. This system should be able to tee off on Eastern’s defense.
Dual-threat QB Angel Flores may see the lion’s share of snaps due to the ineptitude of Eastern Michigan’s run defense. Drinkall uses a variety of ball carriers and should be highly successful against the Eagles.
If LB Jordan Kwiatkowski and the Central Michigan defense force at least one Eastern Michigan punt, it may be enough. This action could seal the win for the Chippewas.
Appalachian State (2-1, 0-1) @ Boise State (4-1, 1-0), 7:30 p.m. ET, Sep. 27, Boise, ID on FS1
We need to see two G-5 programs play as college football fans. These teams are App State and Boise State. Since 2000, the Broncos have been No. 2 in winning percentage in the FBS at 80.79. The Mountaineers come in at No. 20 with a 70.89 winning percentage.
Boise State RB Dylan Riley leads the offense with 403 all-purpose yards and 6 total TDs. QB Maddux Madsen has 808 passing yards with 5 TDs and 1 INT.
Boise State’s defense has been leaky, giving up 393.0 yards per game. DB Ty Benefield leads in tackles with 26. He has 5 tackles for loss. Ty is also tied for the lead with 1 INT.
App State QB AJ Swann has thrown for 879 yards with 5 TDs and 4 INTs. WRs Jaden Barnes and Dalton Stroman are the primary targets, combining for 39 catches for 632 yards and 4 TDs.
The Mountaineers’ defense has been stingy so far, giving up 274.3 yards per game. This unit will be tested in both the passing and run games.
Liberty (1-3, 0-1) @ Old Dominion (2-1, 0-0), 6:00 p.m. ET, Sep. 27, Norfolk, VA on ESPN+
Getting back to the theme of wins that got coaches fired, we come to Liberty at Old Dominion. ODU absolutely dismantled Virginia Tech two weeks ago, leading to the firing of Hokies head coach Brent Pry.
Colton Joseph is the dual-threat QB who leads the offense. Joseph has thrown for 629 yards with 5 TDs and 3 INTs. He’s also the leading rusher with 291 yards and 4 TDs. RB Trequan Jones is the second-leading rusher with 264 yards and also has 4 TDs.
The Monarchs’ defense has given up a lot of yards but not a lot of points. Head coach Ricky Rahne’s squad gives up 390.7 yards, but only 19.67 points per game.
Liberty was a program that many thought could get the G-5’s spot in the CFP this season. So far, that does not look like a good pick. The Flames are struggling on defense, giving up 23.75 points and 362.5 yards per game. ODU likes to run the ball, which will cause problems for Liberty’s No. 129 ranked run defense.
TJ Chapman
Lead Columnist, Editor
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TJ Chapman
Lead Columnist, Editor
The Navy Midshipmen (6-0, 4-0) have won all six games so far this season. In five of the six games, they have scored at least 32 points. At the midway point of the season, the only question is, why aren’t the Midshipmen ranked in either Top 25 poll? Navy has played four conference games so […]
TJ Chapman
Lead Columnist, Editor
We are halfway through the 2025 season, and the postseason picture for a number of conferences is going to start to take shape. The next few weeks will feature games that have major postseason implications for the Group of 5. Below are this week’s featured games. American Conference Army (3-3, 2-2) @ Tulane (5-1, 2-0) […]
