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.
Army (3-3, 2-2) @ Tulane (5-1, 2-0) noon ET, Oct. 18, New Orleans, LA on ESPNU
Leading up to the game against Charlotte this past weekend, Army head coach Jeff Monken had not announced a starting QB. Cale Hellums was given the nod, and he led the Black Knights to a 24-7 victory over the 49ers. Hellums leads the team in rushing with 450 yards and 8 TDs. The 8 TDs are tied for 5th in the FBS.
Army’s defense is giving up 339.8 yards and 24 points per game. Both are respectable numbers, given that Army has faced Kansas State, North Texas and East Carolina so far this season. LB Landon Thomas leads the way with 51 tackles.
John Sumrall’s Green Wave aren’t putting up the points we’re used to seeing, but they are moving the ball well. Tulane is averaging 26.2 points and 405.0 yards per game.
BYU transfer QB Jake Retzlaff arrived over the summer and won the starting QB job. While the offense has had some growing pains, Retzlaff has done it all for the Green Wave. Retzlaff has 1,167 passing yards with 4 TDs and no INTs. He also leads the team in rushing with 388 yards and 7 TDs.
Tulane’s defense has been a bend-but-don’t-break type of defense. They’re giving up 23.2 points and 389.2 yards per game. However, the Green Wave forces a fair number of turnovers. Tulane is tied for No. 16 in the FBS with 11 turnovers. DB Javion White has 3 INTs.
Delaware (3-2, 1-1) @ Jacksonville State (3-3, 2-0) 7:00 p.m. ET, Oct. 15, Jacksonville, AL on ESPN
Delaware’s first year as a member of the FBS has been up and down. The offense has been spectacular, but the defense has been beaten up. QB Nick Minicucci has thrown for 1,372 yards with 8 TDs and 3 INTs. Minicucci also leads the team with 7 rushing TDs. The NCAA has a ridiculous rule about not ranking statistics for first-year teams. If not for that absurd rule, Delaware would have the No. 26-ranked passing offense at 278.6 yards per game.
However, the Blue Hens’ defense has struggled against the step up in competition. Delaware gives up 26.4 points and 393.8 yards per game. LB Gavin Moul leads with 41 tackles and 4 tackles for loss.
First-year head coach Charles Kelly has one of the most potent offenses in the G-5. RB Cam Cook leads the FBS in rushing attempts with 142 and rushing yards with 832. The yards are 50 more than the next highest rusher. Cook’s rushing total is just 19 yards more than Cook’s rushing yards total.
The Gamecocks’ defense surrenders 211.5 passing yards per game. Not a good recipe for facing Delaware. Safety Trevor Woods leads the team with 35 tackles and 2 forced fumbles.
Akron (2-5, 1-2) @ Ball State (2-4, 1-1) 3:30 p.m. ET, Oct. 18, Muncie, IN on ESPN+
Akron has had a tough first half of the season. The Zips are faltering on offense and giving up way too many points on defense. QB Ben Finley has passed for 1,157 yards with 8 TDs and 4 INTs. He has been sacked 13 times so far.
RB Jordan Gant leads the rushing attack with 511 yards and 3 TDs. Redshirt freshman WR Kyan Mason and sophomore WR Israel Polk have combined for 38 catches for 539 yards and 5 TDS.
Akron’s defense has been bad, giving up 29.0 points and 438.1 yards per game. DB Malcolm DeWalt, IV has been a bright spot with 34 tackles and is tied for 5 in the FBS with 8 passes defended.
Ball State’s season has been similar to Akron’s. The Cardinals’ offense has been about as bad as Akron’s defense. Ball State ranks in the bottom 10 in the FBS in points per game (13.7), yards per game (255.5), and sacks allowed (20). QB Kiael Kelly is second on the team with 273 rushing yards. He has lost 105 yards from 20 sacks.
Ball State’s defense is slightly better than its offense. The defense gives up 31.5 points and 422.7 yards per game. DE Nathan Voorhis is the star of the defense as he is tied for No. 3 in the FBS with 8 sacks.
UNLV (6-0, 2-0) @ Boise State (4-2, 2-0) 3:30 p.m. ET, Oct. 18, Boise, ID on FS1
Dan Mullen and his UNLV Rebels invade Boise, ID, with an undefeated record and bowl eligibility. The offense is clicking as UNLV has scored at least 30 points in each of its first six games. QB Anthony Colandrea has thrown for 1,403 yards with 10 TDs and 3 INTs. Colandrea is second on the squad in rushing with 323 yards and 3 TDs.
Leading rusher, Jai’Den Thomas, has 577 yards and 6 TDs. The amazing stat line for Thomas is that he has 72 rushing attempts on the season with only 1 negative rush, for a loss of only 1 yard.
UNLV’s defense, on the other hand, is lucky the offense can move the ball and score. The Rebels give up 29.67 points and 445.0 yards per game. DB Aamris Brown is tied for third in the FBS with 4 INTs.
For the 12th straight game at Boise State, the Broncos will play in front of a sellout crowd. QB Maddux Madsen has thrown for 1,570 yards with 11 TDs and 5 INTs. Madsen has struggled with consistency this season. WR Ben Ford leads with 20 catches for 299 yards and 5 TDs.
The Broncos’ defense has been scorched on the scoreboard in 2025. Boise State is giving up 25.3 points per game, tied for No. 73 in the FBS. DB Ty Benefield leads the team in tackles with 44 and is tied for the team lead in both tackles for loss (5.5) and INTs (2).
Texas State (3-3, 0-2) @ Marshall (3-3, 1-1) 3:30 p.m. ET, Oct. 18, Huntington, WV on ESPN+
In Texas State’s final season as a member of the Sun Belt, the Bobcats were looking to go out on a high note. However, after back-to-back conference losses to Arkansas State and Troy, the season is starting to get away from head coach GJ Kinne.
Redshirt freshman QB Brad Jackson has completed 70.0 percent of his passes for 1,342 yards with 7 TDs and 1 INT. Jackson is second on the team with 336 rushing yards and 7 rushing TDs. RB Lincoln Pare is tied for fifth in the FBS with 8 rushing TDs.
Kinne’s defenses at Texas State have always been a problem. The Bobcats have only created 1 turnover in 6 games. Texas State gives up 394.7 yards and 29.83 points per game.
Marshall is coming off a huge upset of Old Dominion last week, 48-24. First-year head coach Tony Gibson had to replace all but four starters as most of the 2024 squad with eligibility remaining followed Charles Huff to Southern Miss.
QB Carlos Del Rio-Wilson has completed 76.4 percent of his passes for 856 yards with 11 TDs and zero INTS. Del Rio-Wilson is second on the team in rushing with 259 yards and leads with 4 rushing TDs.
Gibson’s defense gives up 389.5 yards per game. Marshall is tied with Texas State, giving up 29.83 points per game. DB Boogie Trotter leads the team with 4 INTs.
TJ Chapman
Lead Columnist, Editor
Over the next few weeks, the Group of 5 conferences are going to start sorting out their championship game participants. This week, there are major games in the American Conference and Mountain West Conference. These games will start to shape the postseason for both. Below are this week’s featured games. American Conference USF (6-1, 3-0) […]
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
Week 7 has the chance to be the best week of Group of 5 games this year. Of the 10 teams featured, only two have records under .500. Four of the teams have either one loss or no losses. Below are this week’s featured games. American Conference No. 24 USF (4-1, 1-0) @ North Texas […]
