Don't look now, but there is a new challenger emerging within Conference USA: the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. Coach Rich Rodriguez has quickly gotten his team acclimated to FBS ball, having made the move up from FCS a year ago. Last season JSU made their first bowl game in program history, and this year they are gunning for a C-USA title game appearance with an undefeated record in conference play and a five-game winning streak.
Up in Connecticut, the UConn Huskies are in the midst of a good season themselves. Sitting at 6-3 on the year, the Huskies have made the most of their life as an FBS independent. The Huskies are already 6-1 at home and have played six in a row within the friendly confines of Pratt & Whitney Stadium. This week, they take their show on the road against UAB, but we know their run game and defense will travel. Both have consistently showed up each week.
While they don't get the chance to play in a conference title game being an independent, the Huskies are bowl eligible and one of the better Group of Five teams in the country right now.
Group of Five rankings remain important. Though these conferences get a significantly lower financial guarantee from the new 12-team CFP, they are on a more equitable field when it comes to the competition: The four highest ranked conference champions get byes, and the five highest ranked champs get auto-bids, but nothing is to say that the supposed "Power Four" are guaranteed those four byes or four of those five spots; if a Group of Five team were to outrank, hypothetically, the Big 12 champion, it would get a bye and home game. And with those spots comes financial windfalls based on success in the tournament.
What are the season outlooks for the best Group of Five teams? Use Caesars promo code to view the latest odds and get in the game.
| 1 |  |
| The Black Knights took care of business against Air Force last week without star QB Bryson Daily, who was a surprise inactive for the game due to an injury. (Last Week: 1) | |
| 2 |  |
| Initial College Football Playoff Rankings have the Broncos in the field. Can't argue with that, considering how dynamic they are on offense. (LW: 2) | |
| 3 |  |
| We will continue to include Washington State in these rankings until it starts to lose. Right now, it's hard to see when that'll be. (LW: 3) | |
| 4 |  |
| The Green Wave may have been in Boise State's spot had they won just one of their games against ranked opponents earlier in the season, both of which were winnable. (LW: 5) | |
| 5 |  |
| What a great win over Texas State last weekend, and now the Cajuns have to hold off Arkansas State, who is right behind them in the West Division of the Sun Belt. (LW: 6) | |
| 6 |  |
| A pathway to a Conference USA title game appearance is laid out in front of the Hilltoppers. They'll just have to get through Liberty and Jacksonville State to make it happen. (LW: 8) | |
| 7 |  |
| Tough break in losing to Boise State two weeks ago, but now the Rebels have to get back on the bike again this week vs. Hawaii. If they run the tables, they could meet up with the Broncos in the Mountain West Championship Game. (LW: 9) | |
| 8 |  |
| I enjoy watching the Bearkats play defense. Hopefully ,they don't lose their momentum coming out of their bye next week vs. Kennesaw State. (LW: 10) | |
| 9 |  |
| Coach Rich Rodriguez's Gamecocks have won five straight games, thanks in part to a ground game that's led by RB Tre Stewart and QB Tyler Huff. (LW: Not ranked) | |
| 10 |  |
| I'm a big fan of the job coach Jim L. Mora has done with the Huskies. They're 6-3 on the season and travel to take on UAB this weekend, their first road trip since September! (LW: NR) | |
Dropped out: Memphis, Navy
