What if the G5 had a 16-team playoff? Part One: The Teams

After going through a "What if" for the G5 conferences holding a 16-team playoff tournament for the 2014 season, today we take a look at the upcoming 2015 season and which teams would be the 16 chosen for a playoff and why they were chosen.

West Region:

1. Boise State: The Broncos have to replace starters at quarterback and running back but return one of G5's most talented and experienced offensive lines as well as a defense that could be among the nation's best in 2015. The Broncos were in the top 31 in rushing offense, passing offense, and scoring offense while finishing the 2014 season 12-2 with a win in the Fiesta Bowl. Boise State won the inaugural hypothetical G5 tournament for the 2014 season and are the top seeded team headed into this endeavor. 
2. Toledo: The perennial runners up to Northern Illinois in the Mid-American Conference West Division, the Rockets are actually picked to overtake their rivals this fall and are odds on MAC champs heading into the season. Toledo finished the 2014 season 9-4 with a win in the GoDaddy Bowl over Arkansas State. Toledo was the #13 rushing offense and the #20 scoring offense in 2014 but gave up 30.5 points per game.  
3. Memphis: Co-Champs of the American Athletic Conference in 2014, Memphis will have to prove that last season was not a fluke but instead a sign of times to come with the basketball heavy school. The Tigers went 10-3 last season with a win over BYU in the Miami Beach Bowl in one of the wildest bowl endings of the 2014 season. Memphis had the #11 scoring defense in the nation last fall while putting up a FBS #22 ranked 36.2 points per game on offense.
4. Bowling Green: Bowling Green was a bit of a surprise in 2014 in winning the MAC East Division title and going 8-6 overall. The Falcons are the only team in the nation that has all five offensive line starters make all 13 starts and return for the upcoming season. BGSU can score with a balanced offense but struggled on defense and actually had a -3.5 scoring margin on the season. 

Game One: Bowling Green at Boise State

Game Two: Memphis at Toledo

East Region: 

1. Marshall: The Thundering Herd experienced a perfect storm of the perfect play, the perfect schedule, and the perfect season until a late season loss to WKU in the regular season finale. Gone is the combination of Cato to Shuler but Marshall returns the #8 ranked rushing attack in 2014 that put up 271.9 yards per game on the ground. Marshall also ranekd in the top 20 in passing yards (#18/287.3 ypg), scoring offense (45.6 ppg.), and scoring defense (21.0 ppg) last fall. It will be hard to quite duplicate those stats but Marshall will again be one of the teams to watch in this tournament. 
2. BYU: The Cougars are one of the best G5 teams in the nation when quarterback Taysom Hill is healthy. When the quarterback is unable to play, BYU becomes much more mediocre and able to be beaten by good G5 programs. The biggest hurdle for the Cougars is a trying schedule that could leave them beaten up by the time a playoff starts. Hill must prove he can stay healthy all season. 
3. Northern Illinois: It is hard to say that an 11-3 team flew under the radar but that's exactly what the Huskies did in 2014. With the #17 rushing offense in the nation and in the top 52 in scoring offense and scoring defense, Northern Illinois won yet another MAC title last fall. The passng game must improve for the Huskies to make a run in 2015 but there is a lot of talent in the program. NIU may be underranked as a #3 seed but they have to prove they can do it in 2015.  
4. Arkansas State: The Red Wolves were on the bubble versus fellow Sun Belt program Appalachian State but got the nod due to quarterback Fredi Knighten. Arkansas State was in the top 40 in passing offense, rushing offense, and scoring offense but struggled to a #92 ranked scoring defense. Better play by the rushing defense and the Red Wolves could put significant fear into a #1 seed in this tournament.  

Game One: Arkansas State at Marshall

Game Two: Northern Illinois at BYU

South Region:

1. Georgia Southern: The Eagles are an interesting program that led the nation in rushing by 40 yards per game and were in the top 10 nationally in scoring offense while staying top 30 in scoring defense at 23.4 points allowed per game. Detractors say that a weak conference schedule contributed to the excellent season. I am putting the Eagles in as the fourth #1 seed in a tough region so they have the chance to put up or shut up. 
2. Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers were nothing if not exciting in 2014 with an 8-5 record and the #6 scoring offense in the nation at 44.4 points per game. The Hilltoppers boasted a quarterback that led the nation in passing yards and passing touchdowns for a team that threw for 374.3 yards per game. Defense was easily the Hilltoppers Achilles heel with a 39.9 points per game average, ranking them 124th nationally. If that defense improves and the offense is 80% of last year's production, the Hilltoppers are looking at 10 wins and a shot at a #1 seed.
3. San Diego State: Returning a running back that finished in the top five nationally, a solid and experienced offensive line, and possibly the best secondary in the G5, the Aztecs should make the tournament easily as the MWC West Division Champs. Their strong rushing attack will be tough to stop but unless the offense figures out how to put the ball in the end zone, the Aztecs will be leaning on a defense that gave up only 19.8 points per game, good for #13 in the nation. 
4. Navy: After years and years as an independent, the Midshipmen make the jump to the American Athletic Conference for the 2015 season. The Midshipmen have one of the best rushing offenses in the nation at 338.1 yards but struggled to play defense at a high enough level to earn a seed higher than fourth. Navy is a program that could put a major scare into a high seed in any tournament. 

Game One: Navy at Georgia Southern

Game Two: San Diego State at Western Kentucky

North Region:

1. Cincinnati: The Bearcats had an excellent 9-4 season that included the #13 ranked passing game in the nation at 303.6 yards per game in the air. Cincinnati also finished the season in the top 31 in scoring offense at 34.0 points per game but gave up 27.2 points per game, good for 69th nationally. A +6.8 scoring margin is a little too close for comfort for the Bearcats. Expect that margin to increase and the Bearcats become one of the best G5 teams in the nation. 
2. Utah State: One of the best defenses in the nation leads the Aggies into the 2015 season. The Aggies are similar to BYU in that the season depends on the health of the quarterback. If Chuckie Keeton is able to stay healthy and prove that he hasn't lost a step, Utah State is a scary team. If not, the Aggies are still scary but will have trouble despite the #12 scoring defense in the nation from 2014. 
3. Louisiana Tech: The third of three Conference USA teams in the tournament, the Bulldogs have have one of the toughest draws in the entire tournament. Louisiana Tech went 9-5 in 2014 with the 46th ranked passing game, the 88th ranked rushing attack, and the 14th ranked scoring offense. Those numbers usually do not add up and that scoring average will drop somewhat but the Bulldogs have a defense that was top 40 in scoring average at 24.7 points per game. The opening round matchup versus Utah State should be fun.
4. Louisiana: The Ragin' Cajuns put up a 9-4 record for the fourth straight season last fall capped by a win in the New Orleans Bowl yet again. Louisiana is a steady program that can rush and stop the run but struggles with anything involving the passing game,. a +3.5 points margin is a little too close for comfort but the Ragin' Cajuns could easily push ten wins putting them as a #4 seed in this region. 

Game One: Louisiana at Cincinnati

Game Two: Louisiana Tech at Utah State