College Football Outpost's G5 Top 10 Rankings (11/28/17): The Trojans Are Back

By Fliry Vorru (talk) - I created this work entirely by myself., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18588335

It has been a wild roller coaster of a season for Troy. From defeating LSU to losing to South Alabama, there has rarely been a boring week for the Trojans. A few plays here and there and Troy could be sitting at 11-0 heading into a de facto Sun Belt title game. Instead, they are sitting at 9-2 and will at the very least share the Sun Belt with a win over Arkansas State.

Let's take a look at the weekly poll.

Others Receiving Votes: Houston 4, NIU 3, Ohio 3, Army 2, Arkansas State 2, Central Michigan 2. 

Voters This Week: @TheJayBir, @Sports4Heretics, @BenMoore247, @AStateFanRules, @LaTechReport, @NorthCoastBias, @cfoutpost, @HuskieUnleashed, @DPattersonTX.

College Football Outpost's G5 Top 10 Rankings (11/20/17): The AAC Is King

This week saw the top four continue to pull away from the rest of the top ten with virtually every voter ranking UCF, Memphis, Boise State, and USF in some combination of the top four. Fresno State is back in the top ten, giving the MWC three of the top ten to go along with three AAC programs. Only the Sun Belt is not in the top ten this week, but Troy is very close to giving the conference representation.

Others Receiving Votes: Troy 15, Ohio 15, Army 4, Navy 3, Houston 2. 

Voters This Week: @TheJayBir, @Sports4Heretics, @BenMoore247, @meangreennation, @LaTechReport, @NorthCoastBias, @cfoutpost, @HuskieUnleashed, @warriorboutit, @TheTowelRackWKU.

College Football Outpost's G5 Top 10 Rankings (11/13/17): Army Joins The Party

Due to some technical difficulties, the weekly G5 Top 10 is out a little later tonight than usual. We experienced a bit of upheaval throughout the top 10 with Army and Houston taking advantage in earning a spot. Overall, this was a closer than usual vote (other than the top four) with NIU and Houston only two votes ahead of Troy and North Texas.

Others Receiving Votes: North Texas 11, Troy 11, Fresno State 8, Wyoming 5, Florida International 4, Navy 1. 

Voters This Week: @TheJayBir, @Sports4Heretics, @AStateFanRules, @meangreennation, @LaTechReport, @NorthCoastBias, @cfoutpost, @HuskieUnleashed, @warriorboutit, @TheTowelRackWKU.

Which Teams Have The Best Shot Of Going To The CUSA Title Game: The End Of Times

It is not yet the middle of November and we already seem to be down to the final three teams last in the Conference USA race. North Texas, Florida Atlantic, and Florida International are in control of their fates and two of the three teams will make up a surprising CUSA title game.

Think about that for a moment, this is the P5 equivalency of getting a Mississippi State/Kentucky matchup in the SEC title game. Notice that North Texas, FIU, and FAU have yet to play for the CUSA title since making the move from the Sun Belt.

Anyway, let’s take a look at the CUSA race heading into week 11. 

Conference USA East Division:

Contenders: FAU, FIU, Marshall (barely).

Pretenders: WKU, MTSU, Charlotte, Old Dominion.

• Florida Atlantic (6-3, 5-0 CUSA): The Lane Train had plenty of chances to derail, but beat WKU and Marshall in back to back weeks after destroying North Texas. This team is on a roll and benefiting from a weak overall conference to possibly take the title. Barring an epic collapse, they are still in the driver’s seat and could all but clinch the division title with a win over FIU in the Shula Bowl. The question then becomes when, not if, Lane Kiffin leaves for another job. Chance of winning the division: 55%.
• Florida International (6-2, 4-1 CUSA): Credit goes to the Panthers for coming through when all the chips were on the table. Anything less than sweeping Marshall and UTSA would kill their chances at a berth in the CUSA title game. Instead, they won both games and are a win versus Old Dominion from playing rival FAU with the east lead on the line. Of course, there is still a Thanksgiving week matchup with WKU to contend with, but just the fact that they have a real shot at the division title is nothing short of stunning. Chance of winning the division: 44%.
• Marshall (6-3, 3-2 CUSA): Let’s be honest. Marshall’s shot at winning Conference USA ended with back to back losses to FIU and FAU. They had a chance to take control of the race, but instead fell to third place and need tons of help. In addition to beating WKU, UTSA, and Southern Miss, they would need FAU to lose out and FIU to lose two of their final three games. I mean it is possible, but really? Chance of winning the division: 1%.

Conference USA West Division:

Contenders: North Texas, UAB, Southern Miss.

Pretenders: Rice, UTEP, UTSA, Louisiana Tech.

• North Texas (6-3, 5-1 CUSA): Yes, there are two other teams in the west with a shot to win the west, but the Mean Green is in excellent shape. First off, UNT holds tiebreakers over UAB, Southern Miss, UTSA, and Louisiana Tech. What that means is that all they have to do is not lose to both UTEP and Rice. A win in either game sends them to the conference title game. Okay, the division is all but sealed up at this point.  Chance of winning the division: 99%.
• UAB (6-3, 4-2 CUSA): We are officially down to hopes and prayers for the Blazers heading into week 11. Of course, they have to win out, but they also need North Texas to lose to both Rice and UTEP in order to jump them in the standings. On the bright side, winning out guarantees a second place finish and a pretty sweet bowl game. Hope is still alive, but a return season with a conference title was asking a bit too much anyway. Chance of winning the division: 0.5%.
• Southern Miss (5-4, 3-2 CUSA): If UAB is looking for a miracle, the Golden Eagles need one of the craziest endings in college football history to win the division. First, winning out is a given. Second, UNT has to lose to Rice and UTEP. Third, UAB has to lose one more game to fall a game behind in the standings. If all three of those things happen, then USM will represent the west. Settling for a second place finish is not a bad thing considering all of the quarterback issues during this campaign. Chance of winning the division: 0.5%.

Projected CUSA Title Game: North Texas at FAU.

College Football Outpost's G5 Top 10 Rankings (10/23/17): Fresno State Joins The Party

It is amazing just what two weeks can do to a program. San Diego State went from undefeated and #1 in the poll to unranked with two straight losses. The most recent loss was a complete drubbing at the hands of Fresno State, our newest member of the rankings. Along with Fresno State hitting the top 10, we have a season-high 20 teams receiving votes in this week's poll. 

Others Receiving Votes: San Diego State 11, Troy 6, Arkansas State 6, SMU, 5, Appalachian State 4, Florida International 4, Florida Atlantic 3, Houston 2, Army 1, Ohio 3. 

Voters This Week: @TheJayBir, @Sports4Heretics, @AStateFanRules, @meangreennation, @LaTechReport, @NorthCoastBias, @BenMoore247, @cfoutpost, @HuskieUnleashed, @The_DailyDragon, @HerdNation.

Week Six G5 Statistical Leaders

Passing:

Drew Anderson, Buffalo: 35-61, 597 yards, 7TD

Caleb Evans, ULM: 24-37, 433 yards, 3 TD

Riley Ferguson, Memphis: 34-48, 431 yards, 7TD

Ben Hicks, SMU: 41-58, 397 yards, 1TD

McKenzie Milton, UCF: 16-19, 374 yards, 5TD

Rushing:

Diocemy Saint Juste, Hawaii: 25/241/1TD

Jalin Moore, Appalachian State: 19/241/2TD

Kelton Moore, Nevada: 19/216/0TD

Zach Abey, Navy: 29/214/2TD

Jeremy Cox, ODU: 22/202/2TD

Receiving:

Anthony Miller, Memphis: 15/224/4TD

Teo Redding, BGSU: 8/197/2TD

Anthony Johnson, Buffalo: 11/195/2TD

Chris Murray, Arkansas State: 5/188/2TD

Tre'Quan Smith, UCF: 5/165/3TD

Tackles:

Frank Ginda, SJSU: 19

Khalil Hodge, Buffalo: 18

Ben DeLuca, Charlotte: 17

Jack Flor, Air Force: 16

Vince Calhoun, EMU: 16

Armani Poesy, BGSU: 16

TFL 3.5+:

Khalil Brooks, MTSU: 5.0

Tony Lashley, Idaho: 4.5

Sutton Smith, NIU: 4.0

Arjay Jean, Colorado State: 3.5

Sacks 2.5+:

Tony Lashley, Idaho: 3.5

Khalil Brooks, MTSU: 3.0

Sutton Smith, NIU: 3.0

Interceptions:

Tae Hayes, Appalachian State: 3

Clifton Duck, Appalachian State: 3

Terrell Williams, Houston: 2

Jaden Wright, NMSU: 2

Punting:

Ryan Stonehouse, Colorado State: 52.7 avg.

Cade Coffey, Idaho: 52.3 avg.

Jamie Sackville, SMU: 50.0 avg.

Kyle DeWeen, Buffalo: 50.0 avg.

Derrick Mitchell, WMU: 49.3 avg.

Kicking:

Canon Rooker, MTSU: 3/3 FG, 4/4 XP

Jared Sackett, UTSA: 3/3 FG, 2/2 XP

Cade Coffey, Idaho: 3/3 FG, 1/1 XP

Bennett Moehring, Navy: 2/2 FG, 6/6 XP

John Baron II, SDSU: 2/2 FG, 5/5 XP

Jimmy Camacho, Fresno State: 2/2 FG, 3/3 XP

College Football Outpost's Week Five In Review

Another wild week in college football saw UCF dominate, Northern Illinois give the Aztecs everything they could handle, and a group of Trojans take down mighty LSU. For many teams, this was the last non-conference game until a random late season game versus a P5 program. Don’t forget, Funbelt Wednesdays start tomorrow.

Three performances to remember:

• UCF: Another week and another dominant win for the Knights. This time, they hosted a good Memphis team and absolutely destroyed them 40-13. Scott Frost and company are on a roll and could be on track to a battle of the undefeated versus South Florida on Black Friday.    
• Troy: It was close but no cigar on other occasions versus LSU, but Neal Brown and company were victors in a game they dominated from the opening snap. We started to see Troy turn a corner last season and this season could see them finally earn a Sun Belt title for the first time since the Sun Belt ran through Troy.   
• North Texas: Playing at Southern Miss was a measuring stick game for the Mean Green and boy did they pass the test. They took punch after punch from the Golden Eagles but proved to be the better team in the fourth quarter in winning the second half 26-7 and the game 43-28. Mason Fine threw for 366 yards (211 to Jalen Guyton) while Jeffery Wilson scored three times in route to a 148-yard day.

MACTION game of the week:

• ULM 51, Coastal Carolina 43: What is it about the Louisiana Sun Belt teams and high-scoring games? This time, ULM and Coastal combined for 94 points, 37 first downs, 785 yards, and four lead changes. We had an 82-yard kickoff return TD, 86 yard touchdown pass, 56-yard touchdown run, and a defensive touchdown on the final play of the game. That’s definitely MACtion.

Three biggest disappointments:

• Memphis: For those expecting a battle between Tigers and Knights, all we got was a one-sided blowout. The beat up Memphis defense was no match in giving up over 600 yards while Riley Ferguson did his team no favors in throwing three picks. Four different trips inside UCF territory came back with no points, including two trips inside the 10.
• UTEP: We could talk about the Miners actually looking decent at times versus Army, but the administration failed the day. Head coach Sean Kugler resigned and Mike Price ?!!?!?! was named as interim head coach. How did the players find out? Via Twitter, of course. Come on man.
• Air Force: I was among the many that thought Air Force was a top three MWC team this year. Saturday’s contest changed my view as New Mexico broke the 500 yard plateau in route to scoring 42 points in a 56-38 win. This was a disappointing performance for the Falcons and they could be looking at 1-4 with an undefeated Navy team next on the schedule.  

Barely saved face:

• Houston 20, Temple 13
• Florida International 30, Charlotte 29
• Ohio 58, UMass 50
• ULM 51, Coastal Carolina 43

Five Worst G5 teams in the nation:

1. Charlotte
2. Coastal Carolina
3. Georgia Southern
4. UTEP
5. UConn

National stat leaders (only if leading alone, no ties):

• Tyler Hall, Wyoming: 44.0 kickoff return average.
• Frank Ginda, SJSU: 87 tackles, 14.5 per game.
• Anthony Winbush, Ball State: 7.5 sacks.

Current Conference Rankings: 

1. American
2. Mountain West
3. MAC
4. Conference USA
5. Sun Belt

Week Two Scoreboard:

• #18 South Florida 61, East Carolina 31
• Houston 20, Temple 13
• Navy 31, Tulsa 21
• SMU 49, UConn 28
• Marshall 38, Cincinnati 21
• UCF 40, Memphis 13
• Pitt 42, Rice 10
• Army 35, UTEP 21
• FIU 30, Charlotte 29
• FAU 38, MTSU 20
• Louisiana Tech 34, South Alabama 16
• North Texas 43, Southern Miss 28
• Utah State 40, BYU 24
• #22 Notre Dame 52, Miami 17
• Ohio 58, UMass 50
• #19 San Diego State 34, Northern Illinois 28
• Boston College 26, CMU 8
• Buffalo 27, Kent State 13
• Kentucky 24, EMU 20
• Akron 34, BGSU 23
• WMU 55, Ball State 3
• Wyoming 45, Texas State 10
• New Mexico 56, Air Force 38
• Fresno State 41, Nevada 21
• UNLV 41, SJSU 13
• Colorado State 51, Hawaii 21
• Troy 24, #25 LSU 21
• Arkansas 42, NMSU 24
• ULM 51, Coastal Carolina 43

Players of the week:

• Offense: Jordan Chunn, Troy: 30 carries for 191 yards and a touchdown in a 24-21 win over LSU.
• Defense: Tariq Thompson, San Diego State: 6 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 defensive touchdown in a 34-28 win over NIU.
• Special Teams: Tyler Hall, Wyoming: 1 kickoff return for a 95-yard touchdown in a 45-10 win over Texas State. He now leads the nation in kickoff return average at 44.0 per return.  

College Football Outpost's G5 Top 10 Rankings (10/2/17): Meet The New Committee

We are trying something new at College Football Outpost and reaching out to fellow “media” members for a more conclusive G5 Top 10 poll. Several took to the cause in the inaugural week so that you are subjected to a more varied top 10 than if I did it on my own.

Enough of my jabbering, let’s take a look at the CFO G5 Top 10.

1. San Diego State (5 First Place Votes): 95 votes.

2. South Florida (4 First Place Votes): 91 votes.

3. Central Florida (1 First Place Vote): 82 votes.

4. Troy: 48 votes. 

5. Navy 46 votes.

6. Houston: 37 votes.

7. Toledo: 24 votes.

8. Memphis: 24 votes.

9. SMU: 19 votes.

T-10. UTSA: 16 votes.

T-10. Ohio: 16 votes.

Others considered: Northern Illinois 10, Western Michigan 9, Appalachian State 9, Colorado State 9, Boise State 7, Louisiana Tech 7, Marshall 1.

Voters: @TheJayBir, @Sports4Heretics, @scottwatkinsTU, @AlexFunderburke, @AStateFanRules, @meangreennation, @LaTechReport, @NorthCoastBias, @BenMoore247, @cfoutpost. 

Go follow the voting committee on Twitter as soon as possible. 

How Has The G5 Done So Far In Non-Conference Play?

It hardly seems like we should already be at the quarter pole of the college football season, but here we sit. A majority of the G5 has played four games with some wild exceptions like Central Florida due to weather issues. We have been able to see multiple non-conference matchups, a few interesting conference games, and just about anything you can think of in between.

I would love to say that this is a banner year for the G5 and we are going to see multiple teams crash the gates of the Power Five party. Sadly, that is not the case. While the top of the G5 is strong, there are too many middling teams that have yet to show that spark that gets them national interest.

First, let’s look at the G5 versus P5 yearly battle and how the little guys have fared so far by conference. Also, a look at a few of the biggest G5 wins so far.

• AAC: 4-9 (.308)
• MAC: 4-14 (.222)
• MWC: 3-16 (.158)
• CUSA: 2-15 (.118)
• Sun Belt: 0-9 (.000)
• Independents: 0-2 (.000)
• Overall: 13-65 (.167)

Wins of Note: San Diego State over Stanford, NIU over Nebraska, MTSU over Syracuse, EMU over Rutgers, CMU over Kansas, UTSA over Baylor, San Diego State over Arizona State, Memphis over UCLA, UCF over Maryland.

Next, the non-conference G5 versus G5 matchups by conferences.

• AAC: 11-2 (.846)
• MWC: 4-3 (.571)
• CUSA: 8-9 (.471)
• MAC: 6-7 (.462)
• Sun Belt: 5-9 (.357)
• Independents: 1-5 (.167)
• Overall: 35-35 (.500)

Games of Note: Toledo over Tulsa, UNLV over Idaho, NMSU over New Mexico, New Mexico over Tulsa.

Finally, the dreaded G5 versus FCS matchups by conference.

• Independents: 1-0 (1.000)
• MAC: 10-1 (.909)
• CUSA: 9-1 (.900)
• AAC: 7-1 (.875)
• MWC: 9-2 (.818)
• Sun Belt: 7-3 (.700)            
• Overall: 42-8 (.840)

Losses of Note: Tennessee State over Georgia State, James Madison over East Carolina, New Hampshire over Georgia Southern, South Dakota over BGSU, Howard over UNLV.

What have we learned?

Clearly, the AAC is the best bet for upsetting the P5, tying for the most wins while doing so in five fewer games. That shows just how good the top of the ACC is this season. Conference USA gets the bad luck award in getting only two wins in 17 chances. Despite that ugly number, they had multiple chances to upset P5 programs (i.e. Louisiana Tech versus South Carolina).

Again, the AAC rules when it comes to G5/G5 games. The only losses they suffered came with Tulsa on the field versus New Mexico and Toledo. Both games came down to the final moments of the game. The MWC has played only seven games versus other G5 competition. It is not surprising due to a conference schedule that starts so early in the season. In contrast, multiple teams in the MAC have completed their non-conference slate with the MAC playing a G5-high 17 matchups of this caliber.

In what is becoming a less and less rare occurrence, every G5 conference has at least one blemish versus the FCS. The Sun Belt with Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, and Georgia State have the most losses to FCS competition, but the pair of losses by Charlotte (NC A&T) and Nevada (Idaho State) may be the worst. Just remember, the Idaho State team that dominated Nevada lost 51-13 to Utah State in the previous week.

Upcoming non-conference games:

September 29:

• BYU at Utah State

September 30

• Marshall at Cincinnati
• Rice at Pitt
• UTEP at Army
• South Alabama at Louisiana Tech
• CMU at Boston College
• Miami at Notre Dame
• Ohio at UMass
• EMU at Kentucky
• NIU at San Diego State
• Texas State at Wyoming
• NMSU at Arkansas
• Troy at LSU

October 6:

• Boise State at BYU

October 7:

• Army at Rice
• Air Force at Navy

October 14:

• Tulane at FIU
• EMU at Army

October 21:

• BYU at East Carolina
• Temple at Army
• Idaho at Missouri
• Georgia Southern at UMass

October 28:

• Austin Peay at UCF
• Missouri at UConn
• SJSU at BYU
• Appalachian State at UMass

November 4:

• Southern Miss at Tennessee
• WKU at Vanderbilt
• BYU at Fresno State
• Army at Air Force
• UMass at Mississippi State

November 10:

• BYU at UNLV

November 11:

• New Mexico at Texas A&M
• ULL at Ole Miss
• Duke at Army
• Maine at UMass

November 18:

• Navy at Notre Dame
• Boston College at UConn
• Army at North Texas
• UAB at Florida
• ULM at Auburn
• UMass at BYU

November 25:

• BYU at Hawaii 

December 2:

• UMass at FIU

December 9:

• Army vs. Navy

College Football Outpost's Week Four In Review

Week four was a bit of a kick in the teeth for the G5. With multiple chances to show the nation they were for real, teams like Appalachian State, Houston, Toledo, Boise State, and Louisiana Tech let games slip through their hands. On the other hand, UCF made the entire G5 nation proud with a dominant win over Big Ten foe Maryland.

One thing that stood out more than anything was the sheer number of one-score games. From Idaho/USA and Ohio/EMU going double OT to UMass getting a chance at the end to beat Tennessee, we saw so many games that could have gone either way.

Three best performances of week three:

• UCF: Maryland looked like the darlings of the Big Ten after two games and expected to have trouble but beat UCF. Instead, this was a beatdown of epic proportions with Scott Frost and company dominating the entire day. The Knights were especially dominant on defense in holding the Terrapins to 197 yards on the day while forcing two turnovers.   
• Miami: The RedHawks are one of the better 2-2 G5 teams in the nation. Instead of struggling to put a game CMU team away, they rolled early to a 28-14 lead and threw a second-half shutout. The only thing keeping them from a 4-0 record is special teams in week one and a terrible decision at the end of the Cincinnati game.   
• UTSA: Facing a game versus a “rival” and trying not to look a week ahead to Southern Miss, the Roadrunners proved they are very good in boat-racing Texas State. The offense will get most of the credit, but UTSA’s defense held the Bobcats under 200 yards and allowed only 1.2 yards per carry. That effort included 11 tackles for loss.  

MACTION game of the week:

• ULM 56, ULL 50 (2 OT): Heading into this game, the Ragin’ Cajuns defense had given up 53 points per game in route to a 1-2 record. No much changed as they gave up another 56 points to the Rival Warhawks in one of the wildest games one can imagine. Some stats from the game: 106 points, 59 first downs, 1,119 yards, and 0 turnovers.

Three biggest disappointments of week three:

• Boise State: A team with high hopes heading into the season, the Broncos are sitting at 2-2 after an embarrassing loss to Virginia. The defense played its worst game of the season and the offense struggled to put anything together on a consistent basis. We may have to accept that Boise State is average at best this season.
• Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane were hosting a New Mexico team using a quarterback well down the depth chart and should have cruised to a win. Instead, the Tulsa offense never got rolling and they lost 16-13 on a walk-off field goal. This drops Tulsa to 1-3 with Navy, an improved Tulane, and Houston coming up next. Winning at least two of these games may be mandatory if they want to go bowling this season.
• Charlotte: A week after losing to NC A&T, the 49ers were dominated by a Georgia State team that was 0-2 with an FCS loss of their own, This game was never really that close and saw them face a 4^th and goal at the 27-yard line at one point. Charlotte is now 0-4 and may officially be the worst team at the FBS level.

Barely saved face:

• Troy 22, Akron 17
• North Texas 46, UAB 43
• Memphis 44, SIU 31

Five Worst G5 teams in the nation:

• Charlotte
• Georgia Southern
• UTEP
• Coastal Carolina
• UConn

National stat leaders (only if leading alone, no ties):

• Anthony Winbush: 3 forced fumbles.
• Demetrius Monday, Kent State: 4 interceptions.
• Frank Ginda, SJSU: 73 tackles, 14.6 per game.
• Anthony Winbush, Ball State: 7.5 sacks.

Week Two Scoreboard:

• #21 South Florida 43, Temple 7
• Virginia 42, Boise State 23
• #10 Ohio State 54, UNLV 21
• #13 Virginia Tech 38, Old Dominion 0
• #14 Miami 52, Toledo 30
• #18 Washington State 45, Nevada 7
• #19 Louisville 42, Kent State 3
• #22 San Diego State 28, Air Force 24
• Texas Tech 27, Houston 24
• Tulane 21, Army 17
• Tennessee 17, UMass 13
• New Mexico 16, Tulsa 13
• Idaho 29, South Alabama 23 2OT
• Ohio 27, Eastern Michigan 20 2OT
• Central Florida 38, Maryland 10
• Indiana 52, Georgia Southern 17
• Wake Forest 20, Appalachian State 19
• South Carolina 17, Louisiana Tech 16
• Miami 31, Central Michigan 14
• Navy 42, Cincinnati 32
• ULM 56, ULL 50 2OT
• Troy 22, Akron 17
• Georgia State 28, Charlotte 0
• Western Illinois 52, Coastal Carolina 10
• North Texas 46, UAB 43
• Western Kentucky 33, Ball State 21
• Buffalo 34, FAU 31
• MTSU 24, BGSU 13
• SMU 44, Arkansas State 21
• Western Michigan 49, Wagner 14
• FIU 13, Rice 7
• Utah State 61, San Jose State 10
• UTSA 44, Texas State 14
• New Mexico State 41, UTEP 14
• Memphis 44, SIU 31
• Wyoming 28, Hawaii 21 OT

Players of the week:

• Offense: Davon Grayson, East Carolina: 11 catches for 223 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 41-38 win over Connecticut.
• Defense:  Deatrick Nichols, South Florida: 3 tackles, 2 passes defended, 2 interceptions in a 43-7 win over Temple.
• Special Teams: Jason Sanders, New Mexico: 3-3 FG, 1/1 XP, including a 53-yard game winner as time expired in a 16-13 win over Tulsa.

College Football Outpost's Guide To Week Four

Hey, the shitty Alabama/Fresno State games are mostly out of the way and we get that odd week of random G5/G5 matchups along with many teams starting conference play. This is a week that could see some of the most competitive games of the season, but I do not see a replay of Toledo/Tulsa this week.

We need some music.

Five Upset Opportunities:

• Central Florida at Maryland (-4)
• Toledo at Miami (-13.5)
• Wake Forest (-4) at Appalachian State
• Louisiana Tech at South Carolina (-9.5)
• Arkansas State at SMU (-5.5)

Biggest Line:

• Kent State (+44) at Louisville

Five Closest Lines:

• Florida International at Rice (-2)
• Utah State (-1.5) at San Jose State
• Ohio at Eastern Michigan (-2.5)
• Miami at Central Michigan (-1)
• Georgia State (-1) at Charlotte

Biggest G5 Over P5 Favorite:

• Virginia at Boise State (-13)

Week Two Schedule:

9/21:

• Temple at #21 South Florida, ESPN, 6:30 PM

9/22:

• Virginia at Boise State, ESPN2, 7:00 PM

Can we finally find out what kind of team we have in Boise State? The defense is among the best I have seen this season, but they look like a mess on offense. It all starts in the trenches and the Broncos have struggled quite a bit in the battles of the big uglies. Everyone expects them to roll, but I see this game staying a bit closer with the Cavaliers looking better in year two of the Mendenhall era.

9/23:

Morning:

• UNLV at #10 Ohio State, 11:00 AM, BTN
• Kent State at #19 Louisville, 11:00 AM, ACC Network
• Texas Tech at Houston, 11:00 AM, ABC
• Army at Tulane, 11:00 AM, CBSSN
• UMass at Tennessee, 11:00 AM, SEC Network
• New Mexico at Tulsa, 12:30 PM, ESPN3
• ULM at #10 Florida State, 11:00 AM, ACC Network

Compared to previous weeks, this series of morning games is pretty stacked. Army/Tulane is a low-key great game with two wildly different option attacks on display. Houston gets another chance to play early versus a P5 program. The last time that happened was the dominant win over Oklahoma to start last season. New Mexico/Tulsa is worth watching to see if either team bothers with the passing game.

Afternoon:

• Old Dominion at #13 Virginia Tech, 1:00 PM, ACC Network
• Idaho at South Alabama, 1:00 PM, ESPN3
• Ohio at EMU, 1:00 PM, ESPN3
• UCF at Maryland, 2:00 PM, FS1
• Toledo at #14 Miami, 2:30 PM, ACC Network
• Georgia Southern at Indiana, 2:30 PM, BTN
• Wake Forest at Appalachian State, 2:30 PM, ESPN3
• Louisiana Tech at South Carolina, 2:30 PM, SEC Network
• Miami at CMU, 2:30 PM, ESPN3
• Cincinnati at Navy, 2:30 PM, CBSSN

This early slot is a bit more barren than in previous weeks but does make up a lack of quantity with several quality games. Upset specials UCF/Maryland, Toledo/Miami, Wake Forest/Appalachian State, and Louisiana Tech/South Carolina all play in this window. Don’t forget Ohio/EMU in a game that the Eagles are actually favored. Just do not watch Georgia Southern/Indiana.

Late Afternoon:

• ULM at ULL, 4:00 PM, ESPN3
• Nevada at #18 Washington State, 5:00 PM, Pac12 Network
• Akron at Troy, 5:00 PM, ESPN3
• Georgia State at Charlotte, 5:00 PM
• UAB at North Texas, 5:30 PM

The battle of Louisiana will also be underway. Let’s see if the Ragin’ Cajuns can hold anyone below 40 points. Go get a quick dinner unless you are a UAB or North Texas fan.

Primetime:

• #22 San Diego State at Air Force, 6:00 PM, CBSSN
• Ball State at Western Kentucky, 6:00PM
• FAU at Buffalo, 6:00 PM, ESPN3
• BGSU at MTSU, 6:00 PM, ESPN3
• Arkansas State at SMU, 6:00 PM, ESPN3
• Wagner at Western Michigan, 6:00 PM, ESPN3
• FIU at Rice, 6:30 PM
• Utah State at San Jose State, 6:30 PM
• UTEP at NMSU, 7:00 PM, ESPN3
• Southern Illinois at Memphis, 7:00 PM, ESPN3

Tune to CBSSN to watch what should be a very competitive game between the Aztecs and Air Force. SDSU has a habit of spitting out an early season dud and this game screams trap game.

A game that could be quite a bit of fun is a Sun Belt/AAC matchup with Arkansas State heading to SMU. Expect lots of points to be scored. UTSA should roll Texas State in a “rivalry” game.

Late Night:

• Hawaii at Wyoming, 9:15 PM, ESPN2

We finally get to find out just how good or bad Wyoming is after a brutal start to the season. Hawaii is no slouch and will score points, but I think Josh Allen and company will finally get back in the groove. Watch this game with an adult beverage and drink every time the announcers mention Allen and the NFL Draft. Actually, don’t. I would prefer for you not to die of alcohol poisoning.

Sunday Action:

• East Carolina at Connecticut, 11:00 AM, ESPNU

Don't like the NFL? You can watch what could pass for football between these two teams. I am a degenerate, so you better bet I will be watching.

College Football Outpost's G5 Top 10 Rankings (9/18/17): Post Week Three

Well, that was a productive week for the G5. Two national wins over top 25 opponents from the G5 and one of the best and wildest games of the season between Tulsa and Toledo highlighted this week. As it is early in the season, the rankings are all over the place from week to week as teams attempt to prove their worth to the nation.

1. South Florida (3-0): Hey Coach Strong. The Bulls finally looked like that team everyone expected heading into the year. Quinton Flowers was dominant, the defense looked solid to good and they easily took care of an Illinois team that easily dispatched WKU last week. The Bulls are back. Up Next: Temple.
2. San Diego State (3-0): There is no team in the G5 that has a better set of back to back wins than the Aztecs. Sure, Arizona State isn’t that good, but going on the road and winning that game followed by a home win over Stanford is damn impressive. Up Next: At Air Force.
3. Memphis (2-0): Pump the brakes a bit on the hype train for the Tigers. Sure, they beat UCLA and have arguably the most impressive wide receiver in the G5 at this moment (sorry, Richie James), but an undefeated season is a long stroll into the future. Just win the games you should and the nation will be paying attention to that September 30 matchup with UCF. Up Next: Southern Illinois.
4. Toledo (3-0): It’s slightly unfair to the Rockets to drop them from second to fourth after winning. Alas, Memphis and San Diego State are also undefeated and deserve the early praise. Don’t worry about the Rockets as they seriously have a chance to go undefeated and make an NY6 Bowl if they can make a statement and beat Miami on the road. Up Next: Miami.
5. Boise State (2-1): It was clear in the 28-14 win over New Mexico that the Broncos need a good Brett Rypien to get through the next month. They have Virginia, BYU, San Diego State, and Wyoming with only one bye week. That is a make or break portion of the schedule. Up Next: Virginia.
6. Houston (2-0): In case anyone forgot about the third team in the AAC, Houston is again among the elite. It was nice of Applewhite and company to call the horses off of a terrible Rice team when they could have put up 60 or more. If they can get by Texas Tech, we could see a battle of the unbeaten when Memphis comes to town in late October. Up Next: Texas Tech.
7. UTSA (2-0): The Roadrunners just keep moving up the list. They are now #7 and the highest ranked team in Conference USA. Their remaining schedule is not that great, save Southern Miss and Louisiana Tech, but UTSA could actually start seeing votes for the top 25 with a few more wins. Up Next: At Texas State.
8. Arkansas State (1-1): I did it. I made the jump and put the Red Wolves over the Mountaineers. I like the way they are playing and think the schedule sets them up for at least nine regular season wins. It would be nice to see them pick up a 12^th game after missing out on a chance to face Miami. Up Next: SMU.  
9. Appalachian State (2-1): I am starting to worry about the Mountaineers after watching them slip by Texas State by a single yard. The running game has been disappointing and Taylor Lamb must pick up his play. Saturday’s matchup is not easy as they host a Wake Forest team that is 3-0 for the second straight year. Up Next: Wake Forest.
10. Louisiana Tech (2-1): I want to like this team, but I am wary. They looked good for a while versus Mississippi State and then fell apart. They played an uneven game and beat a disappointing WKU squad. They haven’t played at all up to their ability. This week will show us just how close the Bulldogs are to the elite of the G5. Up Next: At South Carolina.

Others considered: Navy, Central Florida, WKU, MTSU, Army, CMU, EMU, Ohio, NIU, Troy, Air Force, Colorado State.

CFO's Essential Guide To Week One Of The College Football Season

By Johntex - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1180565

So, we made it through another offseason full of recruiting (yawn), arrests, and musical chairs on roster and coaching staffs. Officially, the season started last Saturday with South Florida attempting to give hope to the rest of G5 nation with a lackluster start to the 2017 season. Otherwise, it was a grouping of lackluster games with a wild Hawaii/UMass game that no one saw sprinkled in to complete the college football appetizer.

Enough of the hors d’oeuvres, it is time for the main course.

American Athletic Conference:

Thursday:

Florida International at Central Florida, CBSSN, 5:30 PM EST

• Austin Peay at Cincinnati, ESPN3, 6:00 PM CST
• Tulsa at #10 Oklahoma State, FS1, 6:30 PM CST: This game hold some intrigue as Tulsa has an impressive run game and three of the best blockers in the AAC. They can stay in this game if they are able to control the clock with time-consuming drives and cause turnovers. I just don’t think that a Tulsa squad breaking in a new quarterback has the weapons to outscore a Cowboys team that is a dark horse pick to make the College Football Playoff.
• Holy Cross at UConn, ESPN3, 6:30 PM CST
• Louisiana Monroe at Memphis, CBSSN, 8:00 PM CST: Other than getting to see just how explosive this Memphis team can be, there is little intrigue to this game. I, along with many others, see the Tigers as the only AAC team that could take down USF in a title game. I am more interested in the Memphis defense to see just how improved that unit is in 2017.

Friday:

• Navy at Florida Atlantic, ESPNU, 7:00 PM CST: I am a diehard G5 guy and I have a hard time building up any enthusiasm for the game. Navy is Navy and will play hard, while FAU is hard to judge and just do not have the talent needed on the defensive side of the ball to stop the Midshipmen. This could be an oddly entertaining game for those bored on a Friday night.

Saturday:

• Temple at Notre Dame, NBC, 2:30 PM CST: Both teams are hard to judge, but Temple could gain some publicity with a win over the Golden Domers on national TV. I just don’t see them pulling the upset unless someone like Armstead has a 175+ yard game.
• Stony Brook at #19 South Florida, ESPN3, 3:00 PM CST
• James Madison at East Carolina, ESPN3, 5:00 PM CST: Even though it is the defending FCS champions coming to town, this is a must win game for ECU in the Montgomery era. Win this for AAC pride.
• Stephen F. Austin at SMU, ESPN3, 6:00 PM CST
• Grambling at Tulane, ESPN3, 7:00 PM CST

Conference USA

Thursday:

• Florida International at Central Florida, CBSSN, 5:30 PM EST: The Butch Davis era is underway and the Golden Panthers should be easily dispatched by UCF. It could be interesting to see if Davis has closed the gap from last season somewhat.

Friday:

• Charlotte at Eastern Michigan, ESPN3, 5:30 PM CST: The 49ers are projected to finish at or near the rear of CUSA while EMU has the pieces in place to make back to back bowl berths. This game will be incredibly ugly. Do yourself a favor and just keep it on as background noise while watching another game.
• Navy at Florida Atlantic, ESPNU, 7:00 PM CST: Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin, Lane Kiffin.

Saturday:

• UTEP at #7 Oklahoma, FOX, 2:30 PM CST
• Alabama A&M at UAB, 2:30 PM CST
• Kentucky at Southern Miss, CBSSN, 3:00 PM CST: A rematch from last season’s oddball game that saw the Wildcats dominate early and then give up like 70 points in a row. This game is more evenly matched than many expect, but the Golden Eagles have to find a quarterback that and put pressure on the UK secondary.
• Albany at Old Dominion, ESPN3, 5:00 PM CST
• Miami OH at Marshall, 5:30 PM CST: This is a huge measuring stick game for both programs. The RedHawks are projected to finish second in the MAC east and some think they could unseat Ohio this fall. Playing well versus Marshall is crucial for national perception. Marshall needs to prove that last season was a fluke and get Chase Litton back on the right track this season. This could be a very exciting game that comes down to the wire.
• Lamar at North Texas, ESPN3, 6:00 PM CST
• Northwestern State at Louisiana Tech, ESPN3, 6:00 PM CST
• Eastern Kentucky at Western Kentucky, 6:00 PM CST
• Vanderbilt at MTSU, CBSSN, 7:00 PM CST: This is a game that the Blue Raiders have circled on their calendar since last year’s odd game. Too many silly mistakes cost MTSU a chance at beating Vanderbilt in Nashville and that weighs heavily on the senior class’ mind. This game has the capability to end up 38-35 with the last team on offense winning the game.

MAC:

Thursday:

• Buffalo at Minnesota, Big Ten Network, 6:00 PM CST
• Elon at Toledo, ESPN3, 6:00 PM CST
• Rhode Island at Central Michigan, ESPN3, 6:00 PM CST 

Friday:

• Charlotte at Eastern Michigan, ESPN3, 5:30 PM CST: The Eagles finally have real expectations heading into a season and this game will see just how they handle everyone watching. The 49ers are surprisingly competitive but are still a couple of years from making a bowl run.
• Boston College at Northern Illinois, CBSSN, 8:30 PM: This game makes for a good way to wind down your Friday night. While it is doubtful that the Huskies will pull out a win, Boston College is just average enough to give them a punchers chance.

Saturday:

• Kent State at #5 Clemson, ESPN, 11:00 AM CST
• Akron at #6 Penn State, ABC, 11:00 AM CST
• Ball State at Illinois, BTN, 11:00 AM CST
• Bowling Green at Michigan State, ESPNU, 11:00 AM CST
• Western Michigan at #4 USC, PAC12 Network, 4:15 PM CST: Last year, this game would have been much better. USC is just too good for a WMU team trying to replace Corey Davis and company.
• Miami OH at Marshall, 5:30 PM CST: This is a huge measuring stick game for both programs. The RedHawks are projected to finish second in the MAC east and some think they could unseat Ohio this fall. Playing well versus Marshall is crucial for national perception. Miami seems like the team in the MAC that comes out of nowhere and takes a national power down in route to a 10+ win season.
• Hampton at Ohio, ESPN3, 6:00 PM CST

Mountain West:

Friday:

• Colorado vs. Colorado State, PAC12 Network, 7:00 PM CST: If you are to catch one game on Friday, make it this one. The Rams looked impressive on offense and showed improvement in the second half versus Oregon State. A second straight win could put CSU on the outside looking in for a top 25 poll berth.
• Utah State at #9 Wisconsin, ESPN, 8:00 PM CST

Saturday:

• Wyoming at Iowa, BTN, 11:00 AM CST: We have heard the hype of Josh Allen all offseason and this is game that he could earn that hype. The Cowboys are facing a tough Iowa team that just makes life miserable for everyone involved, audience included. It will not be pretty, but a solid to good performance in this game could all but seal Allen’s declaration to the NFL.
• VMI at Air Force, ESPN3, 1:00 PM CST
• Nevada at Northwestern, BTN, 2:30 PM CST
• Troy at Boise State, ESPNU, 2:45 PM CST: One of the oddest start times in week one gives us one of the most compelling games of week one. The Trojans are back on the rise and have a senior class looking to return to Sun Belt glory. Boise State is looking to get back into discussion for a seat at the NY6 table at the end of the season. Boise State is better overall, but Troy has proven the ability to play above their heads versus quality teams in early season games… remember Clemson?
• Cal Poly at San Jose State, 6:30 PM CST
• Abilene Christian at New Mexico, 7:00 PM CST
• UC Davis at San Diego State, 7:30 PM CST
• Howard at UNLV, 8:00 PM CST
• Incarnate Word at Fresno State, 9:00 PM CST
• Western Carolina at Hawaii, 10:59 PM CST

Sun Belt:

Thursday:

• Tennessee State at Georgia State, ESPN3, 6:00 PM CST
• Sacramento State at Idaho, ESPN3, 8:00 PM
• Louisiana Monroe at Memphis, CBSSN, 8:00 PM CST: Head coach Matt Viator and company have a tough task in hand to upset the Tigers. Memphis could play poorly if they are looking forward to an upcoming visit from UCLA.
• New Mexico State at Arizona State, PAC12 Network, 9:30 PM CST: Crazier things have happened than the Aggies pulling an upset over the Sun Devils, right?

Saturday:

• Troy at Boise State, ESPNU, 2:45 PM CST: This is a chance for the Sun Belt to show just how close they are to the rest of the G5 elite. Troy has the talent to pull the upset, but heading cross country to face the Broncos on the blue turf is a tough task.
• Appalachian State at Georgia, ESPN, 5:15 PM CST: While I am not ready to call for the upset, this game could make the Athens faithful very nervous. The Mountaineers will make it very interesting with a chance to hang tough in the fourth quarter.
• UMass at Coastal Carolina, ESPN3, 6:00 PM CST: Welcome to the FBS Coastal, here is UMass.
• Southeastern Louisiana at Louisiana, ESPN3, 6:00 PM CST
• Houston Baptist at Texas State, ESPN3, 6:00 PM CST
• Georgia Southern at #12 Auburn, SEC Network, 6:30 PM CST
• South Alabama at Ole Miss, ESPNU, 6:30 PM CST: As long as the Jaguars are playing out of conference, they have a chance to beat anyone. It’s that tricky Sun Belt play that always confuses them.
• Arkansas State at Nebraska, BTN, 7:00 PM CST

Independents:

Friday:

• Fordham at Army, CBSSN, 5:00 PM CST: It is time to see if Army benefitted from a weak schedule or they are really a perennial bowl team for the first time since, well a long time ago. Fordham plays football at the FCS level and have a guy named Chase Edmonds at running back. He is good at football.

Saturday:

• UMass at Coastal Carolina, ESPN3, 6:00 PM CST: At least the Minutemen aren’t scheduling home and home game in season with opponents… yet.

Week Zero Thoughts: The Rams Stole the show

By Pmlydon - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7936316

While everyone was excited heading into the opening weekend of college football, the opening weekend of games was not the greatest slate ever. Other than a tough to rate Hawaii win over UMass, it was blowout city in feeling if not fully on the scoreboard. In total, six teams from G5 conferences kicked off their seasons on Saturday.

Rice 7, Stanford 62

This one was even uglier than everyone expected. The Owls made the trip from Texas to Australia to get their doors ripped off by an unproven yet talented Stanford squad. The Cardinal was on point in the first half, taking a total of 23 plays to score four touchdowns and race away for a dominant win.

• The Good: Despite nearly giving up a first down on a third and 27, the Owls bowed up and forced an incompletion with 7:31 left in the first half to preserve their 28-0 deficit. That defensive stop was the only series in which Rice held the Stanford starting offense off the board.
• The Bad: 656 yards of total offense and 62 points allowed. If Rice is to be competitive in CUSA this season, it will be from good play on the defensive side of the ball. This defensive group was completely dominated by a more physical Stanford team and has to prove that this was more of an aberration than how the 2017 season will go.
• The Ugly: Making it home. It has been tough for the Owls to make it back to Houston due to Hurricane Harvey. They are currently forced to relocate to TCU until they are able to make the trip back home. Talk about adding insult to injury. Let’s hope the Owls make it home soon. 

#19 South Florida 42, San Jose State 22

For a quarter, the Bulls faithful were certain that the curse of Charlie Strong was in the process of wrecking their program in the very first game. SJSU jumped to a 16-0 lead and looked like a team prepared to slow down the vaunted USF offense. 28 second quarter points later, the Bulls cruised to a 20-point win.

• What South Florida did well: Controlled the game from the defensive side of the ball. The USF offense was expected to garner headlines, but a solid defensive effort that included three interceptions and only 2.9 yards allowed per rush gave the Bull a chance to recover from a dreadful start to the game.
• What San Jose State did well: A quick start to the game. The Spartans special teams were dominant in the opening moments of the game, forcing a 19-yard punt and blocking another in route to a 16-0 lead. The three scoring drives were a total of 58 yards and gave the MWC program hope that they could pull an upset. During that time, the Spartans held USF to a total of 18 first quarter yards. While South Florida rolled in the final three quarters, it was an impressive first 15 minutes to the season. 
• How does South Florida look moving forward? The Bulls are still in great shape despite looking like they forgot how to play football in the opening quarter. They took care of a tricky cross country season opener and have FCS program Stony Brook waiting in the wings before a trip to a very much rebuilding UConn on September 9. This game will serve as a wakeup call that they cannot take any game lightly this season.
• How does San Jose State look moving forward? Better than expected. It was an up and down game for sophomore quarterback Josh Love. He struggled with making bad decisions in the passing game, but that is expected for such a young starter. All eyes have to be on fellow sophomore Bailey Gaither. After catching only four passes in 2016, he caught six for 100 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. The Spartans will have a tough time getting to a bowl, but this team showed signs of life.

Colorado State 58, Oregon State 27

In arguably the most dominant performance of the young season, the Rams scored 34 points in the second half in route to a win over the Pac-12. Nick Stevens was impressive with 334 yards and three passing touchdowns, the run game looked dominant at times, and Michael Gallup beat constant double coverage for 11 catches and 134 yards. The storyline of the game was a CSU defense that took a dramatic step forward in the second half and totaled five takeaways on the day.

• The Good: A great mix on offense. Passing 39 times and rushing 43 allowed the Rams to keep Oregon State on their heels for a majority of the game. Dawkins and Boddie looked like a very solid duo with multiple other players getting experience in the backfield. Including Stevens, five different players had carries for the Rams. Eight different players caught passes, led by Gallup’s game-high 11.
• The Bad: Multiple personalities on defense. Is Colorado State the defense that completely shut down the Beavers in the second half or the one that was lucky to only give up 20 points in the first half? There were signs that the defense figure things out in the second half, but the next few weeks will determine just how good the CSU defense can be this fall.
• The Ugly: Seven turnovers. Look, we know that with no preseason slate, the season opener for most teams tends to be a bit of a mess. This game was a mess with Oregon State turning it over five times and Colorado State adding two of their own. The two CSU turnovers resulted in 10 points while Colorado earned 27 points from turnover, including a 44-yard pick-six by Tre Thomas.

Hawaii 38, UMass 35:

While Colorado State had the best performance of the day and South Florida was the most talented team on Saturday, it was Hawaii and UMass that put on the best show. UMass looked at times like they were ready to pull away, but the Rainbow Warriors kept within striking range before pulling out the three point win.

• What Hawaii did well: Found a #1 receiver. Sophomore John Ursua had a solid first season in 2016 with 652 yards receiving on 53 catches. He proceeded to catch 12 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown in the win. Those stats accounted for 22.6% of his catches and 41.7% of his receiving yards from last season. That, my friends, is a breakout game.
• What UMass did well: Stuck with a balanced offense. The Minutemen never tried to get into an aerial shootout with Hawaii, doing a great job of keeping the Warrior defense honest. Junior Marquis Young will not earn any headlines but earned a key 83 yards on 20 carries to give UMass a shot at the win. In the end, getting outscored 17-7 in the final quarter was the downfall of a more than capable UMass team. Hopefully, this is the start of something good for this program.
• How does Hawaii look moving forward? Hopeful. This schedule, with a streak that includes UCLA, Wyoming, Colorado State, and Nevada, needed a season opening win to keep bowl hopes alive. Now that they only need five more wins, there is a bit more relaxation on the island with Western Carolina headed into town for Labor Day weekend.
• How does UMass look moving forward? Frustrated. This was a game that the Minutemen faithful will look back at and wonder “what if?” They held a 14-point lead in the third quarter with the Warriors having lost their last 58 games in that situation. Expect lots of work on the punt return game after a muffed punt allowed Hawaii to tie the game at 28 just a few moments into the fourth quarter. A win over new FBS program Coastal Carolina is essential as they will not be in a winnable situation again until October 21 versus Georgia Southern. 

Stats Central:

• Passer: Dru Brown, Hawaii: 25-35, 391, 3TD
• Rusher: D’Ernest Johnson, South Florida: 22/99/2TD
• Receiver: John Ursua, Hawaii: 12/272/1TD
• Tackler: Ethan Aguayo, San Jose State: 14 tackles
• Sacker: Jahlani Tavai, Hawaii: 2.0 sacks
• Interceptions: 8 players tied with 1 interception
• Field Goals: Two kickers tied with 1-1 FG attempts.
• Punting: Michael Carrizosa, San Jose State: 44.5 average