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.

What Would A Hypothetical G5 Tournament Look Like?: AAC Rules The Roost

Remember a few months ago when there was chatter of an interest in eventually forming a G5 playoff? Of course, it was shot down, first from Navy and then from a majority of the G5 with the playoff seen as admitting that the G5 programs should not be allowed to compete with the P5.

The thought behind a fight against a G5 playoff makes sense and it looks extremely unlikely that it would ever come to fruition. That is probably for the best as sooner or later a G5 program will break through into a playoff for the national title, certainly when the playoff eventually moves from four to eight teams.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t say “what if?”

With non-conference play virtually over for most of the G5, now is as good of a time as ever to imagine what a G5 playoff would look like. Remember, I am not advocating for a G5 playoff. Instead, I am just offering a “what if” scenario to break up a lazy week and give you reading material as you watch Georgia Southern and Arkansas State face off in Funbelt Wednesdays.

*****AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A "WHAT IF" AND I IN NO WAY WANT OR EXPECT TO SEE A G5 TOURNAMENT NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. JUST FOR FUN.******

Format:

Eight-team single elimination tournament.

How teams are chosen:

In what would be an eight-team tournament, all five conferences would get an automatic bid with three teams getting an at-large invite.

• American Athletic Conference Champion
• Mid-American Conference Champion
• Conference USA Champion
• Mountain West Champion
• Sun Belt Champion
• At-large
• At-large
• At-large

Sites:

The quarterfinals and semifinals would be at the higher seed’s home field like playoffs in the FCS. The title game would be in a neutral site that makes sense for the entire G5. New Orleans, Dallas, Atlanta, Tempe, Los Angeles, and Miami are too entrenched with the P5 playoff system and would make little sense as a piggyback location for the G5 tournament final. I would love to hear from you which location would make sense as a championship location. Be creative.

Now, let’s move on to the biggest argument piece of this article—the eight teams that make the cut. This is based only on the current outlook five weeks into the season. Please try to understand that I am not counting a hypothetical win over Toledo or Boise State in the future, only current work on the field. I am basing the teams selected and seeding on the CFO G5 Top 10 Poll.

• San Diego State (MW Champion)
• South Florida (At-large)
• Central Florida (AAC Champion)
• Troy (Sun Belt Champion)
• Toledo (MAC Champion)
• Navy (At-large)
• Houston (At-large)
• UTSA (CUSA Champion)

Yes, I know. That is a lot of AAC in the tournament. I never said every conference would be equally distributed, but it is a bit wild that four of the eight teams would be from a single conference. It happens.

The Bracket:

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. 

Sun Belt Power Rankings (9/5/17)

The Sun Belt featured close calls in week one. Arkansas State gave everything they could handle and the Sun Belt as a whole represented itself as a tough out for nearly any team in the nation.

1. Appalachian State (0-1, 0-0): You could make a case that Arkansas State looked like the best team in the Sun Belt in week one, but I will not hold a poor performance by the Mountaineers in week one against them. They have a chance to regroup and recover with a cupcake game versus Savannah State.
2. Arkansas State (0-1, 0-0): Wait, don’t the Red Wolves normally struggle in non-conference play before kicking it into gear in Sun Belt play? This group looks ready to contend with everyone, but must make it through a gauntlet that includes Miami (FL) and SMU.
3. Troy (0-1, 0-0): The Trojans had Boise State on the ropes at times, but could not string together enough offense to pull off arguably the biggest win in a very long time. With Alcorn State, NMSU, and Akron in the next three weeks, expect the Trojans to be halfway to bowl eligibility when they face #12 LSU.
4. Idaho (1-0, 0-0): The Vandals struggled a bit in a season opening win, but are still easily the fourth best team in the conference. They cannot afford to lose to an angry UNLV squad with a trip to Western Michigan on the horizon.
5. Louisiana (1-0, 0-0): I don’t even know how to describe Saturday night for the Ragin’ Cajuns. They were dominated in nearly every facet of the game, but got two kickoff returns for touchdowns and a stand at the end and got the win. Up next is a Tulsa team looking to prove their doubters wrong.  
6. New Mexico State (0-1, 0-0): Let’s be honest, after the third quarter, the Aggies never really had a chance to win over Arizona State. Still, they fought to the end, put up 31 points, looked respectable versus a PAC 12 program. If the defense is improved, they have a chance to get to six wins.   
7. South Alabama (0-1, 0-0): For a half, the Jaguars looked poised to beat a Mississippi team from the SEC for the second time in two years. Those hopes faded fast as they gave up 27 points in the third quarter and lost big to the Rebels. With Oklahoma State, Idaho, and Louisiana Tech still on the schedule before October, this could be a tough month for South Alabama.
8. Coastal Carolina (1-0, 0-0): The Chanticleers have to earn their way up the rankings, but more wins over FBS opposition will help the cause. They could hypothetically head into October 4-0 with winnable games versus UAB, Western Illinois, and ULM. They could also easily lose all three.
9. ULM (0-1, 0-0): Huge underdogs to Memphis, the Warhawks made things a bit more stressful before bowing down in the rain. Don’t expect Riley Ferguson to be held under 100 yards passing once again, so props to the ULM defense.  
10. Georgia Southern (0-1, 0-0): Look, I know they were playing Auburn, but 78 total yards is embarrassing. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt this early in the season. Up next is a matchup with FCS program New Hampshire.
11. Texas State (1-0, 0-0): The Bobcats won and that is all that matters. It was not pretty and Houston Baptist had chances, but a win is a win. Colorado, Appalachian State, UTSA, and Wyoming await the Bobcats to end September.  
12. Georgia State (0-1, 0-0): Getting dominated at home versus Tennessee State was not the way to open a new home for the program. There is talent on the roster, so hopefully, this is a blip on the radar like a loss two years ago to Charlotte that led to an eventual bowl berth.

College Football Outpost's Week One In Review

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlund/5069579976

Week one of the college football season is over for G5 programs. To be honest, it was an odd weekend with multiple power programs playing well below their expectations. From slightly rebuilding Western Michigan taking USC to the wire to UNLV dropping a matchup to Howard, nothing went according to plan.

With that said, let’s take a look back at week one.

• Most impressive win: Coastal Carolina 38, UMass 28.
• Worst Loss: Howard 43, UNLV 40.

Five storylines heading into week two:

Who will be the quarterback at Boise State?

No one is going to put the Broncos win over Troy in the College Football Hall of Fame. It was ugly and at times, just flat out hard to watch as neither team seemed to find anything positive on offense for a majority of the game.

The problem with Brett Rypien last season was his inability to find consistency. One week he looked like an All-American and the next, he looked like a backup. Partially due to a gameplan by Hasin and company and also due to how the game went, Rypien barely saw the field in the final quarter with graduate transfer Montell Cozart leading the offense. The Broncos (barely) did enough to win, but Harsin will have a whole new group of people to block on Twitter in the coming week due to his handling of the quarterback position.

Now, we have to ask if Cozart is now the #1 and Rypien is spelling him, vice versa or some other decision will be made. It seems like the Broncos will go with the same plan as in week one. Don’t worry, all Boise State has next week is a trip to #24 Washington State. No biggie.

Can South Florida start play at opening kickoff?

Does a team automatically forget how to play football with Charlie Strong as its head coach? For the second straight week, the Bulls came out poor in the opening quarter and never led until 2:43 was left in the third quarter. In the end, it was a somewhat comfortable 14-point win, but this is getting ridiculous.

If USF starts like that versus… ummm… forget that for now because their schedule is soft this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if USF is closer to #25 than #15 when the AP Poll comes out on Monday.

Western Michigan isn’t going away that easily.

Surely, the Broncos couldn’t hang with a USC team expected to play in the playoff this season after losing so many important players. They would still be good, but they were not going to be anywhere near the level of last season.

Not so fast, my friend.

With 4:37 left in the game, the Broncos were within 35-31 and had a real chance to pull the upset. A long run and a pick-six ended those hopes but told the rest of the MAC that Western Michigan isn’t going anywhere this fall.

What is even more impressive is the fact that WMU hung in there despite playing the game virtually one dimensional on offense. Jon Wassink passed for 67 yards, but a three-headed monster at running back rushed for 219 yards on 36 carries and gashed a pretty good USC defense.

Coastal gets an FBS win in its first try.

It took so many other teams multiple years to get their first win over an FBS opponent after making the jump from the FCS. Everyone assumed the Coastal Carolina would need multiple attempts to accomplish that feat, but the Chanticleers. Used a run game that basically gave a carry to anyone on the depth chart and added to the misery that is UMass football with a 38-28 win.

Osharmar Abercrombie finally got his shot at the starting position after racking up nearly 1,200 yards as a three-year backup to De’Angelo Henderson and set a career high with 149 yards on 17 carries. CCU as a whole rushed for 321 yards and four touchdowns in the win.

Service Academies represent.

Navy 42, Florida Atlantic 19. Army 64, Fordham 6. Air Force 62, VMI 0. All three service academies stepped into the 2017 season with dominant performances over outmatched programs. While none of the three teams were expected to be tested, a combined 168-25 is a pretty good weekend.

Three teams that disappointed in week one:

• MTSU: I could go on and on about the lack of defense on the part of the Blue Raiders, but this was another big game that they did not show up for. Blame the players, blame the coaches, blame whoever, but MTSU has shown an inability to show up for games like this in recent seasons and it has to end if they are to be considered an elite G5 program.
• East Carolina: I could have easily gone with South Florida from the AAC, but the Pirates officially hit rock bottom in being completely dominated during a loss to James Madison. ECU looks like a mess under Scottie Montgomery and fans have to be wondering what could have been if Ruffin was still around instead of being let go after the 2015 season.
• Kent State/Akron: I could have picked one over the other, but they were virtually the same program on Saturday. Sure, they were playing the #5 and #6 teams in the nation and there are excuses to be made. I personally watched the first halves of these games and felt like Penn State and Clemson had to make a concerted effort to keep from breaking 40 points in the opening two quarters. It was flat out ugly football.

***Bonus disappointment: Georgia State/UNLV***

Three teams that impressed in week one:

• Marshall: You can make the argument that it was smoke and mirrors that won the game for the Thundering Herd over Miami. The run game was nonexistent, Litton was average, and the defense gave up 429 yards. In many cases, this is the recipe for a blowout loss, but Marshall found a way to win. Keion Davis took two kickoffs to the house and basically won the game for them.
• Western Michigan: As I said earlier, WMU hung toe to toe with one of the best teams in the nation and proved to the MAC that they will be a force to be reckoned with. That run game will be tough for any G5 team to slow down.
• Tulane: Facing a tougher than usual Grambling squad, Tulane raced ahead and easily controlled their FCS foe. Jonathan Banks took the long road from Kansas State to the JUCO ranks and finally Tulane and ran the offense well with 185 yards passing and another 69 on the ground. Overall, the Green Wave accounted for over 250 yards and over six yards per carry in the win.

G5 players of the week:

• Offense: Zach Abey, Navy: 235 yards rushing, 110 yards passing, three total touchdowns versus FAU.
• Defense: Anthony Winbush, Ball State: 7 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 sacks versus Illinois.
• Special Teams: Keion Davis, Marshall: Two kickoff returns for touchdowns versus Miami OH.

Ten Mountain West Non-Conference Games To Watch:

Always full of compelling matchups including both the G5 and P5, the MWC knows how to schedule. Of course, Boise State leads this list with three mentions, but there are several others quality games like New Mexico-Tulsa and UNLV-Idaho that will keep the masses entertained. If you are willing to stay up late or catch a Friday night matchup, you will not be disappointed.

• Boise State at BYU (October 6): An annual series since the 2012 season, the Cougars and Broncos are destined to put on a show. Even if it is a 7-6 final like in 2012, it is a fun game that is worth the watch. Last season was a wild show with Boise State doing everything possible to give BYU the win before coming up with a blocked kick to hold on for the win. That turned into BYU’s only loss in their final nine games. The Cougars lost four games by a combined EIGHT points last fall. This is another battle of star quarterbacks as Rypien matches up with Tanner Mangum.  

• Virginia at Boise State (September 22): This game just jumps out as one that must be watched. Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall is looking to turn the program around after the first season that saw them lose to a terrible UConn squad and Richmond of the FCS. He is quite familiar with the Broncos from his time as head coach of BYU. Boise State is coming off of a year that seemed one step off in every possible way. They blew multiple chances to win the MWC and eventually played right out of a chance at winning their division. Despite Virginia being much improved from 2016, this should be a game the Broncos control throughout and win convincingly.

• Toledo at Nevada (September 9): What this game could have been if James Butler decided to stay with the Wolfpack. The star running back took advantage of the graduate transfer rule and headed to Iowa in the offseason. Instead of Butler, the Wolfpack will likely rely upon Alabama quarterback transfer David Cornwall to light up the Rockets defense. Toledo has players to replace (especially at running back and tight end), but there are players on the roster to fill the gaps. I can’t see anyone handling wide receiver Cody Thompson in man coverage. Expect the Rockets to roll.

• Troy at Boise State (September 2): The first matchup of two historically excellent G5 programs, this game should be a treat. The Trojans are stacked on offense with the Sun Belt’s top two returning receivers, an excellent running back, and arguably the best quarterback in the conference. The battle of Brandon Silvers and Brett Rypien is easily worth the viewing. Boise State head coach Brian Harsin is very familiar with the Trojans from his time at Arkansas State.

• Colorado vs. Colorado State (September 1): Typically a close matchup with nine of the last 15 meetings settled by a touchdown or less, this is always a game to watch. We finally get both teams on the upswing at the same time, keeping us from falling prey to another 44-7 drubbing. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Rams head into Denver and make this a compelling game, but I do not think they have the weapons to pull out a win.

• UNLV at Idaho (September 9): In a magical 2016 season that saw the Vandals return to a bowl game, it was this game that seemingly turned the corner. Idaho pulled out an overtime win in the third of three straight road non-conferences games before Sun Belt play. UNLV was all over the place last season, losing to San Jose State while beating Hawaii and Wyoming. The Rebels have a ton of promise but have to take a step forward this season.

• Oregon at Wyoming (September 16): Last season saw these two teams head in completely different directions. Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl entered the season on the hot seat and nearly won the MWC to retain his job. He has who some are calling the eventual #1 pick of the NFL Draft under center and some weapons ready to replace the losses from last season. Oregon has a new head coach in Willie Taggart. They have a lot of work to do to fix the multiple issues that resulted in a disappointing 4-8 season.  

• Stanford at San Diego State (September 16): Despite lacking the 5-star commits of USC or the exotic schemes of Washington State, all Stanford does is win. The Cardinal is coming off of another 10 win season last fall, but lose a game changer at running back for this season. The Aztecs feel their pain as they attempt life after Pumphrey. Luckily, they have a more than capable replacement in Rashaad Penny. It is on defense where SDSU is capable of being exposed this fall.

• Oregon State at Colorado State (September 23): Has it really been 42 years since these two teams met previously? Colorado State is coming off of a season that started terribly but found its groove once the offense started humming. The Beavers had a tough 2016 season under Mike Riley, but are hedging their bets on Idaho quarterback castoff Jake Luton to fix their offensive woes. Luton has the physical tools and could blossom into a star under the right coaching.

• New Mexico at Tulsa (September 23): Love them or hate them, you have to give credit to Tulsa. They are happy to play any G5 team as evidenced by a non-conference slate that includes Louisiana (Sun Belt), New Mexico (MWC), and Toledo (MAC). The Golden Hurricane sport a bruising running game that includes three potential first team All-AAC offensive linemen. The Lobos are no stranger to the run game with head coach Bob Davie leading an option attack. If you love the run game and points scored, this is the game for you.

Others to watch: Hawaii at UMass, USF at SJSU, Wyoming at Iowa, Nevada at Northwestern, Boise State at Washington State, NMSU at New Mexico, SDSU at Arizona State, Utah State at Wake Forest, NIU at SDSU, Air Force at Navy, Army at Air Force. 

2017 Sun Belt Top Returning Offensive Players

We are weeks away from another foray into the Funbelt. Last season was a rollercoaster as teams rose from the ashes (Idaho) while others fell to the ground (Georgia Southern). No one fully knows what to expect out of the conference this fall other than Arkansas State, Appalachian State, and Troy will be good.

Without further ado, here is a look at the Sun Belt's top returning offensive skill position players for the 2017 season.

Rushing:

1. Jalin Moore, Appalachian State: 237/1,402/10TD
2. Jordan Chunn, Troy: 279/1,288/16TD
3. Warren Wand, Arkansas State: 200/879/7TD
4. Larry Rose III, New Mexico State: 159/865/4TD
5. Xavier Johnson, South Alabama: 151/831/10TD

Others to watch: Isaiah Saunders IDAHO (159/731/9TD), Aaron Duckworth IDAHO (145/676/5TD).

The top end of the running back position in the Sun Belt is as talented as any group in the nation. From Moore to Johnson, and of the top five running backs is capable of a 1,500-yard season. Larry Rose has a chance to rebound from an injury plagued season in 2016 and lead the Aggies to their first bowl game since the 1960s. He is capable of a 2,000-yard season if everything falls right.

As a group, Idaho might be in the best shape in the backfield. They have two solid backs that added up for just over 1,400 yards, giving them a fighting chance if one of the big two is stricken with an injury. It could be a year to remember for the Vandals as they make their farewell tour of the Sun Belt.

Passing:

1. Matt Linehan, Idaho: 257-415/3,184/19TD/136.7 Efficiency
2. Brandon Silvers, Troy: 293-460/3,180/23TD/133.0 Efficiency
3. Justice Hansen, Arkansas State: 197-340/2,719/19TD/138.9 Efficiency
4. Dallas Davis, South Alabama: 198-348/2,706/11TD/125.8 Efficiency
5. Conner Manning, Georgia State: 207-373/2,684/16TD/123.1 Efficiency

Others to watch: Tyler Rogers NMSU (2,589/16TD), Taylor Lamb APP STATE (2,281/15TD), Garrett Smith ULM (1,237/9TD), Austin Wilson CCU (Graduate Transfer from Syracuse).

Just like the running back position, there is a ton of talent at the top end of the quarterback position. Taylor Lamb of Appalachian State only threw for 2,281 last season, but he is in a run first offense and has personally carried the ball for more than 400 yards in each of the last three seasons.

Linehan is the top pro prospect among Sun Belt quarterbacks. He is accurate, agile enough in the pocket, and has an NFL bloodline as his father is the offensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys. A 3,500+ yard season this fall could vault Linehan into round three or four of the 2018 draft.

Receiving:

1. Emanuel Thompson, Troy: 80/820/6TD
2. Deondre Douglas, Troy: 60/740/6TD
3. Sheadon Meadors, Appalachian State: 45/716/2TD
4. Blake Mack, Arkansas State: 34/652/3TD
5. Glenn Smith, Georgia State: 40/547/3TD

Others to watch: Tevaris McCormick TROY (35/456/5TD), Penny Hart GA STATE (Injured in 2016), Elijah King TEXAS STATE (28/453/2TD), RJ TURNER ULM (23/433/3TD), Xavier Brown ULM (25/425/4TD), Keenan Barnes ULL (3/418/6TD), Alfonso Onunwor IDAHO (39/403/1TD), Thurman Morbley TEXAS STATE (35/400/2TD).

The wide receiver position in the Sun Belt is all over the place. You have explosive tight ends, stars coming back from injury, and a stacked group in Troy. First, the Trojans could have a historic season this year with three of the top six returning receivers in the Sun Belt. Thompson and Douglas should again account for 140-150 catches and McComick could jump to the 45-50 catch range. That is a hell of a trio.

Arkansas State tight end Blake Mack is one of the best-hidden secrets in college football. He is electric with the ball and turns a potent Red Wolves attack into something downright scary. A 19.3 yards per catch average is no joke, but he needs to be at the 50+ catch range this fall.

Finally, Penny Hart. The 2015 Sun Belt freshman of the year is again healthy and ready to run wild in the conference. If Hart can prove he is over his injury woes and return to his 2015 self, the Panthers could be in line for another bowl berth.

Next week, we will take a look at defense and special teams for the Sun Belt before rolling out conference previews. 

Sun Belt Week Five Review

Another week is in the books for the 2015 college football season with the Sun Belt going 4-6. Conference play kicked into gear with three Sun Belt games taking place. Let's take a look at the good, bad, and ugly of week five Sun Belt football action.

Sun Belt Week Four Review

Another week is in the books for the 2015 college football season with the Sun Belt going 2-6 with one conference game taking place. Let's take a look at the good, bad, and ugly of week four Sun Belt football action.

Sun Belt Conference Week Two Review:

Another week is in the books for the 2015 college football season with the Sun Belt going 6-5 with only one conference game (Ga. St-NMSU) taking place. Let's take a look at the good, bad, and ugly of week two Sun Belt football.

Sun Belt Week One Review

With one week in the books, who were the biggest winners and losers of the opening week?

Sun Belt Predictions

When people hear the Sun Belt Conference, they tend to think of the bad and the teams that left for CUSA among other places. In reality, the Sun Belt is an up and coming conference that has been smart in adding Georgia Southern and Appalachian State. Let's take a look at the Sun Belt and how I see things shaking down.

Sun Belt Players to Watch

There are lots of players to watch in the Sun Belt this fall throughout the conference. Let's take a look at a few from every team in the league:

2015 Sun Belt Football Schedule

Sun Belt Schedule:

Why your team will win the Sun Belt Title

Why your team will not win the Sun Belt Title

Fall Previews 4 of 63: Troy

Troy: 

Group of Five players on the Jim Thorpe Award watch list

Jim Thorpe Award watch list:

A quick look at every Sun Belt offensive backfield

The Sun Belt Conference had several offenses that put up video game numbers in 2014 with seven 2,000+ yard passers and six 1,000+ yard rushers returning for the 2015 season. The addition of UAB quarterback Cody Clements gives every team except Troy and ULM at least a passer or rusher in those categories. Arkansas State (Knighten and Gordon), Appalachian State (Lamb and Cox), NMSU (Rogers and Rose), and Texas State (Jones and Lowe) all have a QB and RB back that broke those plateaus.

Troy 2015 Roster (with 2014 stats)

Troy: