Group of Five: Top 15 Power Poll

[armchairqb]

The idea behind this poll is slightly different than how I would do a normal top 25. This top 15 is based on mere team strength rather than resume.


1.BYU(2-1) Lost by a hair on the road to UCLA. Michigan will make BYU's third road trip to a mid-level or above Power Five opponent in the first four weeks of 2015.

2.Memphis(3-0) Two challenging road wins back to back, will count mightily on their home date against Ole Miss to give them some traction for a money bowl. That and an upcoming road game at Temple.

3.Temple(3-0) Counting just as mightily as Memphis as they have a home date in week 9 against Notre Dame which could net them a money bowl.

4.Boise State(2-1)
5.Bowling Green(1-2)
6.Toledo(2-0)
7.Northern Illinois(2-1)
8.Ohio(3-0)
9.Houston(2-0)
10.Marshall(2-1)
11.Western Kentucky(2-1)
12.Louisiana Tech(1-2)
13.Navy(2-0)
14.South Alabama(3-0)
15.Arkansas State(2-1)

[Eric]

I think on a pure power poll, I'd probably have half of the teams be from the American, which I think of as by far and away the best "Group of Five" conference. Houston might turn out to be a really good team, it all hinges on how Greg Ward plays down the stretch.

Here's how I'd go:

1. Memphis
2. BYU
3. Houston
4. Boise State
5. Bowling Green
6. Temple
7. Toledo
8. Navy
9. Tulsa
10. Cincinnati
11. Northern Illinois
12. ECU
13. Western Kentucky
14. Ohio
15. Air Force

Honorable mentions to Louisiana Tech, UConn, Colorado State, Nevada, Georgia Southern, Middle Tennessee, and Marshall. I'm still getting a feel for the Sun Belt, but it's hard to tell who's really good right now. The Sun Belt can be volatile year-to-year and even week-to-week. Like I have no idea if this year's UL Lafayette team is as good as the one last year; if they are, they'd probably make my list. Georgia Southern getting lambasted by West Virginia really took me by surprise even without Ellison at QB, but now that he's back and running the offense, they're probably good enough to be on the list. C-USA is pretty balanced too, so I'm interested in seeing how Middle Tennessee does against Illinois, but I think the Blue Raiders are a team to watch out for. Too early to tell still.

Tulsa is legit. They found the right guy to manage the offense in Montgomery. I said they should have hired Sonny Cumbie, but I never had an issue with Montgomery. And I did pick New Mexico to beat them in Albuquerque because I thought the oddsmakers knew something I didn't ( ). Keyarris Garrett and Keevan Lucas are beasts and they did work against Oklahoma.

[Vileborg]

I have to say I'm be on board for both of those line ups.

I'd have to go with Memphis at the top because they taken care of business. I didn't think they would get past Bowling Green. Temple would be on top if not for the 2 point win over UMass last week. BYU would probably be second for me but I don't rate UCLA as strongly as others. UCLA has a high ranking right now but I see them as a barely borderline top25 team by the end of the year.

[armchairqb]

9/26/2015

1.Boise State(3-1) Blasting Virginia in a two time zone trip is a nice boost toward a Mountain West title.

2.Toledo(3-0) Won both games against "Arkansas" teams in 2015. The Rockets are a tough-nosed squad.

3.Ohio (3-1) Head coach Frank Solich murdered his headset in week four, because they were one minute away from beating an underrated Minnesota team that could win the B1G West.

4.BYU(2-2) The tough early schedule took its toll on the Cougars at Michigan. The missionary trip takes a break next week as they have a winnable game at home against Connecticut.

5.Houston (3-0) This isn't your father's Houston Cougars team. HC Tom Herman and QB Greg Ward Jr are doing things a little different than what fans are used to and it's working well.

6.Temple(3-0) At home against Charlotte is much like having two bye weeks in a row. They will have to run it up against the 49ers to avoid a diagnosis of "2014 Marshall-itis".

7.Memphis(3-0) This offense can light up scoreboards. Unfortunately, so can their defense.

8.Navy (3-0)
9.Bowling Green(2-2)
10.Northern Illinois(2-2)
11.Cincinnati (2-2)
12.Marshall (3-1)
13.East Carolina (2-2)
14.Western Kentucky (3-1)
15.Louisiana Tech (2-2)

[Eric]

Houston plays Tulsa next week. I'm getting giddy just thinking about that one. Texas Tech / TCU today reminded me why I love offensive shootouts

[armchairqb]

1.Boise State (4-1) The Broncos are clicking on all hooves with a shutout of Hawai'i.

2.Toledo (4-0) An undefeated regular season is quite possible in 2015.

3.Houston (4-0) A nice road win at Tulsa starts off a relatively soft month in their schedule. They avoid Temple in the regular season, but Cincinnati and Memphis are on the docket for the first half of November.

4.Temple (4-0) Reasonably acceptable margin of victory at Charlotte. They finish off October at East Carolina and hosting Notre Dame.

5.Navy (4-0) Have had a nice run in 2015, but next is a road trip to South Bend. The Domers' lost by a hair to Clemson in week five and the Midshipmen will likely be their scapegoat.

6.Ohio (4-1) A nice road win by the Bobcats over an improving Akron Zips squad.

7.Memphis (5-0) Their wins have been more interesting than dominating, but they've won 12 in a row. Week seven hosting Ole Miss is the most important game in the history of their football program.

8.Cincinnati (3-2)
9.BYU (3-2)
10.Bowling Green(3-2)
11.Marshall (4-1)
12.East Carolina (3-2)
13.Western Kentucky (4-1)
14.Louisiana Tech (3-2)
15.Utah State (2-2)

[Eric]

Here's how I think I'd go:

1. Memphis
2. Boise State
3. Houston
4. Cincinnati
5. ECU
6. BYU
7. Toledo
8. Bowling Green
9. Temple
10. Navy
11. Western Kentucky
12. Ohio
13. Louisiana Tech
14. Georgia Southern
15. Marshall

I feel bad leaving Tulsa off this list because I'm a believer, but they kept stalling on offense against Houston and Keevan Lucas is hurt now. They're an interesting team to watch going forward. NIU's terrible passing offense is continuing to do them in. Central and Western can start making a push now depending on what they do against Toledo.

I had to rank Cincy so high because they are so great at WR. They would probably win most of these games in head-to-head matchups in my honest opinion. ECU is surging with Summers at QB and they are going to be a force in conference play. Georgia Southern with Ellison back running the show is going to run all over the Sun Belt, although I think Appalachian State is looking like a contender there too. I still believe in Middle Tennessee also as being a threat in the East.

[armchairqb]

1.Boise State (5-1)
2.Toledo (5-0)
3.Temple (5-0)
4.Houston (5-0)
5.Navy (4-1)
6.Ohio (5-1)
7.Memphis (5-0)
8.BYU (4-2)
9.Cincinnati (3-2)
10.Marshall (5-1)
11.Bowling Green (4-2)
12.Utah State (3-2)
13.Western Kentucky (5-1)
14.East Carolina (3-3)
15.Louisiana Tech (4-2)

[armchairqb]

1.Toledo (6-0)
2 Memphis (6-0)
3.Temple (6-0)
4.BYU (5-2)
5.Houston (6-0)
6.Utah State (4-2)
7.Boise State (5-2)
8.Navy (4-1)
9.Bowling Green (5-2)
10.Cincinnati (3-3)
11.Marshall (6-1)
12.Western Kentucky (6-1)
13.East Carolina (4-3)
14.Western Michigan (3-3)
15.Louisiana Tech (4-3)

[armchairqb]

1. Memphis (7-0)
2. Temple (7-0)
3. Houston (7-0)
4. Toledo (7-0)
5. Navy (5-1)
6. Bowling Green (6-2)
7. BYU (6-2)
8. Boise State (6-2)
9. Western Kentucky (6-2)
10. Louisiana Tech (5-3)
11. Cincinnati (4-3)
12. East Carolina (4-4)
13. Western Michigan (4-3)
14. Marshall (6-1)
15. Appalachian State (6-1)

[Eric]

Ohio is absolutely disappointing. They'll get to a bowl game for sure, but they are sliding hard. I haven't watched them the last two weeks, but I think they are banged up. And they can't run the ball anymore for some reason. Pretty strange.

I think I'd go like this:

1. Memphis
2. Houston
3. BYU
4. Boise State
5. Bowling Green
6. Temple
7. Toledo
8. Navy
9. Cincinnati
10. ECU
11. Western Kentucky
12. Louisiana Tech
13. Appalachian State
14. Marshall
15. San Diego State

[Eric]

I'm not buying Toledo quite as much as some others are. They do have the two nice wins, but I think Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, and Bowling Green are definitely in the same league. Temple I feel is squeaking past some of their competition. Nice running game and nice defense, so if they are close with Notre Dame, I'll definitely move them past Bowling Green. I think Notre Dame will win like 33-10 or something. I don't see this as being a very competitive matchup.

[armchairqb]

1. Memphis (8-0)
2. Temple (7-1)
3. Houston (8-0)
4. Toledo (7-0)
5. Navy (6-1)
6. Bowling Green (6-2)
7. BYU (6-2)
8. Boise State (7-2)
9. Western Kentucky (7-2)
10. Cincinnati (5-3)
11. Louisiana Tech (6-3)
12. Western Michigan (4-3)
13. Marshall (7-1)
14. San Diego State (6-3)
15. Appalachian State (7-1)

[highfly24]

I'm not buying Toledo quite as much as some others are. They do have the two nice wins, but I think Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, and Bowling Green are definitely in the same league.

Toledo lost yet again to NIU. Toledo had chances to put that game out of reach but NIU kicker kept them in it and they eventually took the game. With that loss there is lil question that the AAC is the conference to beat for the "group of 5". They were in great position before Toledo's loss. I've been pleasantly impressed with the depth of the conference.

[armchairqb]

1. Temple (8-1)
2. Houston (9-0)
3. Navy (7-1)
4. Memphis (8-1)
5. Bowling Green (7-2)
6. BYU (7-2)
7. Boise State (7-2)
8. Cincinnati (5-4)
9. Western Kentucky (8-2)
10. Louisiana Tech (7-3)
11. Western Michigan (5-3)
12. Toledo (7-1)
13. Air Force (6-3)
14. Arkansas State (6-3)
15. San Diego State (6-3)