Group of Five: Week 7 Access Bowl Power Rankings

After a decisive 10-point win over Tulane in New Orleans, Memphis remained tied with Navy atop the AAC West. The Tigers defense held the Green Wave to just 4.2 yards per play on Saturday and forced three turnovers. Of course, Memphis needed every one of those turnovers after an uncharacteristically sloppy day. Doroland Dorceus and John Williams each lost a fumble, while Riley Ferguson threw an interception. Mike Norvell’s team took the good with the bad, as Dorceus put up 99 yards on eight touches and Ferguson threw for 236 yards and a touchdown. The big star for the Tigers, though, was running back Darrell Henderson. The freshman scored both Memphis touchdowns, catching Ferguson’s 46-yard touchdown pass and running for a 45-yard score.

Had Memphis knocked off Ole Miss for a second straight season, they would have a much stronger case for the Group of Five invite to the Cotton Bowl this year. In fact, they’d probably be topping this list. But it doesn’t help that the Rebels have lost three games already and are mired at the bottom of the SEC West standings. The Tigers did take down Kansas, hardly an equivalent substitute in terms of a Power Five statement win, but a Group of Five team must take any win it can get. If Memphis knocks off Navy in Annapolis next weekend, they will have the inside track to the division title. That guarantees nothing, though, as they will still have to play Tulsa, SMU, South Florida, and Cincinnati before the season finale against Houston.