Group of Five: Week 13 Access Bowl Power Rankings

By the time Navy takes the field on Saturday afternoon, they will already know whether or not they are playing for the Access Bowl trip to Texas. If Western Michigan loses on Friday night, a Midshipmen win over Temple will send the AAC champion to the Cotton Bowl. The Owls are on a hot streak, winners of six in a row, and Vegas has installed the Middies as just a three-point favorite — effectively giving them the home-field benefit and otherwise calling the game a toss-up.

The fact that Navy is even in this position, though, is amazing in its own right. After longtime starting quarterback Keenan Reynolds exhausted his eligibility, Tago Smith was supposed to step into his place. Then injury struck, and yet the engine has just kept churning on in Annapolis thanks to the steady play of Will Worth. The Midshipmen are 11th nationally in scoring, averaging just under six touchdowns per game. If the triple-option offense gets humming, this game could be decided before the fourth quarter.