Group of Five: Week 13 Access Bowl Power Rankings
By Zach Bigalke
No other Group of Five schools are undefeated. Every other program in the running for the Access Bowl berth has at least two losses. Western Michigan cleared its last regular-season hurdle last weekend, knocking off Toledo by 20 points in a de facto division championship. Now the Broncos turn their attention to Ohio, a team they must beat in order to make it to the Cotton Bowl. If WMU wins on Friday evening in Detroit, the thousands of words written about every other team become moot.
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The WMU offense is one of the best in the country. Led by 3000-yard passer Zach Terrell and 1200-yard rusher Jarvion Franklin, the Broncos are ranked third nationally in scoring. P.J. Fleck’s team puts nearly 45 points per game on the scoreboard. Their defense has been just as stout, allowing fewer than 20 points per game to their opponents. No team is better at protecting the football than Western Michigan, which gave up just five turnovers all season. If Ohio manages to even beat the spread, let alone win outright, it will be an upset.