Saturday Blitz
Fansided

College Football: 5 Group of Five teams that could play in New Year’s Six bowl

By Ryan T. Smith

TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 28: Quarterback Quinton Flowers #9 of the South Florida Bulls avoids a Navy Midshipmen defender during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium on October 28, 2016 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Joseph Garnett Jr. /Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 28: Quarterback Quinton Flowers #9 of the South Florida Bulls avoids a Navy Midshipmen defender during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium on October 28, 2016 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Joseph Garnett Jr. /Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 5
Next
TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 28: Quarterback Quinton Flowers #9 of the South Florida Bulls avoids a Navy Midshipmen defender during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium on October 28, 2016 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Joseph Garnett Jr. /Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 28: Quarterback Quinton Flowers #9 of the South Florida Bulls avoids a Navy Midshipmen defender during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium on October 28, 2016 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Joseph Garnett Jr. /Getty Images) /

1. South Florida

In USF, you’ve got everything you’re looking for in a potential Cinderella. A team that won double-digit games in 2016 and returns the majority of its offense and defense? Check. The Group of Five’s best offensive playmaker in Quinton Flowers, who accounted for over 4,300 total yards and 42 touchdowns? Check. Playing in the best mid-major conference? Check. A remarkably soft schedule? Yes, that too.

The Bulls’ toughest non-conference test is a visit from Illinois, and they avoid Memphis in the regular season while getting Houston, Tulsa and Temple at home.

The Bulls aren’t a sure thing by any means — they lost coach Willie Taggart to Oregon in the offseason, and while Charlie Strong seems like a no-brainer of a replacement, there’s no guarantee of a smooth transition.

They also lost a pair of indispensable offensive playmakers in tailback Marlon Mack and receiver Rodney Adams. But they’re undoubtedly the best bet that the Group of Five has to offer, pairing a record-setting offense with a defense that should see sizable improvements under Strong’s guidance.

Next: College football's top 50 players for 2017

South Florida will be beginning 2017 in the Group of Five driver’s seat. Whether or not they’ll end up there is another question entirely.

Home/College Football News