College Football: Group of Five Week 7 power rankings

UTSA fell from the ranks of the undefeated on Saturday. Southern Miss came to the Alamodome and took down the Roadrunners in a back-and-forth 31-29 contest in Week 6. The attempt to mount a comeback proved fruitless for Frank Wilson’s squad, ending the dream of a perfect season for the Conference USA contender.

The Roadrunners took a 13-7 lead into halftime, but Ito Smith‘s 89-yard touchdown run put the Golden Eagles ahead 28-13 early in the fourth quarter. UTSA slowly chipped away at the lead, pulling within two points on a Dalton Sturm touchdown in the final minute. But the two-point conversion attempt failed, an onside kick was recovered by Southern Miss, and UTSA ultimately fell by two in its C-USA opener.

Sturm was a prolific 27-of-43 passing the ball, throwing for 367 yards and three touchdowns. But while the UTSA defense popped out two Southern Miss fumbles, but the offense could only convert the turnovers into a single field goal. The Roadrunners ultimately gave up 458 yards of offense to the Golden Eagles, which proved too much to overcome on the day.

UTSA will look to rebound on the road at North Texas in Week 7, and they won’t leave the state of Texas for the rest of the October slate. Earning the Group of Five berth in a New Year’s Six bowl became a longshot for the Roadrunners after losing to Southern Miss, but they remain one of the 10 best mid-major squads in the country despite the defeat.