As the 2017 season comes down the home stretch, which Group of Five teams remain in the race for a New Year’s Six bowl berth entering Week 11?
Who can actually still win a conference championship? That is the paramount question as we enter the heart of November play. At this point, nothing else really matters for Group of Five teams in the race to win the lucrative spot in one of the New Year’s Six bowl games.
In the previous era, when the only stipulation to become a BCS Buster was reaching the top 12 of the BCS standings. (One could also the top 16 if that team finished ahead of a major-conference champion.) Now, though, the championship is the most critical component of the equation.
When the College Football Playoff selection committee sits down to evaluate its selections for the major bowl games, a Group of Five team is guaranteed a spot. But the selection comes down to which champion will get the spot. We have seen great teams like Boise State and Houston shut out in recent years because they failed to win a league title. This year will be no different.
In Week 10 play, several strong teams fell out of the New Year’s Six race after effectively dropping out of their respective conference races. Entering the picture are a few teams that remain alive for league crowns. Keep reading to see who remains alive in the quest for a major bowl berth in the Group of Five power rankings ahead of Week 11.