Group of Five: UCF, Boise State headline 2018 preseason power rankings

UCF and Boise State are ranked in both major polls. The College Football Playoff could have a tough time determining the top Group of Five team in 2018.

When the Coaches Poll was released back on August 2, both Boise State and UCF found themselves slotted into the Top 25. The Broncos were positioned just ahead of the Knights, last year’s Group of Five representative in the New Year’s Six, at No. 22 and No. 23 respectively.

It wasn’t surprising, then, when the AP Top 25 had both teams in their rankings as well. The AP voters put UCF ahead of Boise State, and the Knights will bring the nation’s longest winning streak into the new year.

These are hardly the only two teams with a legitimate shot of challenging for that elusive and lucrative bid into one of the major bowl games. Since 2014, the College Football Playoff has guaranteed the top Group of Five champion a spot in one of the half-dozen bowl games designated as part of the Playoff rotation.

Each week over the course of the season, we will take time every Wednesday to reassess the Group of Five field and determine where everyone sits in the pecking order. As long as the American Athletic Conference and Mountain West favorites continue winning, they will almost certainly jostle with one another for the top spot.

But there are contenders ready to swoop in. Let’s look at the top 10 before finishing up with a look at the Group of Five games against Power Five opponents in Week 1.