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

Boise State enters the 2018 season as the top-ranked Group of Five team according to the Coaches Poll. It has been four years since Bryan Harsin’s squad went to the Fiesta Bowl in the first year of the College Football Playoff system. After returning to the top of the Mountain West last year, the Broncos are coming into the new year with big hopes of returning to a major bowl game.

Brett Rypien and Alexander Mattison headline a strong group of returning players on offense. Though receiver Cedrick Wilson and tight ends Jake Roh and Alec Dhaenens are no longer in Boise, the Broncos should still have a productive passing game to go with the ground game. Mattison could be poised for a breakout season as he hopes to become the next Broncos rusher drafted into the NFL.

Few teams bring back more talent on defense than Boise State. Other than first-round NFL Draft pick Leighton Vander Esch, the rest of the starters from 2017 are back for defensive coordinator Andy Avalos. Last year the Broncos ranked 22nd in yards allowed and 38th in points allowed, giving up an average of 333 yards and 23 points per game. Those numbers look poised to drop in 2018 despite the loss of Vander Esch.

The season opens with a Group of Five elimination showdown against Troy, just like it did last year. A mid-September trip to Stillwater to take on Oklahoma State will help determine whether the Broncos are a serious contender for a return to the New Year’s Six in 2018.