After taking down UCLA in the season opener, Cincinnati has the best win yet among Group of Five teams. Here is the Group of Five hierarchy entering Week 2.
The fun of college football is that even the best-laid predictions don’t always work out. Teams that look like surefire contenders flame out early, while others jump out from the shadows and surprise the country. It happens every year, and 2018 was hardly any exception. And it happens not just among the powerhouse favorites for the College Football Playoff but also at the Group of Five level.
Some teams that looked like Group of Five contenders in the preseason sustained their first defeats of the season right out of the gate in Week 1. Other teams that were completely off the radar emerged as viable contenders for a New Year’s Six spot after pulling off upset victories in their Week 1 contests.
The teams at the top of the pecking order remained at the top, but there are four new teams as well. Florida Atlantic dropped out after their blowout loss on the road at Oklahoma. San Diego State also fell out of the top 10 after falling in Palo Alto to Stanford. Troy lost their Group of Five elimination game against Boise State at home, while a big loss at Iowa knocked Northern Illinois down the list.
Who did make the cut this week? Keep reading for the Group of Five power rankings heading into Week 2, as well as a look ahead at the teams with the biggest potential to pull off upsets in statement games against Power Five opponents.