Group of Five Power Rankings, Week 14: Championship week hierarchy

First, let’s just get this out of the way. There is a zero-percent chance that Louisiana is going to be playing in a New Year’s Six bowl this year. Several of the other champions among the Group of Five conferences are guaranteed to have a resume that trumps that of a five-loss Sun Belt champion. The Ragin’ Cajuns, though, could play spoiler for an Appalachian State team that does have longshot aspirations of making it into a major bowl game.

Against rival UL-Monroe over Thanksgiving weekend, Louisiana’s quarterbacks efficiently carved up the Warhawks. Andre Nunez threw for 148 yards and three scores on 11-of-15 passing, while Levi Lewis added 65 yards and another score through the air as he completed all six of his pass attempts. The backfield contributed 240 yards at nearly five yards a pop, as Trey Ragas led the way with 115 yards on 23 carries.

Can they win against Appalachian State? Weird things happen all the time in conference championship games, and it would be fitting for the Sun Belt to start its title game off on a weird note in front of a partisan crowd in Boone on Saturday. But it will have little if any impact on the larger Group of Five race if Louisiana wins.