Group of Five New Year’s Six Watch, Week 9: SMU catching fire
By Dante Pryor
player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 6-1, 3-0. Last Week: 1. Boise State Broncos. 5. 895
Despite a loss to the 2-4 BYU Cougars the Boise State Broncos stay on the watch. Boise has proven you can lose a game or two and get to the New Year’s Six.
In the 2014 season a two-loss Broncos team represented the Group of Five in a Fiesta Bowl win against the Arizona Wildcats. They drop to No. 5 because they’ll need a lot of help and chaos. Every team in front of them especially those in the American play ranked opponents; the Broncos don’t play another ranked opponent the rest of the season. Their two best wins potentially would be Utah State and San Diego State in the Mountain West Championship Game if the Aztecs get there with only one loss.
The Florida State win isn’t continues to look less impressive the further away we get from the game. In addition, this list has three teams from the American, and two of them ranked in the Top 25. They will all play each other potentially, so whoever can survive that scrum will be the front-runner for the New Year’s Six bid.
6-1, 2-1. Last Week: N/A. Memphis Tigers. 4. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. player. 858
We welcome the Memphis Tigers back to the watch. They summarily dispatched of the Tulane Green Wave — a former member of the watch — to make their return. The Tigers’ return to the watch shows the power the American possess.
Although the Tigers have one loss, they play the SMU Mustangs and potentially the Cincinnati Bearcats if they win their division. Both the Bearcats and the Mustangs are ranked. If the Tigers win out with those two wins on their resume and a Power Five win over Ole Miss that looks better than it did a month ago, Memphis has an argument.