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Group of Five New Year’s Six Watch, Week 15: Who has the best argument?

By Dante Pryor

TAMPA, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 23: The Memphis Tigers celebrate winning a game against the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium on November 23, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 23: The Memphis Tigers celebrate winning a game against the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium on November 23, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Mike Norvell of the Memphis Tigers looks on during a game against the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium on November 23, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Mike Norvell of the Memphis Tigers looks on during a game against the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium on November 23, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Best wins

  • Ole Miss
  • Navy
  • SMU
  • Cincinnati
  • Central Florida

Loss

  • Temple

Championship game opponent

  • Cincinnati

Why they are in

The formula for the Memphis Tigers is simple; they beat Cincinnati at home in the Liberty Bowl, and they are in. They have the conference schedule advantage over both Boise and App State despite having the worse of the Power Five wins. The Tigers are also the beneficiaries of playing in toughest division in their conference this season. Navy and SMU were both ranked when they played Memphis and both Cincy and UCF were ranked as well. That gives Memphis wins over four ranked teams and three teams ranked in the playoff committee’s top 25.

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What keeps them out

Losing to Cincy gives them two losses, and the playoff committee seems adamant about a two-loss team being out of the Cotton Bowl. Memphis has the conference advantage over any Group of Five contender, but they’d also have two conference losses and a loss against a team they’ve defeated already. Losing to the Bearcats also means a home loss as well. That would be insurmountable for the Tigers.

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