Group of Five New Year’s Six Watch, Week 9: Cincinnati leaves no doubt

5.  No. 19 Marshall Thundering Herd (5-0, 3-0 C-USA)

The Thundering Herd find themselves currently the class of Conference USA. The Herd get the job done with a balanced offensive attack and suffocating defense. Marshall has not allowed 20 points in a game yet this season. Louisiana Tech’s 17 points were the best offensive performance of any opponent this season.

Unfortunately, the Herd likely do not have enough schedule to get in the New Year’s Six. Their game against Florida International is the third contest Marshall has had postponed due to COVID-19. That is in addition to not having a Power Five team on their schedule.

It’s probably the Gasparilla Bad Boy’s Mower Bowl for the Herd. At least it’s in Florida.

4. Liberty Flames (6-0)

If there is unadulterated chaos in the Power Five, say two or three two-loss conference champions, Liberty could argue.

Hear me out.

For the Flames to run the table, they would have to defeat Virginia Tech, North Carolina State and No. 20 Coastal Carolina. This is a daunting task, but it would give Liberty three Power Five wins (Liberty defeated Syracuse already).

Would that be enough to get the Flames a No. 4 seed in the national semifinal with a healthy dose of anarchy and upsets despite two FCS schools on their roster? The short answer is no, but it could be enough to get the Flames an at-large bid in a New Year’s Six game.

If the Flames in just their third year of FBS get to a New Year’s Six game, someone will find the funds to hire Hugh Freeze.