College Football: Group of 5 contenders for College Football Playoff

College Football: Group of 5 teams with playoff chances in 2021

Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell smiles during the championship trophy presentation following the American Athletic Conference championship football game against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Bearcats won, 27-24.Aac Championship Tulsa Golden Hurricane At Cincinnati Bearcats Football Dec 19 /

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Liberty Flames

The Liberty Flames fall into a similar category as the previous team on this list. It’s unlikely that they’ll go undefeated and more unlikely that they’ll get a bid if they do go undefeated. Like the San Jose State, the Flames bring back their starting quarterback for the 2021 season.

They have enough talent to be a ranked team throughout the year, it’s just a matter of whether or not they can put it all together. After having a season where their defense held opponents to just over 20 PPG, the offense is a step away from making this team a contender.

Hugh Freeze’s team will come up against Syracuse, Ole Miss, UAB, Louisiana, and Army, giving them a pretty strong schedule for a G5 team. That being said, even with an undefeated resume, this team seems more likely to find themselves on the outside looking in come selection Sunday.

Nobody would be happier with Liberty in the playoff than I would, but an undefeated season from the Flames would look all too similar to past G5 teams that have been left out.

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