Around the Group of 5 Week 8: Powerful Offenses Aplenty

© Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

In today’s college football, there are 134 Football Bowl Subdivision schools. Those schools are broken up into 10 conferences, nine if you don’t count the Pac 12/2 Conference as a freestanding conference this season. There are currently four Power Conferences: the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), the Big Ten Conference (B1G), the Big 12 Conference (Big 12) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). These conferences house the best groups of teams in college football.

But there are also excellent programs in the Group of 5 conferences. Those conferences, nicknamed the G-5, are the American Athletic Conference (AAC), Conference USA (CUSA), the Mid-American Conference (MAC), the Mountain West Conference (MWC), and the Sun Belt Conference (SBC).

Each week, I will go over the top game from each of the G-5 conferences. See below for games you may not have had much interest in but should.

AAC

North Texas (5-1, 2-0) at Memphis (5-1, 1-1)

7:30 p.m. EST, Oct. 19, Memphis, Tenn., ESPNU

North Texas has been lighting it up on offense. Head coach Eric Morris’ Mean Green are averaging 507.2 yards per game, good for fifth in the FBS. Quarterback Chandler Morris has passed for 1,979 yards with 20 TDs and 7 INTs. Morris’ favorite target is wide receiver DT Sheffield, who has 34 receptions for 443 yards and 7 TDs. The North Texas defense has been scorched for 432.3 yards per game, ranking No. 115 in the FBS. That will need to change to beat Memphis.

The Tigers, on the other hand, have reached five wins using a stingy defense, not their offense. Head coach Ryan Silverfield’s defense ranks No. 21 in the FBS yielding only 301.7 yards per game. The linebacker duo of Chandler Martin and Elijah Herring have combined for 67 tackles, 7.5 sacks, three passes broken up and four fumble recoveries. If the Tigers can’t get the offense moving against the Mean Green, it could be a long day for Memphis.

Conference USA

Western Kentucky (4-2, 2-0) at Sam Houston State (5-1, 2-0)

7 p.m. EST, Oct. 16, Huntsville, Texas, ESPN2

Western Kentucky has had a roller-coaster season. After getting destroyed by No. 7 Alabama (5-1, 2-1 SEC) in the 2024 opener 63-0, the Hilltoppers have gone 3-1 since, only giving up 16 points and 127.2 rushing yards per game in that stretch. Transfer QB TJ Finley was injured during the Week 3 game at Middle Tennessee State and is out indefinitely. Sophomore Caden Veltkamp has taken over and has thrown for 1,147 yards with 11 TDs and 5 INTs. Veltkamp is fourth on the team with 71 rushing yards and leads with 4 rushing TDs. Head coach Tyson Helton’s defense has played well after the opener and will need to slow down the Bearkats’ rushing attack if they are going to win this game.

© Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Head coach KC Keeler’s Sam Houston State Bearkats are 11th in the FBS in rushing offense with 228.8 yards per game. Twelve different players have attempted a run for Sam Houston State this year. QB Hunter Watson leads the team in rushing yards with 370 and is second on the team with 4 TDs. Defensive back Caleb Weaver is having a tremendous start to the season. Weaver has 38 tackles, 4 passes broken up and 3 interceptions. Western Kentucky can win this game if they force Sam Houston into passing situations. But if the Bearkats are successful running the ball Sam Houston will win this game by at least double digits.

MAC

Central Michigan (3-3, 1-1) at Eastern Michigan (4-2, 1-1)

2 p.m. EST, Oct. 19, Ypsilanti, Mich., ESPN+

Jim McElwain’s Central Michigan Chippewas dropped a close decision to the Ohio Bobcats (4-2, 2-0) 27-25 last week. RB Marion Lukes rushed for 110 yards and 3 TDs in the loss. The CMU defense could not contain Ohio QB Parker Navarro who had more rushing yards (176) than passing yards (147). Both sides of the ball need to show marked improvement if they are going to compete with their rivals from Eastern Michigan.

The Eastern Michigan Eagles have won four games using an efficient offense and opportunistic defense. QB Cole Snyder leads EMU’s offense, throwing for 1,168 yards, 4 TDs and 1 INT. Snyder is also third in rushing yards with 146 and second with 3 TDs. On the defense, the stars are defensive linemen Peyton Price and Justin Jefferson who have 3 sacks each. Chris Creighton's defense only surrenders 128.0 rushing yards per game, which could be the key to defeating Central Michigan.

Mountain West

UNLV (5-1, 2-0) at Oregon State (4-2)

10p.m. EST, Oct. 19, Corvallis, Ore., The CW Network

The UNLV Rebels are a typical Barry Odom team, tough on defense and heavy doses of runs on offense. The Rebels average 262 rushing yards per game, good for fifth in FBS. Fifteen different Rebels have registered a rushing attempt. QB Hajj-Malik Williams leads the Rebels in rushing with 325 yards and has 2 TDs. The Rebels’ defense is tied for first in FBS with 13 INTs. Linebacker Jackson Woodard and Safety Jalen Catalon are tied for the team lead with 4 INTs each. Woodard leads the team with 57 tackles and 3 sacks. Catalon is second on the team in tackles with 45.

Similar to their UNLV counterparts, Oregon State is also a run-heavy team. The Beavers are ranked No. 6 in rushing yards per game with 256. RB Anthony Hankerson leads Oregon State in rushing with 639 yards and 12 TDs. Unfortunately for Oregon State coach Trent Bray, the Beaver defense is not as stout as UNLV’s. Oregon State gives up 197.7 rushing yards per game, which ranks 116th in the FBS. That is not a good position to be in facing the Rebels. This game should fly by as both teams run the ball a lot. If UNLV enters the fourth quarter with the lead, forcing Oregon State to abandon the run game, the Rebels can come out of Corvallis with a win.

Sun Belt

Louisiana (5-1, 2-0) at Coastal Carolina (4-2, 1-1)

Noon EST, Oct. 19, Conway, S.C., ESPNU

Coastal Carolina looks to get back on track at home after losing big on the road to James Madison (5-1, 1-1) The Chanticleers did not look good last week in Virginia (4-2, 2-1 ACC), losing to the Dukes 39-7. QB Ethan Vasko only threw for 84 yards, throwing 2 INTs and only 1 TD. Head coach Tim Beck benched Vasko in the third quarter for Noah Kim. There is no official word yet on who will start this week but expect Vasko to get the nod.

© SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Louisiana, meanwhile, is coming off a strong showing at home against App State (2-4, 0-3), beating the Mountaineers 34-24. Ben Wooldridge threw for 198 yards and 2 TDs in the victory. The Chanticleer defense will have to be better than they have been if they hope to have any chance of beating the Ragin' Cajuns. Thus far this season they have given up an average of 399.7 yards per game, which is 99th in FBS. On the flip side, Michael Desormeaux’s Louisiana squad has been one of the better Group of 5 teams defensively, ranking 22nd in the nation, giving up 306.7 yards per game. They are the fourth-best Group of 5 team in that category—Brandon Biskobing

Group of 5 Truth Serum

Truth serum is something stated that is not necessarily a popular take but is more truth than fiction. This week’s truth serum: The Group of 5 College Football Playoff spot is a four-team race that will be made much clearer after next week’s games. Those teams: No. 23 Army (6-0, 5-0 AAC), No. 15 Boise State (5-1, 2-0 MWC), Liberty (5-0, 3-0 CUSA) and No. 25 Navy (5-0, 3-0 AAC).