For the second week in a row, no teams from G5 college football conferences are represented in the AP Top 25. This comes just two days after UNLV was the only G5 team to take down a P4 team, beating Houston from the Big 12.
While there are teams in the ‘receiving votes’ category, this is a shocking reality check for G5 fans regarding where they stand in the eyes of the media.
G5 Teams Have Always Been Represented in the Polls
In the past, at least one G5 team has always been in the AP Top 25. So why are there no teams being represented now? It really seems to come down to a few factors:
- The recent successful G5 teams have all moved to the P4 level, with the exception of Boise State. BYU, Cincinnati, UCF, SMU, and Houston have been the most successful G5 teams in the last decade, and they are now all in P4 conferences.
- The transfer portal and NIL have drawn talent away from G5 schools. The preseason polls rely very heavily on recruiting ratings and projected talent. With players now getting paid to play at big schools and good G5 players being able to transfer to better schools, it is hard to look at a G5 program and say it is a Top 25 team.
- The AP Poll is like everything else in college football, centered around money. Having a ranked team generates media buzz, which means more money.
With all that, it is still shocking to not see a single team represented in the polls.
When Will a G5 Team Make it Into the AP Top 25?
There is a very real chance that a team from a G5 conference will make it into the rankings in week 3. Three teams seem to have a fighting chance.
- Memphis – This is the most likely team. The Tigers play Troy at home this week. They should win this game, and by them being five spots outside of the Top 25, they could make it in by teams ahead of them losing. Of course, there is the chance they will also get jumped by other teams who pull off upsets.
- Boise State—Boise State will face Oregon this week. While the Ducks are the heavy favorite, they also didn’t look very good last week, only beating Idaho 24-14. This would certainly be an upset, but if the Broncos could pull it off, they would move up into the Top 20 in the rankings.
- Tulane – Tulane is pretty far down in the ‘receiving votes’ category, but they are facing a ranked Kansas State team this week that, with a win, would put them right on the bubble of being ranked.
There aren’t any other teams in a position to make the jump this week, barring a crazy upset that is very unlikely to happen (South Florida vs. Alabama).
It’s Time for a Split
The fact that the G5 went a combined 1-19 against P4 opponents says a lot about the two leagues’ situation. Why is Kennessaw State playing for the same National Championship trophy as Georiga? Does anyone really think Sam Houston State is going to give Texas any problems on its way to a title?
It’s time for the two leagues to seriously consider their situation and make the split. The G5 conferences can play for their championship, and the P4 can focus on theirs. Right now, only one of 65 G5 teams gets a shot at the National Championship, and they likely will enter as a 12-seed.
This would make everyone happy. G5 schools would get to play for an actual championship and P4 schools would get an extra ‘at-large’ spot in the College Football Playoff.
