Overview
Group of five college football programs, also known as the G5, stole the show this past weekend. Whether it was a G5 against G5 matchup, or a G5 team taking on a Power 5 squad, my favorite moments came from those programs. Resilience, hunger, and belief- Those are the words I’d use to describe what I saw on the field.
Despite several marquee matchups which included Alabama-Texas, Colorado-Nebraska, Oregon-Texas Tech, Wisconsin-Washington State, Auburn-Cal, and others, it was the “little” guys that left the biggest impression on me. Before we get into the three games I enjoyed most, I find it appropriate to acknowledge the current landscape of the sport.
The Power 5 conferences have been the story of 2023 so far in college football. Realignment, love it or hate it, has dominated the headlines almost exclusively. The PAC12 is essentially defunct. The SEC is adding Texas and Oklahoma. The Big10 is adding USC, Oregon, Washington, and UCLA. The ACC is adding Stanford, SMU, & Cal. The Big12 is adding Utah, Colorado, Arizona, & Arizona State.
The transfer portal has also made for some incredibly exciting & noteworthy rebuilds. Most notably, Coach Prime’s Colorado Buffaloes. After adding over 80 new players, most of which came from the portal, the Buffs have already doubled their win total from 2022 & are nationally ranked. Additionally, they’ve garnered so much national attention that they’ll play their third consecutive nationally televised game to start the season after going 1-11 the year prior.
The Texas Longhorns & Florida State Seminoles have also added to their already talent laden rosters through the portal. Players like Adonai Mitchell and Keon Coleman can change programs and we’ve already seen their impact. It is salient to note these intersections due to the ripple effect it has on the G5 schools.
When P5 teams lose talents like the aforementioned, what do they do? Wait for freshmen or sophomores to develop? No, not in 2023. They poach premier talent from G5 schools and offer them financial and systemic support beyond G5 capabilities. Fair or not, it’s the reality and you’d assume that at some point it would take its toll. Gladly, it hasn’t.
While 2023 is succinctly the end of an era for college football, one thing remains abundantly clear. G5 football isn’t going anywhere and it’s only going to get better from here. While acknowledging the transfer portal can be a detriment to the G5, I also believe it has a few benefits.
While P5’s poach from these programs, G5’s can offer a home and newfound stability for once considered elite talent at higher levels and or grad transfers. Furthermore, when the portal causes great high school players that once had a chance at a P5 scholarship to not get those offers, G5’s can get those kids and build.
With the various avenues of roster building, administrative/logistical continuity, and foresight from major TV networks like ESPN & CBS Sports Network, G5’s have found a very clear pathway to success. Here’s three games from Week 2 that highlight these G5 standouts.
Games of the week:
Tulane (#24) vs Ole Miss (#20) (20-37 L)
The final score is not nearly the true reflection of this game. Tulane entered the 4th quarter tied 17-17 after stifling Lane Kiffin’s vaunted offensive attack for nearly 55 minutes of the game. A few wild bounces that went Ole Miss’ way flipped the scoreboard and gave the Rebels 17 points in the last 4 minutes of game action. Willie Fritz remains one of the best coaches in all of football. Also, when you consider Tulane was without future NFL draft pick Michael Pratt at quarterback, the performance is even more impressive.
James Madison at Virginia (36-35 W )
James Madison certainly isn’t a game that P5 teams circle as an easy day in the office. However, when you consider the program is still less than five years removed from FCS play, these types of wins are truly remarkable. JMU jumped out to an early 17-7 lead to begin the festivities, but UVA did not go quietly into the tank. The Cavaliers scored 21 unanswered points to take 28-17 lead. After entering the 4th quarter trailing by 11 points, JMU scored the final 12 points. In the end, it was a JMU defensive stop on 4th down that sealed the 36-35 victory.
Rice vs Houston (43-41 W 2OT)
This was a seesaw game that began with Rice jumping out to a 21 point lead in the first quarter. The Owls came into the game a 7.5 point underdog so this was surprising. After alternating scores in the second quarter, there was no scoring in the third. In the fourth, the Cougs put up 21 points in a row to send the game into OT. The game ended on a failed 2pt conversion try from Houston. However, the best story here is the performance of JT Daniels. Now at his fourth school, it looks like he may have found his home. He had a career day against the Cougs totaling 401 yards passing and three touchdowns.
