Who Could Be the G5 School that Shows up in the College Football Playoffs this Season?

The Boise State Broncos remain every expert's pick to become that one Group of Five school that earns an invitation to the college football playoffs. A second straight playoff appearance is a certainty for the Broncos despite Ashton Jeanty becoming a pro. Their defense remains intact; they have the same coaching staff, a significant number of transfers from Power Five conference schools, and their quarterback, Maddux Madsen, is expected to have a stellar season, albeit without superb run support from Jeanty. There are other Group of Five competitors that are legitimate threats to take Boise State's place this year. There are five in mind that could get that one reserved spot in the playoffs this season.

South Florida Bulls

The game taking place tonight at Raymond James Stadium between the South Florida Bulls and the Boise State Broncos is an opportunity for both teams to gain an early advantage in the Group of Five playoff race. The Bulls appear this season as a legitimate conference contender. They are capable of pulling off an upset against a ranked opponent. They will face two other ranked opponents back-to-back after week one, which are the Florida Gators and the Miami Hurricanes. With their star quarterback, Byrum Brown, coming back from injury for the season, South Florida is capable of playing with anybody down to the triple zeros. An unsung quarterback who is capable of emerging as a surprise Heisman candidate by the course of the season. With him at the helm, the team can become as dangerous as any other team in the country this year.

Navy Midshipmen

Who is the best quarterback in the American Athletic Conference? If people's answer isn't South Florida's Byrum Brown, then it's only to assume that they would answer with Navy's Blake Horvath. He is also the sole reason for the Navy's surprising success last season. Finishing a season with 11 wins, the most for the school since 2019. They even capped it off with a victory over a Power Four school in the Armed Forces Bowl, the Oklahoma Sooners, 21-20. They come back this season with the same quarterback, same coaching staff, and same roster with a few subtractions and key additions. This is another team that is a threat to take the American Athletic Conference title with their exciting offense and outstanding leader in head coach Brian Newberry.

Tulane Green Wave

The favorite to take home the AAC in 2025 might be the Tulane Green Wave. Their new quarterback has proven to be one of the most dangerous gunslingers in the country, ex-BYU Cougar, Jake Retzlaff. He comes off a season throwing for a 20-to-12 touchdown-to-interception ratio while leading BYU to 11 wins and had them sitting pretty in the playoff picture after a 9-0 start. He is destined to have the same impact on Tulane, as the team is just as talented as the one he left. This is a dangerous team that has been threatening to become one of college football's most elite programs over the past three seasons. Since their Cotton Bowl win over USC on New Year's Day 2023, they have been competing with other teams in the Power Four while maintaining an annual win total of at least nine wins. This new quarterback could be the missing piece to their desired 2026 destination, the college football playoffs.

James Madison Dukes

Another team that could benefit greatly from a change at the quarterback position is the James Madison Dukes, with Matthew Sluka coming over from UNLV. The guy who led the Running Rebels to a 3-0 start and national ranking before sitting out for the remainder of the season on NIL purposes. Whether it's him or Alonza Barrett starting at quarterback, the Dukes have great chances of becoming a playoff team this season. If they can get the hard part out of the way, like upsetting Louisville in week two, they can cruise the rest of the way with a favorable schedule. Former Holy Cross head coach Bob Chesney has already proven to be a coach who is capable of winning at the FBS level after accomplishing a nine-win season, replacing now Indiana head coach Kurt Cignetti.

Army Black Knights

Bryson Daily, who looked like the Reincarnation of Tim Tebow for the Black Knights, will leave quarterbacking responsibilities to Dewayne Coleman. He won his first and only start so far last year over the Air Force Falcons when Daily sat out due to injury. Coleman has a similar skill set and should be able to fill in the starting job just as nicely. The offense is expected to remain that same dominant rushing attack that led the program to 12 wins. Their number one source for their successful season was on the other side of the football. The best defense in the American Athletic Conference and one of the best in the country returns with a lot of experience and a few departures. A defensive unit that finished the 2024 season as the eighth-best total defense in terms of yards allowed per game and the 16th best-defense in terms of stopping the run.

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