Last season, the Boise State Broncos, led by Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty, claimed the first-ever Group of Five automatic big to the College Football Playoff. Despite losing Jeanty to the NFL, many expected Boise State to remain competitive in the playoff race. However, a shocking 34-7 loss to South Florida in Week 1 derailed those expectations, blowing the race wide open with several other teams vying for their first playoff appearances. As we head into Week 4 of the season, here are the top Group of Five contenders for that playoff spot.
USF Bulls (2-1)
South Florida put themselves on the radar after dismantling Boise State and shaking up the Group of Five rankings. The Bulls didn’t stop there though, traveling to Gainesville, Fla., in Week 2 to stun No. 13 Florida on the road, their second ranked win in two weeks. That momentum stalled the following week with a 49-12 loss to Miami, but with how Miami has looked, that can still be seen as a quality loss. Quarterback Byrum Brown has been the catalyst for the Bulls’ early success, showing off his dual-threat ability with two passing and two rushing touchdowns through three games. Defensively, the Bulls have looked especially strong, limiting Boise State and Florida to just 23 points combined. If they can manage a tough path in the American Athletic Conference, their early-season resume will be hard for the committee to overlook.
Tulane Green Wave (3-0)
Tulane landing former BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff may go down as one of the best portal moves last offseason. The dynamic signal caller has elevated the Green Wave into a true playoff threat in 2025, leading them to a 3-0 start with power conference wins over Northwestern and Duke. Retzlaff is a true dual threat, racking up six rushing touchdowns
and averaging 174 passing yards per game. Tulane is set to face their biggest test this weekend, traveling to Oxford, Miss., to take on No. 13 Ole Miss. Should they pull off the upset, the Green Wave would catapult into the driver’s seat for the Group of Five and likely break into the national rankings, putting them in a great position to make it back to the conference championship and hopefully the playoffs.
UNLV Rebels (3-0)
The Dan Mullen era in Las Vegas nearly started off as a disaster in Week 0, with Idaho State pushing the Rebels to the brink in a victory that was too close for comfort. Since then, UNLV has found its footing, notching wins over Sam Houston State and UCLA to move to 3-0. Virginia Transfer Anthony Colandrea has been a steady presence under center, averaging 215 passing yards per game and a 75% completion rate. Running back Jai’Den Thomas has added an explosive dimension to the Rebel offense, averaging 8.5 yards per attempt and showing his ability to break off for long runs. After falling just short of the playoffs last year by losing the conference championship to Boise State, UNLV hopes to be the top of the Mountain West this year.
Memphis Tigers (3-0)
Memphis flew under the radar last year, finishing No. 24 after a successful 11-2 campaign. If not for a late loss to UTSA, the Tigers could have been in serious discussion for a playoff spot. However, going into 2025, they were forced to replace much of their production through the transfer portal. So far, the new-look roster has picked up where they left off, jumping out to 3-0. Running back Sutton Smith has led the charge, averaging nearly 100 yards per game with his breakaway speed. Nevada transfer quarterback Brandon Lewis has looked promising, averaging 202 passing yards per game. The defense has taken care of business against weaker opponents, allowing just 11 points per game. The Tigers will have a much bigger task ahead this week as they host Arkansas, a game that could really help Memphis’ case for a playoff spot.
Navy Midshipmen (3-0)
Last year was a breakout for the military academies, with both Army and Navy enjoying their best campaigns in years. While Army has fallen back down in 2025, the Midshipmen are off to another hot start. They have handily taken care of their early opponents, winning each matchup by multiple scores and averaging 44 points per game. As always, their triple-option offense is a nightmare for opposing defenses, leading the FBS in rushing yards. Running back Eli Heidenreich has powered Navy’s attack, averaging 112 yards per game with four touchdowns. Defensively, the Midshipmen have been stout, giving up just 18 points per game and forcing five turnovers. After their 2024 season unraveled following a lopsided loss to Notre Dame, Navy has a chance to redeem themselves with the Irish back on the schedule and an even tougher AAC slate ahead of them. If Navy can keep up their dominance on both sides of the ball, they could crash the playoff party.
One thing is clear: the American is the premier group of five conference this season. With four teams still undefeated and multiple teams already building impressive resumes, the AAC is setting the pace against the other leagues. Had USF beaten Miami last week, there could have been serious discussion about the league sending two bids to the playoffs. Of course, the season is still young and as we know, anything can happen in college football. In the second season with the twelve-team playoff, it’s only a matter of time before someone breaks through to compete for the national title.