The Group of 5 has been on the outside looking in since the inception of the College Football Playoff in 2014. In that time, teams like Cincinnati, Central Florida, and others have gone disregarded in the conversations for the game's highest levels of competition. Neither of the aforementioned squads came even close to the top four and were routinely jumped by other teams in the rankings. This year, it could be different. Brad Crawford of 24/7 Sports joined College Football Gametime to discuss.
In the past, Power 5 teams have avoided scheduling the likes of Boise State, Cincinnati, or UCF - at least according to those programs. Understandably, the larger programs have little to gain from those matchups and much more to lose. The same cannot be said about this year's Cincinnati squad. They have challenged themselves with games against a solid Indiana squad and an ever-difficult matchup on the road against Notre Dame.
"You have to have that sort of barometer that give the committee people reason," says Jon Chuckery. "It may not be helping Cincinnati this year, but maybe it helps Group of 5 teams moving into the future."
Not so fast, says Brad Crawford. "Just based on how much chaos we've already seen inside the top-10," he said. "We've already had 25 top-25 teams lose in the first five weeks of the season and that's an AP Poll record."
Cincinnati had a hard-fought victory last week, but this weekend's matchup could go even further in establishing them as viable playoff candidates. They are 32-4 in their last 36 regular-season games.
"If they go up to South Bend and knock off an unbeaten top-10 Notre Dame team, what else does Luke Fickell's team have to prove to the committee?"
No Group of 5 teams had been ranked higher than #14 in the first edition of the College Football Rankings before last season. In addition to that, no Group of 5 teams had been ranked higher than #8 in any playoff rankings.
Cincinnati changed all of that.
Sure, the schedule has been a bit softer than most with victories over only one team that finished in the final poll. The Bearcats still went 9-0 and won the conference championship. Seven of those eight wins came by at least 14 points, including a 29-point blowout of SMU.
Once again, Cincinnati is looking to change all of that. This time by getting on the schedules of the bigger squads, and then beating them.
We've seen Group of 5 teams compete in the past, so why can't this one, too? Assuming things continue to fall their way, they should at least get the opportunity - especially considering the shortcomings of many of the other Power 5 conferences not named the SEC and Big 10.