Top 5 College Football Group of Five vs. Power Five Upset Alerts
5. Vanderbilt at Colorado State, Sept. 11
Can Colorado State make a statement to get the Steve Addazio era going? After a tough first season, he should have the parts in place on both sides of the ball to be far, far better. It gets a warm-up against South Dakota State to prepare for a Vandy program that hasn’t won a road game since the middle of 2018. And if that wasn’t enough pressure put on the Mountain West to come up with an important non-conference win …
Vanderbilt Preview | Colorado State Preview
4. San Diego State at Arizona, Sept. 11
Arizona is in full-on rebuilding mode. There might be a few nice players in place – there’s Pac-12 talent under new head coach Jedd Fisch – but this should be a rock-solid San Diego State team under Brady Hoke, with one of the best defenses in the Mountain West and a grinding ground game to control things from the start. It’s one of the few games on this list that should see the Group of Five program as the favorite.
Arizona Preview | San Diego State Preview
3. UCF at Louisville, Sept. 17
The Gus Malzahn era at UCF will have a spotlight game against Boise State to open up the season, but this is when the team should be in a groove. The Knights have the offense to blow up against anyone, they’re not going to be the slightest bit fazed by facing an ACC team – even in a down 2020, they beat Georgia Tech 49-21 and are 5-2 in their last seven games against Power Five programs.
UCF Preview | Louisville Preview
2. Kansas at Coastal Carolina, Sept. 11
Come on, Kansas? You can’t get threezied by Coastal Carolina.
A Power Five program losing three years in a row to the same Group of Five program?! That can NOT happen … but it probably will.
The Chanticleers shocked the Jayhawks 12-7 early in the 2019 season, came up with a stifling 38-23 victory to start 2020, and now they get a Power Five program in their house. Almost everyone is back to pull it off.
Kansas Preview | Coastal Carolina Preview
1. Cincinnati at Indiana, Sept. 18
The two schools are only 130 miles apart – that’s nothing in college football non-conference distance world – but it’s only the seventh meeting and the first since 2000. The Bearcats lost the last five after taking the first game 21-0 back in 1957.
It was the knock against the great 2020 Bearcat team – it didn’t beat any Power Five programs. It was able to roll through the regular season and it pushed Georgia in the Peach Bowl, but couldn’t get the job done. However, the 2019 team beat both Boston College and UCLA and the 2018 squad dropped the Bruins and Virginia Tech.
None of those UC teams had the expectations, talent, or the high ranking that this one will.
The American Athletic Conference slate won’t be easy, but the two toughest games – UCF and SMU – are at home. Win this against IU, and two weeks later the hype will be through the roof for the showdown at Notre Dame.
Indiana Preview | Cincinnati Preview
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21 for 2021 Preview Topics (so far)
21. Thoughts, Wishes, Hopes for 2021
20. Best Teams To Not Make CFP
19: Teams That Will Rebound Big
18. Teams That Will Fall Back
17: Every Power 5 Team’s Letdown Game
16. Expectations For New Head Coaches
15. Expectations For 2nd Year Head Coaches
14. Power 5 Hot Seat Coach Rankings
13. 21 Key Transfers You Need To Know