Around the Group of 5: Week 6

And then there were three.

That is how many Group of 5 teams remain unbeaten as the season hits its halfway point.

Air Force, James Madison and Liberty were all off this week, something they were probably thankful for after watching the other two undefeated GO5 teams go down.

Fresno State, who was the only ranked Group of 5 team, was upset by Wyoming 24-19 after Cowboys defensive lineman Cole Godbout batted and intercepted a pass with 46 seconds remaining in the game.

The Cowboys scored three touchdowns in the second quarter and then held off a second-half Fresno State rally to take down the former favorites for the GO5 New Year's Six bowl game spot.

Fresno State had a 14-game winning streak dating back to last season snapped and with it their AP ranking.

Wyoming is now 5-1 on the year, with their only loss coming to Texas in a game that was much closer than the score tells. They could very well emerge as contenders for the NY6 spot and will have a chance to add to their resume as they take on undefeated Air Force on Saturday.

Marshall defeated Virginia Tech in Week 4 and looked to take down another Power 5 school as they traveled to face NC State.

Unfortunately for the Thundering Herd, their second matchup against an ACC team in three weeks was not as favorable as the last one.

Despite 315 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns from quarterback Cam Fancher, Marshall could not keep pace with the Wolfpack in a 48-41 defeat, suffering their first loss of the season.

Marshall will continue its East Coast tour as they travel to Atlanta to take on a 4-1 Georgia State team.

The Flames of Liberty struggled mightily in Week 6 against winless Sam Houston, winning 21-16.

Liberty has already played their Week 7 game, taking down a good Jacksonville State team 31-13 on Tuesday thanks to a 163-yard two-touchdown performance from running back Quinton Cooley.

James Madison also has a tough matchup to keep their dream of an undefeated season alive. They will take on 4-1 Georgia Southern, who is coming off a win against Coastal Carolina.

Texas State, the Colorado of the GO5, lost a fourth-quarter lead and the game against Louisiana, effectively ending the Bobcats’ hopes of getting the bowl bid.

They lost despite some impressive stat lines from their team, with quarterback TJ Finley throwing for 326 yards and two touchdowns, running back Ismail Mahdi contributing 188 yards and a touchdown on the ground and wide receiver Joey Hobert hauling in eight catches for 132 yards and a score.

With no GO5 programs ranked or any dominant team asserting itself, the battle for the NY6 bowl game spot is still very much up for grabs. It should make for a very entertaining second half of the season, starting next week where many top schools have head-to-head matchups in what should establish contenders and pretenders for the prestigious spot.

Alex Perez is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email app5877@psu.edu.