Around the Group of 5: Week 7

After not having a single team ranked after Week 6, two Group of 5 teams have cracked the top 25, with another two still carrying perfect records after Week 7.

No. 22 Air Force and their vaunted option offense took down upset-minded Wyoming 34-27 to move to 6-0 on the year.

Quarterback Zac Larrier threw for a touchdown as well as contributing 111 yards and another touchdown on the ground.

Unfortunately for the Falcons, coach Trey Calhoun announced that Larrier suffered a knee injury that will keep him out “for a while.”

While losing a starting quarterback would hurt any team, Air Force’s option offense might allow the team to overcome the loss of Larrier and rally around backup quarterback Jensen Jones as they look to earn their first New Year’s Six bowl bid since 1971.

The Falcons will travel to Maryland to take on Navy in Week 8.

No. 23 Tulane is not going to let Air Force run away with that bid. After upsetting Heisman winner Caleb Williams and USC in the Cotton Bowl last season, they came into 2023 with high hopes.

The Green Wave suffered a loss to Ole Miss in Week 2, but have been perfect otherwise. Their hopes at a second straight NY6 bid were in jeopardy after being down 21-10 to Memphis midway through the third quarter.

Tulane’s defense stepped up, keeping the Tigers scoreless the rest of the game while the offense put together three more touchdown drives to help Tulane seal a 31-21 victory.

Running back Makhi Hughes ran for 130 yards and a touchdown in the victory as Tulane re-entered the Top 25 for the first time since Week 2.

While Air Force-Wyoming was an entertaining game, the best one featured another team from Colorado, with a spectacular final play helping Colorado State defeat Boise State.

Down by 20 after Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty recorded his third rushing touchdown of the game (to go along with 212 yards) with just over six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, it appeared all hope was lost for the Rams.

However, quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi completed all five of his pass attempts in the ensuing drive, all going for 10 or more yards. The drive ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Louis Brown IV and took just over two minutes off the clock.

The Rams attempted an onside kick and managed to recover, giving the offense another chance down by 13 points with 3:57 remaining in the game.

Fowler-Nicolosi led the team down the field once again, concluding with another touchdown pass to cut the lead down to seven with 1:45 left in the game.

Colorado State proceeded to recover another onside kick, but it was negated by a penalty. Boise State recovered the second attempt, seemingly ending the Rams’ comeback attempt.

Not all was lost for the Rams, as they still had two timeouts in their pocket.

Their defense forced a three-and-out and got the ball back to their offense on their own 12-yard line with 33 seconds left in the game.

Two completions totaling 55 yards got the Rams to Boise State’s 33-yard line with six seconds left in the game, allowing them to attempt a hail mary as the final play of the game.

Fowler-Nicolosi launched the ball to the end zone, where it was batted down by a Boise State defensive back.

Unfortunately for the Broncos, the pass was batted right to tight end Dallin Holker, who secured the ball as he was falling to the ground to tie the game for the Rams with zeros on the clock.

Kicker Jordan Noyes made the ensuing extra point, earning a miraculous 31-30 win for the Rams.

Appalachian State once again provided a one-score game against Coastal Carolina, which has developed into one of the fiercest rivalries in the GO5 in recent years.

Unfortunately for the Mountaineers, they could not contain Coastal quarterback Grayson McCall as he diced up App State’s secondary for 373 yards and two touchdowns.

McCall methodically led a final drive that took up the last 4:38 of the game after App State fumbled inside the red zone. The drive concluded with a game-winning field goal as time expired.

James Madison’s quest for perfection continued as they destroyed a strong Georgia Southern team 41-13. They will attempt to stay perfect in Week 8 as they face a Marshall team coming off two straight losses after a 4-0 start.

Liberty played their Week 7 game on Tuesday, Oct. 10th as they defeated Jacksonville State to move to 6-0.

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