G6 Power Rankings: Boise State-Memphis could decide the CFP race

Even though the Memphis Tigers are in the American Conference, which isn’t exactly the same tier as the SEC or Big Ten, the Tigers have one of the toughest schedules in the Group of 6. They’ll have their second biggest test of the season in their third week of football with Boise State up in Week 2. This game, much like Memphis’ game against UNLV, will be a defacto College Football Playoff elimination game for one Group of 6 team.

Boise State fell to Oregon in Week 1, in a game they were more than 20-point underdogs on, losing to the Ducks by just seven points and giving Dan Lanning’s squad a major scare. The Ducks were punished for an early season scare, dropping from No. 2 to No. 6 in the latest AP top 25 poll.

Here’s a look at the new G6 power rankings after a strong start with last week’s top two teams and a game that will shape the G6 race to the College Football Playoff.

1. Boise State Broncos (5)

3. North Dakota State Bison

4. Western Michigan Broncos

9. Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Others receiving votes (points): James Madison (11), UNLV Runnin' Rebels (8), Appalachian State Mountaineers (2), Colorado State Rams (2), Kennessaw State (1)

Boise State and Memphis will take center stage, but there’s a lot to comb through when it comes to the Group of 6 teams in Week 2. UNLV vs. North Texas is another matchup that could have a lot of CFP implications down the road. While both teams have a loss, both G6 teams got into the CFP last season with one loss. San Diego State has a big matchup against UCLA, which plucked Bob Chesney from James Madison. That could be a game that the Aztec’s College Football Playoff resume hinges on.

We decided it was time to truly evaluate the top Group of 6 teams. We built a system similar to that of the AP top 25 poll where each team gets ranked and points are attached to a rankings. We have a top 10 poll so we started with the top ranked team getting 10 points, second ranked team getting nine points, etc. This was a panel of six voters this week, meaning there’s a maximum 60 points available.

We will continue to roll out power rankings voted on by FanSided.com staff writers and FanSided network, college football experts.

Western Michigan took college football by storm after they nearly beat Michigan at The Big House. They debut in the 2026 power rankings at No. 4. They received no first place votes, but did receive a second place vote and was placed as low as No. 7 on another ballot. Boise State and Memphis have been two of the most talked about teams in the G6, but Western Michigan staked their claim they deserve to be in the mix.

You might remember Tulsa from their social media viral transfer portal house – a spoof off the NFL Draft house several teams did during the COVID draft. Well, get used to knowing the Golden Hurricane for what they do on the field too. They stunned Oklahoma State in one of the more noteworthy games in Week 1. Eric Morris took most of his top performers from North Texas with him to Stillwater and got humbled. Tulsa is yet another team out of the deep American Conference that could force themselves into the CFP conversation.

UTSA debuts in this week's power rankings as yet another American Conference team looking to debut in the College Football Playoffs. Sure these are power rankings, but they're every bit a snapshot of the teams in arms reach of a CFP appearance. UTSA has flown under the radar for years now with other teams in the conference making their mark. This year, UTSA has every chance at being in the mid and truthfully, I'd be surprised if they didn't. They might be ranked No. 10 in this week's polls, but look for them to slowly make their way up.