Pick Six: Boise State primed to make another run at Group of Five’s auto bid for CFP

Losing a Heisman Trophy finalist, the best defensive player on the team and other key personnel would tamp down expectations for a lot of programs even in this era of quick fixes through the transfer portal.

Not Boise State, which brings back more than enough talent to be deemed the favorite to earn the Group of Five’s guaranteed College Football Playoff bid a second straight year.

Boise State has a second-year starter in quarterback Maddux Madsen, who threw for more than 3,000 yards with 23 touchdowns, and a deep offensive line returning 10 players who started a game.

One of Madsen’s favorite targets will be Matt Lauter, an All-Mountain West Conference pick whose 47 receptions set a school record for tight ends. The departure of Ashton Jeanty, the Heisman runner-up, creates opportunities for promising running backs Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines.

There’s a hole on the defensive line without Ahmed Hassanein, the MWC’s top defensive draft pick as a sixth-rounder. Edge rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan and linebacker Marco Notarainni, both All-MWC picks, are back. So are cornerbacks A’Marion McCoy and Jeremiah Earby.

The Broncos’ early schedule is intriguing: The opener at South Florida is followed by a mid-September trip to Air Force to start Mountain West play. There also is a road game against No. 6 Notre Dame.

This is the second year the highest-ranked G5 conference champion will be assured a spot in the playoff. In addition to the Mountain West, the G5s are the American, Conference USA, Mid-American and Sun Belt.

Tulane

The Green Wave are looking for their fourth straight American Conference championship game appearance, and their 32 wins over the last three seasons are fourth-most nationally.

Jon Sumrall brought in 34 transfers after getting dinged hard in the…

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Publish date : 2025-08-20 21:06:00

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