Brian’s College Football Top 5: Week 13

Photo from 406 Sports

There was a lot of talk this week on the internet from prominent talking heads that have deals with major networks saying that there’s no reason a G5 team should be in the playoff.

There were multiple reasons given.

“They don’t play enough good teams” or “They don’t have the money these other programs have.”

Those people don’t actually like college football.

And because of all of this discourse, this week’s top 5 is going to completely omit Power 5 teams.

And no, this is not because Pitt had an impressive win over Georgia Tech. I made this decision earlier in the week. Hand on heart.

So here is this weeks top 5; Actual College Football Fan Edition.

5. UTSA Roadrunners

Last week, I mentioned that if ECU just simply takes care of business, they had an outside shot towards the college football playoff.

Unfortunately for the Pirates, part of that business was going into the Alamodome and facing UTSA, who were 22-0 at home in conference play heading into this game.

Make it 23-0, as the Roadrunners dominated ECU with a 58-24 win.

Head coach Jeff Traylor said they have magic there.

Looks like he was right.

4. Akron Zips

In 50 years of Akron football, the Zips have made a bowl game 3 times ever.

This is a historically bad football program.

And even though we knew they wouldn’t be bowl eligible before the season even began due to academic ineligibility, nobody really cared because nobody could fathom Akron even getting close to bowl eligibility.

But after a Tuesday night win against Bowling Green, Akron ended their season at 5-7.

That’s still not bowl eligible, but it’s a lot closer than people thought, and Joe Moorhead deserves a ton of credit for the job he’s done taking over a garbage program and making them just simply mediocre.

I hope he sees it through, but I feel we may see him join James Franklin in Blacksburg as the new Virginia Tech offensive coordinator.

But like I said, I hope I’m wrong.

3. Kennesaw State Owls

I thought Kennesaw State firing Brian Bohanan was a mistake last year.

I was dead wrong.

Jerry Mack as the Owls not only at 8-3, but 6-1 in conference and currently headed towards the Conference USA championship game in just their second year of FBS football.

What a job he’s done in year one.

2. Yale Bulldogs

This is the first year that they Ivy League will take part in the FCS Playoffs.

In years past, the Ivy was just the Ivy. But now, the winner of the Ivy earns the right to automatically go to the FCS playoffs, where they will likely lose by a lot to a team better than them.

But nobody is up in arms about that at all in the FCS ranks. In fact, they think it’s fine!

Taking notes, talking heads?

But this year, the Ivy playoff spot came down to the last week, and it came down to the winner of historic rivals Yale and Harvard.

Harvard was undefeated this year, but Yale didn’t care one bit.

QB Dante Reno was dominant in a 45-28 win, and Yale has won the Ivy and earned the right to go play Youngstown State.

Congratulations to Yale!

1. Montana State Bobcats

Brent Vigen has been awesome at Montana State.

His winning percentage of .825 is second best in school history, and they’ve gone to two FCS title games (both losses against North Dakota State).

But he still hadn’t gotten a win over Montana in Missoula.

But Saturday afternoon in the Brawl of the Wild, the Bobcats ran wild, averaging 5.7 yards per rush, adding in a pick six, and a huge blocked field goal to get out of Missoula with a 31-28 win, the Big Sky championship, and The Great Divide Trophy.

Vigen checked off one of his final boxes.

The last one?

The FCS Championship.