2021 Group of Five Football Preview
Our Group of Five preview 2021 offers analysis, matchups, and projections for each team in each conference. Like in the Power Five, teams in the Group of Five play out-of-conference games, including those against clubs in the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, and Pac-12, as well as FBS Independents. Although Group of Five versus Power Five contests often result in mismatches where the teams from the American Athletic Conference (AAC), Mountain West Conference (MWC), Sun Belt Conference (SBS), Conference USA (C-USA), and Mid-American Conference (MAC) are often underdogs.
However, Group of Five teams can cover, and there are times when they takedown Power Five or Independent opponents. Thus, when handicapping such matchups, make sure you do your homework and perform a thorough analysis. Additionally, Group of Five conference contests often provide players with premium betting opportunities. Do not disregard these conferences, teams, and games.
Group of Five – Conference Rankings and Top Teams
Below are thumbnail sketches of each conference covered more thoroughly by the five conference articles that comprise our Group of Five preview 2021. To get a general idea of the top teams in each conference, see our short descriptions below. For a more complete picture of all clubs in the AAC, MWC, SBC, C-USA, and MAC, please check out each of our conference previews.
American Athletic Conference (AAC) – Of the five teams in this group, the AAC is ranked at the top. Of the 11 teams in the ACC, our Group of Five preview 2021 finds the best one to be the Cincinnati Bearcats followed by, in ranked order, the Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, and Tulsa Hurricane. We project that seven-of-11 AAC teams will earn bowl berths.
Mountain West Conference (MWC) – In the Mountain West Conference, the top team in the Mountain Division is the Boise State Broncos, while the best in the West is the Nevada Wolf Pack. This is the second-ranked conference in this group, which includes a total of seven teams that should earn bowl invitations. Competitive teams include Wyoming and Air Force in the Mountain Division and San Diego State, San Jose State, and Hawaii in the West.
Sun Belt Conference (SBC) – Our Group of Five preview 2021 observes that this conference is lopsided, as the East is very competitive and the West features one top team and then everybody else. The East is a battle amongst Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Troy, and Georgia State. While in the West, we expect Louisiana will win the division hands down.
Conference USA (C-USA) – In this league, there are two competitive divisions. In the East, the Florida Atlantic Owls, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, and Marshall Thundering Herd are the top of the pack. Meanwhile, the West is projected to be a battle between the UAB Blazers and UTSA Roadrunners. Along with the previously mentioned five teams, the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (East Division) and Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (West) have a shot bowl berths.
Mid-American Conference (MAC) – The East and West of the MAC contain three teams each that are capable of competing for first place in their respective divisions. In the East Division, Ohio leads the way with Kent State and Miami (Ohio) battling them for the crown. The West has Western Michigan, Toledo, and Ball State vying for the top spot. At the end of the regular season, we expect all three teams to be bowl bound.
Group of Five Preview 2021 – Final Word
Our Group of Five preview 2021 acknowledges that many of the teams in these conferences are capable of racking up points. Often the difference between being a top tier team and a mid-to-bottom tier club is defense. And when teams from this conference play Power Five schools, they can be overwhelmed on both sides of the ball. However, this is not always the case. There are certainly times when Group of Five clubs step up and play up, defeating a Power Five opponent.