Does ANYONE From The Group Of 5 Want To Make The Playoff?

The 2025 college football season continues to be an absolute bloodbath, so much so that even the Group of 5 teams aren't immune to the insanity of the year.

On Friday night, the Memphis Tigers welcomed the Tulane Green Wave to town boasting an 8-1 and looking to put an exclamation point on a stellar season.

A win would've made the Tigers a virtual lock for the College Football Playoff, but, as has often been the case this season, the road underdog had other plans.

I ask this with genuine sincerity and wonder: does any Group of 5 team actually want to make the playoff?

Three teams from the American Athletic Conference seem to be playing a season-long game of hot potato with their CFP auto-bid.

It started with the USF Bulls, who got off to a blistering start to the season with wins over Boise State and the Florida Gators.

Even after stumbling against a top-five Miami team, the Bulls looked to be in good shape to play in some meaningful postseason games.

Unfortunately for them, Memphis awaited and had CFP aspirations of their own.

The Bulls blew a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter, thus relinquishing their crown of G5 darlings to the Tigers, a crown they would wear until last night.

And where does Tulane fit into all of this?

The Green Wave were in a great spot to grab the autobid until a fateful trip to San Antonio last Thursday, where the UTSA Roadrunners absolutely bludgeoned them to the tune of 48 points.

That same UTSA team was just obliterated less than 48 hours ago by none other than the USF Bulls.

So what does all of this mean for the Group of 5 and their playoff hopes?

Here's the deal: one of these teams HAS to get in.

USF is technically the leader in the clubhouse as it stands today, but two teams sit above them in the conference standings: Navy and UNT.

UNT is playing as well as anyone, but also gave up 63 points to – you guessed it – USF less than a month ago.

As for Navy, if they can somehow spring the upset in South Bend this evening, then it could be the Midshippmen who find themselves representing the AAC in the postseason.

Regardless of who comes from the G5, it's safe to say the American Athletic Conference is giving us the perfect microcosm of the 2025 season as a whole.

Twists, turns, and surprise endings. Is this an M. Night Shamalan movie?

Nope, just college football.