Navy, Boise State among contenders in Group of Six

After posting double-digit wins each of the last two seasons, Navy wants to take the next step.That would mean playing meaningful games even after its Dec. 12 showdown with Army."We're not interested in maintaining or sustaining the success we've had," Navy coach Brian Newberry told reporters this summer. "I think we're in a unique position in the world of college football right now to take Navy football into an area that we've never had."Navy enters this season as a contender to earn the College Football Playoff bid that goes to a team from outside the major conferences.Two non-Power Four programs earned spots in the 12-team playoff last year with Tulane and James Madison cracking the field. Tulane made it as the highest-ranked Group of Five team in the CFP standings, and James Madison also got in because it made the CFP rankings while Atlantic Coast Conference champion Duke was unranked.A repeat of that scenario is unlikely, but a Group of Six program is assured of getting at least one spot in the 12-team bracket. It's now called the Group of Six rather than the Group of Five after the Pac-12 recreated itself as a non-Power Four conference.Although Navy must replace quarterback Blake Horvath after he rushed for at least 1,200 yards over the last two seasons, Braxton Woodson is a capable replacement who already has three career starts. The defense returns its top three starters from last year in MarcAnthony Parker, Giuseppe Sessi and Coleman Cauley.Navy has swept Army and Air Force to win the Commander In Chief's Trophy each of the last two years. Navy is coming off a 2025 season in which it went 11-2 earned a No. 23 ranking in the final Associated Press poll."Our goals every year — it's been the same goals since I've been here is win the CIC No. 1, win the conference and play in the College Football Playoff," guard Hoke Smith II said. "Those are our goals. Those are the goals we put forth. That's what we want to do this year."Here's a look at some other Group of Six schools that could challenge for a playoff berth.Boise StateAfter Heisman Trophy runner-up and first-round draft pick Ashton Jeanty led Boise State to a 2024 playoff bid, the Broncos slipped to a 9-5 finish but still won the Mountain West Conference last season. Now they're part of the Pac-12. There's plenty of experience in the offensive backfield with quarterback Maddux Madsen and running backs Dylan Riley (1,125 yards rushing last year) and Sire Gaines (811) all returning. Jayden Virgin-Morgan has compiled 16 sacks over the last two seasons. Boise State got the most votes of any Group of Six team in the preseason AP Top 25, though the Broncos didn't make the poll.James MadisonThis program won with Curt Cignetti and continued to win with Bob Chesney. Now that Chesney has left for UCLA, the Dukes will try to keep it going with new coach Billy Napier. Although Napier was fired at Florida with a 22-23 record midway through last season, he led Louisiana-Lafayette to three straight seasons with double-digit wins from 2019-21. James Madison has only five returning starters, but it's not unusual for Group of Six programs to lose top players to Power Four programs in the portal era. One key returner is Zach Greenberg, a second-team all-Sun Belt center last season. James Madison added 39 transfers.MemphisMemphis lost coach Ryan Silverfield to Arkansas but found a proven replacement in Charles Huff. He went 32-20 at Marshall from 2021-24 and posted a 7-5 record his lone season at Southern Mississippi, which went 1-11 the year before his arrival. He takes over a Memphis program that went a combined 29-10 over the last three seasons. Huff added well over 50 transfers to Memphis' roster. J'Mond Tapp followed Huff to Memphis after collecting 7½ sacks for Southern Miss last year. Another Southern Miss transfer is Ian Foster, who scored two touchdowns on interception returns a year ago.UNLVAfter posting nine straight losing seasons from 2014-22, UNLV has gone a combined 30-12 over the last three seasons. The Rebels have reason to believe they can take the next step this year in coach Dan Mullen's second season. Jai'Den "Jet" Thomas has rushed for 2,457 yards and 31 touchdowns over the last three seasons. Thomas is one of five preseason all-Mountain West selections along with offensive lineman Austin Boyd, wide receiver Taeshaun Lyons, defensive lineman Lucas Conti and safety Jake Pope. UNLV lost Mountain West offensive player of the year-winning quarterback Anthony Colandrea to Nebraska but has Alex Orji and Auburn transfer Jackson Arnold vying to replace him. Orji started his college career at Michigan.New MexicoNew Mexico has plenty of momentum after going 9-4 in coach Jason Eck's debut year to snap a string of eight straight losing seasons. Eck's son, Jaxton Eck, had 129 tackles last season and was named the Mountain West Conference's co-defensive player of the year. Quarterback Jack Layne returns after throwing for 2,486 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season. Layne has a new target in Troy Omeire, who had 31 catches for 514 yards and five touchdowns at UNLV last season after previously playing for Texas and Arizona State.San Diego StateLucky Sutton is back after rushing for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns for a San Diego State team that finished 9-4 last season. Quarterback Jayden Denegal, a former Michigan reserve, passed for 1,807 yards with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions for the Aztecs a year ago. San Diego State's chances of contending for a Pac-12 title depend on how well it retools a defense that returns only two starters after recording three shutouts last season.