Highlights: CSJ FBS Group of Five Top Five Games and Recap of Week 2

Head coach Kalani Sitake and his players sing to the fans high up in the upper deck as they celebrate their win over Tennessee in Knoxville on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019. BYU won 29-26 in double overtime. Courtesy of Scott G Winterton

Just like in Week 1, Week 2 had its share of highlights and upsets with the Group of Five. The biggest suprise had to go to BYU defeating Tennessee in overtime for the second G5 win over the SEC school . I will go through my Top 5 G5 games with a mixture of P5 upsets and top G5 vs. G5 match-ups in my top five games of the week below.

Tennessee led BYU by three points in the closing seconds when Cougars quarterback Zach Wilson found Micah Simon for a 64-yard gain to set up a game-tying field goal that forced overtime.BYU scored touchdowns on both of its overtime possessions, winning on Ty’Son Williams’ 5-yard touchdown run. Tenneessee also lost last week to Georgia State.

Kansas scored on its first drive of the game but failed to score again on a stiffling Coastal Carolina defense. The Chanticleers forced KU to turn the ball over on downs on its final three drives of the game. Overall, the CCU defense only allowed 280 offensive yards in the contest. The Coastal offense rushed for 172 yards on the in the program’s first P5 victory 12-7.

Boise State won another defensive battle game in its home opener over Marshall 14-7. The Broncos held the Thundering Herd to zero yards and zero points in the second half, which is the fewest second-half yards for a Boise State opponent since 2015.

Like Tennessee, the Pac-12’s UCLA lost again to a G5 school for its second straight such loss (lost to Cincinnati last week). UCLA got a quick defensive stop to start the game, scored a touchdown on its opening drive and the rest of the game was really all Aztecs. It was San Diego State’s first triumph over the Bruins after entering the game with a 0-21-1 record in a series that started in 1922.

Wyoming improved to 2-0 with its road win at Texas State following its upset home win last week over the SEC’s Missouri. The Cowboys trailed for the first two and a half quarters before riding a defense that came up with another touchdown for the second straight week to a 23-14 win over the Bobcats in a game that started with temperatures in the triple digits.

Hawai’i made it two straight wins over a Pac-12 opponent with its 31-28 win over Oregon State. Hawaii place-kicker Ryan Meskell delivered the knockout blow — a 28-yard field goal with 2:17 to play in what would be the final margin.

Overtime was also in play in couple other near misses for G5 upsets of P5 but the P5 team wound up winning. I will highlight these three games involving Army West Point, Louisiana-Monroe, and Fresno State below as well.

Below are some video highlights of these games. And the scores have a gap recap link.

1. BYU 29 Tennessee 26 2OT (Knoxville, Tenn.)

2. Coastal Carolina 12 Kansas 7 (Lawerance, Kan.)

3. Boise State 14 Marshall 7 (Boise, Idaho)

4. San Diego State 23 UCLA 14 (Pasadena, Calif.)

5. Wyoming 23 Texas State 14 (San Marcos, Tex.)

BONUS: Hawai’i 31 Oregon State 28 (Honalulu, Haw.)

 

Michigan 24 Army West Point 21 (2OT) (Ann Arbor, Mich.)

Florida State 45 Louisiana-Monroe 44 (OT) (Tallahassee, Fla.)

Minnesota 38 Fresno State 35 (2OT) (Fresno, Calif.)