Highlights: CSJ FBS Group of Five Top Five Games and Recap of Week 1

Week 1 had its share of highlights and upsets with the Group of Five. The biggest suprise had to go to Georgia State defeating the SEC’s Tennessee. I will go through my Top 5 G5 wins over Power Five schools this week and add in a couple of great G5 vs. G5 match-ups in this recap.

The Panthers’ QB Dan Ellington was the driving force behind a shocking upset on Saturday in Week 1, leading the Georgia State Panthers to a 38-30 win over the Volunteers. Ellington didn’t have an outstanding statistial line, but he continually made plays every time the Panthers needed one. Ellington finished with 139 yards passing, 61 yards rushing and three total touchdowns. His 22-yard scamper in the fourth quarter to give the Panthers a 35-23 lead pretty much sealed the upset to land Georgia State’s first win over a Power Five school in program history.

Elsewhere, Boise State was down 31-13 in the late in the second quarter to the ACC’s Florida State in a game that moved to a true road game after being moved from Jacksonville due to pending Hurricane Dorian. The game flipped in the second half as the Broncos defense made tackles where they whiffed before in allowing the early Seminole lead and shutout FSU in the second half. On offense, true freshman quarterback Hank Bachmeier, inexperienced running backs Robert Mahone and George Holani and the veteran offensive line battered the Florida State defense to win 36-31.

In another come-from behind win, Nevada trailed 31-14 to the Big 10’s Purdue midway through the third quarteri, but what looked like a disappointing start to the Wolfpak season turned into the best finish of Friday night. The gamel ended with freshman kicker Brandon Talton crushing a 56-yard, walk-off field goal to give Nevada a dramatic 34-31 win at home.

Wyoming gave the Mountain West another big P5 win with its suprising victory over another SEC team in Missouri. The Cowboys led 34-17 late in the third quarter before Missouri answered with 14 of the next 17 points. Missouri drove to Wyoming’s 26 lste in the game but Josiah Hall sacked Clemson transfer QB Kelly Bryant on second down before the Cowboys forced back-to-back incompletions to preserve the 37-31 win.

Memphis made it three wins for the G5 over supossedly the top Power Five conferene in the SEC. The Tigers won a defensive struggle over Ole Miss 15-10 and the game’s final score came on a safety by Memphis linebacker Bryce Huff with 6:27 to go when Huff tackled Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral in the end zone to extend the Tigers’ lead to five points. Ole Miss never gained possession again.

Three G5 vs. G5 match-ups were close contests with Army narrowly getting by Rice 14-7, SMU winning at Arkansas State 37-30, and Eastern Michigan winning at Coastal Carolina 30-23.

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

1. Georgia State 38 Tennessee 30 (Knoxville, Tenn.)

2. Boise State 36 Florida State 31 (Tallahassee, Fla.)

3. Nevada 34 Purdue 31 (Reno, Nev.)

4. Wyoming 37 Missouri 31 (Laramie, Wyo.)

5. Memphis 15 Mississippi 10 (Memphis, Tenn.)

Army West Point 14 Rice 7 (West Point, N.Y.)

SMU 37 Arkansas State 30 (Jonesboro, Ark.)

Eastern Michigan 30 Coastal Carolina 23 (Conway, S.C.)

https://www.wbtw.com/sports/coastal-football-drops-season-opener-to-emu-30-23/