G5 Teams That Reached Bowl Eligibility In Week 13

Entering Saturday’s slate of games, there were still several questions left to be answered as to which Group of Five teams would become bowl eligible and the others that would be left to look forward to Early Signing Day in less than a month.

Watching especially closely are James Madison and Jacksonville State, whose appeals to be made bowl-eligible this season were denied – meaning the only way they could earn a bowl berth is if there weren’t enough six-win teams. 

Fortunately for them, both JMU and the Gamecocks will get a bowl spot for that very reason.

Here’s a look at Group of Five teams who earned their sixth win over the weekend, earning bowl eligibility the old fashioned way.

American Athletic Conference

South Florida

Alex Golesh’s USF Bulls are bowl-eligible after the team’s resounding 48-14 win over Charlotte in front of the hometown fans in Tampa. South Florida went a combined 4-29 in the previous three seasons, making the Bulls’ turnaround an especially improbable story. Keep an eye on USF to possibly play rival UCF come postseason play.

Rice

Mike Bloomgren finally has gotten his Rice Owls’ program over the proverbial hump, with the team’s 24-21 win over Florida Atlantic. Bloomgren’s club earned a bowl berth last season via the APR rankings as a five-win team last season, but the sixth-year coach had yet to finish a regular season with a .500 record or better.

Sun Belt

Marshall

Charles Huff’s Marshall Thundering Herd earn a much-needed sixth win over a surprising Arkansas State team, who had already qualified for bowl eligibility the week prior. Huff, the former Penn State and Alabama assistant is in his third season at the helm in Huntington and after 16 wins in his first two seasons, was in the midst of a somewhat disappointing 2023, which saw the Herd start 4-0 but drop five straight contests.

Old Dominion

After losing stars like Blake Watson and Ali Jennings to the transfer portal, Ricky Rahne’s Old Dominion Monarchs earned their sixth win in 25-24 thriller over Georgia State, where the Monarchs overcame a deficit with just 1:13 left – scoring the game-winning touchdown on the final play of the contest. The win gives Rahne his second bowl berth in three seasons.

Louisiana

The Ragin' Cajuns earn their sixth win after losing three straight games – giving Michael Desormeaux’s club their second consecutive bowl appearance in his two seasons at the helm after taking over for former head coach Billy Napier.

MAC

Eastern Michigan

For the first time in Chris Creighton’s 10-year stint at the helm of Eastern Michigan, the team will qualify for postseason play for the third-straight season following the Eagles’ 24-11 win at Buffalo that came in large part due to 226 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Mountain West

Utah State

Blake Anderson’s Aggies qualify for postseason play in an overtime nailbiter, beating New Mexico 44-41 on Friday as quarterback Levi Williams’ 13-yard touchdown scamper in double-overtime gives Utah State their third-straight bowl appearance in as many seasons since Anderson arrived from Arkansas State.