Who is competing with Memphis football for Group of Five CFP spot? A look at top contenders

College football is less than two months away, and fans around the country are more than ready.

That obviously includes Memphis football fans, who are gearing up for what is potentially the most highly anticipated season in program history. The College Football Playoff is expanding to 12 teams, and the Group of Five is guaranteed one of those spots.

The expansion comes at what looks like the right time for the Tigers. Memphis is one of the only successful Group of Five programs that returns its starting quarterback from a year ago, and Seth Henigan projects is the best in the Group of Five and one of the best in the country. The Tigers are also returning leading receiver Roc Taylor and leading tackler Chandler Martin and brought in a slew of highly touted transfers to bolster the roster.

For all those reasons and more, it hasn't been a surprise that Memphis is getting picked as the top Group of Five team in plenty of preseason projects. But the Tigers have been far from a unanimous pick. Here's a look at the other top Group of Five teams from around the country heading into the 2024 season.

Boise State

Memphis knows this Boise State team pretty well — the two teams played last season at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, with the Tigers erasing a 17-0 deficit to earn a critical non-conference win. It was a bizarre loss in a bizarre season for the Broncos, who fired coach Andy Avalos a few weeks later but then went on to win the Mountain West Conference title under interim coach Spencer Danielson.

Boise State also had an impressive offseason. Danielson got the full-time job, then got a huge boost when star running back Ashton Jeanty decided to return. Jeanty is the best player in the Group of Five, a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender who could have played anywhere in the country if he'd decided to enter the transfer portal. And then there's maybe the most intriguing storyline in the Group of Five: Malachi Nelson, the No. 1 player in the 2023 recruiting class, decided to transfer to Boise after a season at USC.

Nelson has attempted exactly one pass at the collegiate level. But if he shows ability that matches his recruiting profile, the Broncos' offense could be scary.

Boise State's schedule includes a Sept. 7 trip to Oregon in a major nonconference opportunity.

Liberty

The top Group of Five team last season, Liberty went undefeated and earned a spot in the Fiesta Bowl against Oregon. But the Flames lost 45-6, leaving a sour taste in the mouths of college football fans who were already skeptical given Liberty played the easiest schedule in FBS in 2023.

But quarterback Kaidon Salter is back, and that means Liberty has to be considered a threat for a repeat undefeated season. The Conference USA schedule will be easier than what teams in other conferences will deal with, but there is a key date on Liberty's schedule: Sept. 28, when the Flames will play at Appalachian State.

A win in that game would be a key resume boost over a team that's expected to compete for the Sun Belt title. It's not power conference opposition, but if Liberty goes undefeated again, this could be a playoff team.

Tulane

The best team in the AAC over the past two years, Tulane will look a lot different in 2024. Coach Willie Fritz left for Houston, and quarterback Michael Pratt left for the NFL. They'll be replaced by former Troy coach Jon Sumrall and former Oregon quarterback Ty Thompson, a four-star recruit who never became the starter for the Ducks.

Sumrall brought back plenty of players from last year's 11-3 team, including the top returning AAC running back in Makhi Hughes and three All-AAC performers on defense.

The Green Wave will be in Memphis' crosshairs all season long. The two teams meet on Thanksgiving Day in New Orleans for a game that could have a major impact on the AAC title race.

Others to keep an eye on

UTSA has had sustained success under Jeff Traylor, but the Roadrunners have to replace quarterback Frank Harris. South Florida brings back quarterback Byrum Brown, but has to improve defensively in 2024. Texas State, James Madison and Appalachian State are Sun Belt contenders, but all three have major question marks. UNLV lost breakout quarterback Jaiden Maiava to USC, but the Rebels still have an All-American in receiver Ricky White and momentum under Barry Odom. If Troy can beat Memphis on Sept. 7, the Trojans could be another team to watch.

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: A look at Memphis football's top Group of Five competition for CFP