In the initial College Football Playoff rankings for the 2021 season released last week, there wasn’t much affection for the Group of Five. An undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats team ranked as high as #2 in other national rankings were bumped down to #6 by the College Football Playoff Committee. Fresno State and San Jose State from the Mountain West were the only other teams to be included in the rankings at #23 and #24 respectively.
Heading into week 11 of the season, the Bearcats benefitted ever so slightly from remaining undefeated when the committee ranked them #5.
San Diego State moved up to #22 while Fresno State exited the rankings.