The Athletic Names Memphis & Boise State Among Unranked College Football Playoff Contenders

Joe Londergan | Aug 15, 2024

Dec 16, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Boise State Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson reacts during the third quarter against the UCLA Bruins in the Starco Brands LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

The official start of the 2024 college football season is less than two weeks away. The new year will bring with it a multitude of changes, including the inclusion of the top-ranked G5 team in the 12-team College Football Playoff field at the end of the season.

This week, The Athletic's Bruce Feldman published a list of six teams that begin the season unranked who have a decent chance of reaching the playoff. The two G5 candidates in that group were Memphis and Boise State.

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Feldman describes Memphis as a group "that has a big chip on its shoulder after having gone to bowl games 10 years in a row. The Tigers feel primed to win a conference title in 2024 and make a bigger statement." Memphis host North Alabama on August 31 in their season-opening matchup.

On Boise State, Feldman wrote "11-2 with a respectable score against Oregon might top the rest of the non-Power 4." Feldman also noted the Broncos' strength of schedule, as well as the star power provided by names like Ashton Jeanty and Ahmed Hassanein. The Broncos begin their campaign on August 31 at Georgia Southern.