After Liberty won the Conference USA Championship, head coach Jamey Chadwell made the case that the Flames should be the Group of Five team in a New Year’s Six bowl.
“Our team has earned the right to go there,” he said.
He might not be wrong. Here’s a look at what happened in this week’s Group of Five conference championship games and how it affects this year’s bowl games.
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SMU Upsets Tulane For AAC Championship Victory
SMU’s win in the AAC Championship may lead to Liberty appearing in a New Year’s Six bowl.
Tulane was previously the highest-ranked team in the College Football Playoff rankings, and the highest-ranked G5 team earns a NY6 bowl berth. However, the Green Wave struggled on offense in the American Athletic Conference title game as SMU won 26-14.
The Mustangs (11-2) outgained Tulane 396-269 while forcing the Green Wave (11-2) to go 3 of 19 on third and fourth downs.
With SMU standout quarterback Preston Stone out due to injury, backup Kevin Jennings completed 19 of 33 passes for 203 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He also rushed for 63 yards. Jaylan Knighton led the Mustangs with 75 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
SMU also has a strong case to appear in a NY6 bowl after that triumph.
Liberty Remains Undefeated With Win In CUSA Title Game
Liberty is still the only undefeated team in the Group of Five after surviving in the CUSA Championship.
The Flames (13-0) were tied with New Mexico State after three quarters but outscored the Aggies 14-0 in the fourth frame to win 49-35 in the conference championship on Friday. Liberty gained 712 yards of offense in the victory.
Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter completed 20 of 25 throws for 319 yards, two touchdowns, and no picks. He also led the team with 165 yards and a score on the ground. C.J. Daniels paced Liberty with 157 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions.
A performance like that could be enough for Liberty to play in a New Year’s Six bowl.
Troy Wins Back-To-Back Sun Belt Titles
In the Sun Belt Championship, Troy running back Kimani Vidal shined.
He ran for 233 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Trojans (11-2) to a 49-23 victory over App State (8-5) on Saturday. Troy outgained App State 463-383 and scored 14 points off the Mountaineers’ two turnovers, including a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown by Don Callis.
Troy quarterback Gunnar Watson was 16-for-24 passing for 192 yards and a touchdown. Chris Lewis led the Trojans with 98 yards and a touchdown on three catches.
Troy could also have a case for a New Year’s Six bowl spot after winning the Sun Belt and only losing to Kansas State and JMU.
Boise State Pulls Off Mountain West Title Game Win
After firing its head coach just a few weeks ago, Boise State is the Mountain West champion once again.
Interim head coach Spencer Danielson led the Broncos (8-5) to a 44-20 victory over UNLV (9-4) in the Mountain West title game on Saturday.
Boise State quarterback Taylen Green completed 12 of 15 passes for 226 yards, two touchdowns, and one pick while rushing for 90 yards and two more touchdowns. Ashton Jeanty had a team-high 153 yards rushing to go with a score.
Boise State gained 527 yards of offense while limiting UNLV to 298. The Broncos also rushed for 301 yards.
Miami (Ohio) Wins Rematch With Toledo In MAC Championship
After losing to Toledo earlier in the season, a game in which starting quarterback Brett Gabbert went down with an injury, Miami (Ohio) won its rematch with the Rockets.
The RedHawks’ defense shut out Toledo in the final quarter en route to a 23-14 triumph in the MAC Championship on Saturday. Both teams are now 11-2 overall.
Miami won the turnover margin 2-0 and limited Toledo to 97 yards rushing.
RedHawks quarterback Aveon Smith threw for 109 yards on 6-of-16 passing while rushing for 99 yards. Rashad Amos added 74 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
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AAC Championship Score
SMU 26, Tulane 14
Mountain West Championship Score
Boise State 44, UNLV 20
Sun Belt Championship Score
Troy 49, App State 23
MAC Championship Score
Miami (Ohio) 23, Toledo 14
Conference USA Championship Score
Liberty 49, New Mexico State 35