• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Boise State First, Only Group of 5 Team in Expanded College Football Playoff

Boise State, the third-ranked conference champion, earned a bye in the new 12-team field.

Brian Losness-Imagn Images

As members of the Mountain West, the Boise State Broncos are outside the exclusive power conference club in college football. But they still fully planned to compete with the sport’s richest members.

“We very much consider ourselves the Power 4. And we have very high expectations,” athletic director Jeramiah Dickey told Front Office Sports recently. “And we want to compete on the national level.”

They’ve made that expectation a reality. Boise State is the first-ever Group of 5 school to reach the 12-team College Football Playoff—the only non-power conference school to do so.

The format guaranteed at least one Group of 5 team per year, given that the top five conference champions earned a bid to the Playoff, and there are now only four power conference leagues. 

But the Broncos, ranked No. 9 overall and as the third-highest conference champion above Arizona State and Clemson, didn’t even need that technicality to make it into the bracket. 

It’s an impressive feat for a team with a budget millions lower than its power conference counterparts: the athletic department earned $60.6 million in in 2022-23, for example. They’ll play either Penn State, which earned $202 million in 2022-23 or SMU, which had a budget of $80 million in 2022-23 while in the AAC, but has since been bankrolled by billionaire donors in its ACC bid.

Over the past few weeks, college sports administrators—including Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark—have been vocal about advocating for their own teams to be highly ranked. On Saturday night, Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez released a strong statement in support of the Broncos, gesturing at how Group of 5 teams are often considered less-than. 

“Participation in the college football playoff isn’t about entitlement,” she said. “It should not be contingent upon a conference patch or the logo on the helmet. It’s based on performance and Mountain West champion Boise State’s body of work this season.” Nevarez noted they at least deserved to be ranked above the Big 12 champion—but they were even higher.

Regardless of the outcome of this year’s playoff run, the Broncos fully intend to continue their success in future years. They’ll also move to the Pac-12 in 2026 as part of another seismic wave of realignment—but it’s unclear how much more money they could earn in the rebuilt league. 

But conference realignment isn’t the only change coming to college football.

During the College Football Playoff Selection Show on ESPN, former Alabama football coach Nick Saban wondered aloud if schools that opt to participate fully in revenue-sharing—which could begin in 2025 if the House v. NCAA settlement is approved—would join a league of their own, playing each other in the future and battling for playoff spots while programs that don’t participate will be left in the cold. 

The Broncos are already building a full-fledged salary cap management department in anticipation of the settlement proposal being approved in April. That should help the school compete in the increasingly volatile recruiting landscape that has been thrown into chaos with NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals and an unrestricted transfer portal.

Whether now or in the future, the Broncos clearly have no intention of being relegated.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Beyond Ohio State, It’s Another Massive Shake-Up in the CFB Top 25

Nine of the top 10 teams changed positions in Week 9.

How Vanderbilt Went From SEC Doormat to Dark Horse CFP Candidate

After beating LSU, Clark Lea said: “Internally, we expect to win.”
Sep 20, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick walks the sideline during the first quarter against the UCF Knights at the Bounce House Stadium.

Belichick’s UNC Saga Now Includes GM Trip to Saudi Arabia

UNC GM Michael Lombardi traveled to Saudi Arabia earlier this year.
Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Semaj Morgan (0) makes a catch for a first down in the first half against the USC Trojans at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Michigan Board Publicly Opposes Big Ten Investment Proposal

“The Big Ten does not need to be sold to save college sports.”

Featured Today

Christie's

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
May 27, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) shoots a three point basket over New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the third quarter of game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
October 18, 2025

NBA Stars Swap Wine With League Friends and Foes

A wine-exchange tradition emerged from the bubble season’s close quarters.
May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Derek Jeter walks the red carpet on Sunday, May 25, 2025, ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
October 16, 2025

The Players’ Tribune Is Still Kicking 11 Years Later

Founder Derek Jeter is still closely involved in the publication.
BYU

BYU Lost Its Star QB This Summer. Now It’s One of the..

The Cougars are thriving with a true freshman at quarterback.
October 19, 2025

Florida, Colorado State Firings Push CFB Buyouts Past $100M

Nine FBS head coaches have been fired since the season started.
Indiana
October 20, 2025

Indiana Is the Center of the Sports World—Again

After successful NBA and WNBA seasons, Indiana’s football teams are thriving.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
Cignetti
October 17, 2025

Curt Cignetti Lands Third Contract in Just 19 Games With Indiana

Cignetti signed a new contract five days after Indiana upset Oregon.
Tortillas
October 16, 2025

Texas Tech-Kansas Tortilla-Knife Mess Ends With $50K in Fines

Texas Tech’s tortilla tradition got both teams in trouble.
Oct 14, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel.
October 15, 2025

SEC Coaches Sound Off on NIL, Revenue-Sharing: ‘Upside Down’

John Calipari doesn’t want to become “transactional.”
Cody Campbell
October 15, 2025

Texas Tech Booster Cody Campbell Slams Conference PE Deals

Campbell said the concept goes against “all the laws of finance.”