Last year, numerous Group of Five athletes went on to lead the nation in notable stats. Players like Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who only needed 22 more yards to break Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record, Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who led the nation in receiving yards, and Buffalo linebacker Steve Dolac, who led the nation in tackles. These guys and many more helped make waves next level last season. Now, many of the talented players from Group of Five last season are in the pros or transferred. To replicate that success, here is a player from each Group of Five conference.
Group of Five’s Best
American Conference
Blake Horvath, QB, Navy
Horvath, a breakout star last season, helped the Midshipmen start 6-0, ending the season 10-3, their best record since 2019. In his first season as a starter, he would go on to throw and run for over 1,000 yards. He would throw for 13 touchdowns and run for 17.
With this success, Horvath helped Navy end its two-game losing streak to Army with a dominant performance, running for over 200 yards. In the Armed Forces Bowl against Oklahoma, he once again ran for over 150 yards, including a 95-yard touchdown. Navy would win 21-20 after Oklahoma failed a two-point conversion with six seconds left.
Now with quarterbacks like Bryson Dailey, Seth Henigan, Darian Mensah, and Chandler Morris gone, Horvath becomes the number-one quarterback in the American alongside Tulane quarterback Jake Retzlaff. Horvath looks to lead the Midshipmen to a second straight victory against Army and another bowl game.
Conference USA
Kenny Odom, WR, UTEP
Last season, CUSA had notable talents like Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter, Liberty running back Quinton Cooley, and FIU wide receiver Eric Rivers. With a majority of its stars in other conferences now, many players could be the best in CUSA. Still, only one stands out, Kenny Odom.
Odom, a sophomore last season, led UTEP in receiving yards. Before playing in El Paso, Odom played at Austin Peay where he totaled 318 yards in two years. Last season, he transferred to UTEP, becoming the Miners’ biggest breakout of the year. Odom ended the year with 741 yards and eight touchdowns. He also averaged 16 yards per grab. Against Kennesaw State, he would have his best game, scoring three touchdowns, including the equalizer in overtime and the game winner in double overtime.
This season, Odom returns to UTEP as the number-one guy at receiver. He will be receiving passes from either his quarterback last year Skyler Locklear, or former five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson. Odom, at the end of this season, is likely to be one of the biggest names in the portal if he were to enter.
Mid-American Conference
Red Murdock, LB, Buffalo
Last year, Buffalo had the top tackler in the country with Steve Dolac, totalling 168 tackles. Just behind him was another MAC player, his teammate. Red Murdock, another linebacker for Buffalo, only trailed Dolac by 12 total tackles. Unlike Dolac, Murdock returns to Buffalo this season as he is expected to replicate his success.
Murdock has spent the last three years with the Bulls, including a redshirt year in his first year. As a redshirt freshman, Murdock had 58 total tackles, two sacks, and four forced fumbles. Then last season, he had 156 tackles, two sacks, and a pick. Still, his most impressive stat was a nation-leading seven forced fumbles, the most in Buffalo history.
Now going into his fourth season, Murdock becomes the general on defense alongside his teammate Dion Crawford, who had a team-leading 8.5 sacks last season.
Mountain West Conference
Trey White, EDGE, San Diego State
With Ashton Jeanty, Devon Dampier, and Jackson Woodard all gone this year, there is no doubt that junior Trey White is the MWC’s best player.
As a redshirt sophomore, White dominated the conference with 12.5 sacks, including back-to-back games with three sacks. He would also tally on total tackles and 18.5 tackles for loss. By the tail end of the season, White slowed down, but his impact earlier in the season earned him first team all-MWC.
Now, as a redshirt junior, White looks to help the Aztecs make their first bowl game since 2021. He will be competing with Boise State defensive end Jayden Virgin-Morgan, who ended last season with 10 sacks.
Sun Belt Conference
Braylon Braxton, QB, Southern Mississippi
At the end of last season, it was pretty apparent that quarterback Braylon Braxton was one of the best Group of Five quarterbacks in the nation. Now, he returns to the Sun Belt, but for a different team.
This will be Braxton’s third team as he started his career with Tulsa. At Tulsa, he threw for 1,545 yards and 12 touchdowns in three years, one of which he was redshirted, and another he was injured for half the season. Last season for Marshall, Braxton helped the Herd win the Sun Belt championship, throwing for 1,624 yards and 19 touchdowns. On top of that, he only threw two interceptions, having a 60% completion rate.
Braxton is now at Southern Miss after Coach Charles Huff decided to leave Marshall due to a contract dispute. Buxton is one of 22 players following Huff. Braxton will be competing with Arkansas State quarterback Jaylen Raynor and James Madison quarterback Alonza Barnett III, for the conference leader in passing yards.
Now that the teams are set, which of these guys will succeed and which new players will make a name for themselves in Group of Five play? Time will tell, but for now, stay focused because the season is less than a month away.
Main Image: GABY VELASQUEZ/ EL PASO TIMES / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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