After posting double-digit wins each of the last two seasons,
That would mean playing meaningful games even after its Dec. 12 showdown with Army.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not interested in maintaining or sustaining the success we鈥檝e had,鈥� Navy coach Brian Newberry told reporters this summer. 鈥淚 think we鈥檙e in a unique position in the world of college football right now to take Navy football into an area that we鈥檝e never had.鈥�
Navy enters this season as a contender to earn the bid that goes to a team from outside the major conferences.
Two non-Power Four programs earned spots in the last year with and cracking the field. Tulane made it as the highest-ranked Group of Five team in the CFP standings, and also got in because it made the while was unranked.
A repeat of that scenario is unlikely, but a Group of Six program is assured of getting at least one spot in the 12-team bracket. It鈥檚 now called the Group of Six rather than the Group of Five after the as a non-Power Four conference.
Although Navy must replace quarterback Blake Horvath after he rushed for at least 1,200 yards over the last two seasons, Braxton Woodson is a capable replacement who already has three career starts. The defense returns its to three starters from last year in MarcAnthony Parker, Giuseppe Sessi and Coleman Cauley.
Navy has swept and to win the Commander In Chief鈥檚 Trophy each of the last two years. Navy is coming off a 2025 season in which it went 11-2 earned a No. 23 ranking in the final Associated Press poll.
鈥淥ur goals every year 鈥� it鈥檚 been the same goals since I鈥檝e been here is win the CIC No. 1, win the conference and play in the College Football Playoff,鈥� guard Hoke Smith II said. 鈥淭hose are our goals. Those are the goals we put forth. That鈥檚 what we want to do this year.鈥�
Here鈥檚 a look at some other Group of Six schools that could challenge for a playoff berth.
Boise State
After and Ashton Jeanty led Boise State to a bid, the Broncos slipped to a 9-5 finish but still won the Mountain West Conference last season. Now they’re part of the Pac-12. There鈥檚 plenty of experience in the offensive backfield with quarterback Maddux Madsen and running backs Dylan Riley (1,125 yards rushing last year) and Sire Gaines (811) all returning. Jayden Virgin-Morgan has compiled 16 sacks over the last two seasons. Boise State got the most votes of any Group of Six team in the though the Broncos didn鈥檛 make the poll.
James Madison
This program won with and continued to win with Bob Chesney. Now that for UCLA, the Dukes will try to keep it going with new coach Although at Florida with a 22-23 record midway through last season, he led Louisiana-Lafayette to three straight seasons with double-digit wins from 2019-21. James Madison has only five returning starters, but it鈥檚 not unusual for Group of Six programs to lose top players to Power Four programs in the portal era. One key returner is Zach Greenberg, a second-team all-Sun Belt center last season. James Madison added 39 transfers.
Memphis
Memphis lost coach to Arkansas but found a proven replacement in He went 32-20 at Marshall from 2021-24 and posted a 7-5 record his lone season at Southern Mississippi, which went 1-11 the year before his arrival. He takes over a Memphis program that went a combined 29-10 over the last three seasons. Huff added well over 50 transfers to Memphis鈥� roster. J鈥橫ond Tapp followed Huff to Memphis after collecting 7 陆 sacks for Southern Miss last year. Another Southern Miss transfer is Ian Foster, who scored two touchdowns on interception returns a year ago.
UNLV
After posting nine straight losing seasons from 2014-22, UNLV has gone a combined 30-12 over the last three seasons. The Rebels have reason to believe they can take the next step this year in coach Dan Mullen鈥檚 second season. Jai鈥橠en 鈥淛et鈥� Thomas has rushed for 2,457 yards and 31 touchdowns over the last three seasons. Thomas is one of five preseason all-Mountain West selections along with offensive lineman Austin Boyd, wide receiver Taeshaun Lyons, defensive lineman Lucas Conti and safety Jake Pope. UNLV lost Mountain West offensive player of the year-winning quarterback Anthony Colandrea to Nebraska but has Alex Orji and Auburn transfer Jackson Arnold vying to replace him. Orji started his college career at Michigan.
New Mexico
New Mexico has plenty of momentum after going 9-4 in coach Jason Eck鈥檚 debut year to snap a string of eight straight losing seasons. Eck鈥檚 son, Jaxton Eck, had 129 tackles last season and was named the Mountain West Conference鈥檚 co-defensive player of the year. Quarterback Jack Layne returns after throwing for 2,486 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season. Layne has a new target in Troy Omeire, who had 31 catches for 514 yards and five touchdowns at UNLV last season after previously playing for Texas and Arizona State.
San Diego State
Lucky Sutton is back after rushing for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns for a San Diego State team that finished 9-4 last season. Quarterback Jayden Denegal, a former Michigan reserve, passed for 1,807 yards with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions for the Aztecs a year ago. San Diego State鈥檚 chances of contending for a Pac-12 title depend on how well it retools a defense that returns only two starters after recording three shutouts last season.
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