Group of Six power rankings: Can Oregon State make the College Football Playoff?

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Chances of a theorized North Dakota State-New Mexico matchup on ESPN's "College GameDay" for Oct. 24 took a hit after the Bison suffered their first loss of the season to UNLV 13-7 on Saturday, Oct. 10.

North Dakota State held UNLV quarterback Jackson Arnold, a former Oklahoma and Auburn transfer, to 77 passing yards and an interception in the loss, although the Rebels rushed for 178 yards on 48 attempts. Bison quarterback Nathan Hayes also struggled to take care of the ball, tossing three interceptions.

Elsewhere in the Group of Six, Boise State avoided a scare against Fresno State, who cut the Broncos' lead to 35-28 at one point in the fourth quarter. James Madison also took down Georgia Southern to remain undefeated under first-year coach Billy Napier, who was at Florida last season.

Each week, USA TODAY ranks the best non-Power Four teams in college football. Here's a look at where the Group of Six stands heading into Week 7:

Group of Six power rankings after Week 6

1. Boise State ↔️ (1)

Boise State had its way offensively against Fresno State, rushing for 274 yards and two touchdowns as a team while quarterback Maddux Madsen threw for 238 yards with two touchdowns in the 38-31 win.

Dylan Riley has been a revelation for the Broncos, leading the country with 835 rushing yards this season on 127 carries. Veteran starter Madsen is also having his best season, with 1,296 passing yards and 13 touchdowns to no interceptions.

Boise State remains No. 1 until further notice.

2. New Mexico ↔️ (2)

New Mexico was on bye in Week 6 before taking on the second half of its schedule. Its defense has been its calling card, ranking 10th nationally in total defense (255 yards allowed per game) with a veteran unit of almost all seniors or fifth-year players.

Second-year coach Jason Eck and the Lobos face Hawai'i this week before a matchup against North Dakota State that could have big Mountain West implications.

3. James Madison ↔️ (3)

James Madison is on track to finish undefeated this season after taking down Georgia Southern 27-24 in Week 6. Nothing is guaranteed, but the Dukes' remaining schedule of Georgia State, Appalachian State, Troy, Southern Miss, UConn and Coastal Carolina doesn't inspire much confidence in terms of producing an upset.

4. Oregon State ⬆️ (5)

This week: vs. Washington State

Oregon State's quarterback-receiver duo of Braden Atkinson and Jesse Legree might just be the most electric in college football, despite the two players being relative unknowns entering the season.

Atkinson leads the country with 2,257 passing yards and 21 touchdowns this season after combining to throw for 836 yards with 10 touchdowns combined in the Beavers' last two wins over Colorado State and San Diego State. Legree, a true freshman, leads college football in receiving yards (932) and receiving touchdowns (12).

The duo has turned Oregon State into a real threat in the Pac-12 under first-year coach JaMarcus Shephard. Could the Beavers reach the CFP? A potential conference championship win down the line could be enough to get Oregon State in — should it win out.

5. Memphis ⬇️ (4)

Memphis trailed UAB 13-10 at halftime in Week 6, but responded by blanking the Blazers after the break in a 38-13 win.

Running back Jaylin Carter kept up his strong start to the season, rushing 19 times for 132 yards with two scores in the win. Quarterback Marcus Stokes added 164 passing yards with two scores.

6. North Texas ⬆️ (7)

North Texas' offense continues to cause issues for its opponents, including in its 50-10 win over Charlotte in Week 6. Quarterback Tayven Jackson passed for 349 yards with five touchdowns in the win, raising his passing yards total to 1,868 this season, which ranks third nationally.

Running back Jahiem White has also been a weapon, averaging 7.2 yards per carry with 687 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns this season. The Mean Green are 4-2 with a 2-0 record in the American and are in a conference race with Memphis and UTSA.

7. UTSA ⬆️ (NR)

UTSA and its tough home environment took down South Florida 31-24 on Oct. 8 to improve to 5-1 on the season with a 2-0 mark in American play, keeping it in conference championship contention.

The Roadrunners have a strong offense led by multi-year starting quarterback Owen McCown and a one-two punch of Will Henderson III and A'Marion Peterson, who are averaging 6.2 yards and 7.3 yards per carry, respectively, this season.

8. UNLV ⬆️ (NR)

UNLV opened the year as one of the expected contenders for a College Football Playoff bid from outside the Power Four, but stumbled out of the gates with losses to Memphis and North Texas.

Second-year coach Dan Mullen and the Rebels are starting to play better, though, with back-to-back wins over California and previously undefeated North Dakota State the last two weeks. UNLV is undefeated in conference play, and is near the top of Mountain West championship contenders, along with New Mexico and North Dakota State.

Schools dropped out: North Dakota State (6), Liberty (8).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Group of Six power rankings: Can Oregon State make the College Football Playoff?

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