The expanded College Football Playoff was supposed to open doors for Group of Five programs. But the debate over who claims the single golden ticket is still as cutthroat as ever. Last season, Boise State made room for itself, locking up the Mountain West crown and storming to a No.3 seed in the playoffs. They finished with only one loss. And that was a nail-biter against No.1 Oregon. But who’s got the juice this season? National analyst Tim Brando has added his voice to the playoff conversation, naming the program he believes is best positioned to seize this year’s G5 spot.

Boise State enters 2025 as the familiar measuring stick for the G5. After last year’s breakthrough run, they’ve got the blueprint to chase another ticket. But CFB rarely follows a script. And Brando isn’t pointing at

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