With the college football season now in its final week of September, the discussion surrounding the postseason outlook is constantly shifting, and two surprising newcomers are expected to join the field in this week's College Football Playoff predictions as the first full week of conference play begins to sort the championship contenders and favorites.
But one of the surprise results of the weekend was a non-conference game in which James Madison scored 70 points in a stunning win at North Carolina. The Dukes look to be the Sun Belt's top team again after winning their first 10 games last season, and that, combined with a loss to defending Group of Five representative Memphis, has them likely to finish high in the polls for the fifth spot in the league championship cast in coach Bob Chesney's first year at the school.
Iowa State will also be joining the field. The Cyclones have won their first three games, including an away win at Iowa, and are benefiting from Kansas State's shocking road loss at Brigham Young University to the Wildcats. Iowa State's schedule looks manageable, with only two games against top-25 teams in November.
NOTE: Legacy Pac-12 schools from other conferences will fulfill existing Pac-12 bowl contracts through the 2025 season.
