Around the G6: Our picks for tonight's games

Six Group of 6 teams open their seasons Thursday night, led by Akron visiting Wake Forest on ACC Network and UAB visiting Illinois on Big Ten Network. Here are the games (all times ET), lines and picks by Diehard's Tim Stephens.

UMass at Rutgers — 6 p.m., Big Ten Network | Line: Rutgers -28.5, O/U 52.5

Our pick: Rutgers 37, UMass 17

Albany at Buffalo — 7 p.m., ESPN+ | Line: Buffalo -18.5, O/U 47.5

Our pick: Buffalo 30, Albany 10

Merrimack at Delaware — 7 p.m., ESPN+ | Line: Delaware -31.5, O/U 56.5

Our pick: Delaware 41, Merrimack 10

West Georgia at Kennesaw State — 7 p.m., ESPN+ | Line: Kennesaw State -22.5, O/U 50.5

Our pick: Kennesaw State 28, West Georgia 7

Akron at Wake Forest — 7 p.m., ACC Network | Line: Wake Forest -27.5, O/U 50.5

Our pick: Wake Forest 42, Akron 10

UAB at Illinois — 9 p.m., Big Ten Network | Line: Illinois -26.5, O/U 54.5

Our pick: Illinois 37, UAB 17

American

South Florida drops the USF brand. The university is phasing out the USF acronym across uniforms, broadcasts and digital platforms in favor of its full geographic name, a move CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins said is about building brand consistency and avoiding confusion with similarly initialed schools. Television announcers will be reminded to use "South Florida" during live broadcasts. — Green Gold and Bold

Memphis' Charles Huff says Tigers deserve to be the 'media darling.' The first-year head coach made the case after his team's win over UNLV in Las Vegas. — Daily Memphian

CUSA

Delaware unveils a vintage-inspired logo campaign. The Fightin' Blue Hens refreshed their classic D mark with bolder lines and current team colors as part of an "UnvaulteD" throwback initiative that will appear across all varsity programs in 2026-27. Football will spotlight the look during its homecoming game against FIU on Nov. 14. — Delaware Athletics

Gas South partners with Kennesaw State in a multi-year deal. The natural gas provider becomes the Official Natural Gas Partner of KSU Athletics with a package that includes digital media, in-venue signage and student-focused programming. — Kennesaw State Athletics

Sam Houston AD Bobby Williams will retire at the end of the academic year. Williams is the longest-tenured FBS athletic director in the country, having served 45 years at the university through a period that included Sam Houston's transition from the FCS to Conference USA. — Sam Houston Athletics

Mountain West

CBS Sports Network's Adam Breneman was blown away by North Dakota State's FBS debut. The analyst, who called the game, said he expected Jacksonville State to win and was stunned by how thoroughly the Bison dominated the second half in their transition opener.

NCAA

NCAA President Charlie Baker calls on Congress to pass the Protect College Sports Act. Writing in USA Today, Baker warned that more than 165 lawsuits filed since early 2025 — including court orders reinstating former NFL and NBA professionals — are crowding out incoming high school recruits and stripping traditional student-athletes of scholarship opportunities. — USA Today

Pac-12

The Spokesman-Review makes the case for patience at Washington State. The paper argues that Cougar fans who view the conference's structural upheaval as opportunity rather than setback will find a better path to long-term success — especially those willing to remain flexible in how they define it. — The Spokesman-Review

Bowl executives still treat the Pac-12 as one conference for postseason purposes. For the third straight year, the 12 legacy schools — now spread across four leagues — will be grouped together when determining bowl destinations, with the Alamo, Las Vegas, Holiday and Sun bowls remaining the primary landing spots outside the College Football Playoff. — The Spokesman-Review

Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould outlines the league's positioning on BFT Unfiltered (starts at 5:51). Gould told John Canzano that athletics drives enrollment for member institutions and pushed back on the autonomy designation, calling it an arbitrary NCAA bylaw rather than a measure of investment or competitiveness.

Sun Belt

Appalachian State AD Doug Gillin talks budget realities on local podcast. Gillin told the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce that while facilities still matter, the focus has shifted to revenue generation — including revenue sharing, nutrition and licensing, which is approaching seven figures annually. He noted the department's budget has grown significantly from $23 million 12 years ago but expenses have kept pace, particularly with fifth-year scholarship costs. — Mind Your Business Podcast

Marshall extends its Go-Mart partnership with new on-field branding. The deal adds the first-ever on-field logo placement at Joan C. Edwards Stadium along with television-visible LED signage during football and men's basketball broadcasts. — Learfield