Takeaways from college football midseason awards: Did these analysts get it right?

Halfway through the college football season, plenty of preseason assumptions have already been shattered. Traditional powers have stumbled; after a wacky Week 7, unexpected contenders have emerged.

Yahoo Sports' college football writers Ross Dellinger, Nick Bromberg, Dan Wolken, Jay Busbee and Andy Backstrom gave their thoughts on some midseason awards that included: best G6 College Football Playoff Team, biggest surprise team, and most disappointing.

No Group of Six Team has a stronger case

The easiest call on the board might be Boise State as the Group of 6 College Football Playoff team. Four of the five writers chose Boise State. 

The Broncos have become what every aspiring Group of 6 contender wants to be: In a playoff race often decided by perception, Boise State has done more than enough to remove the debate. 

They've also challenged themselves earlier in the season against a healthy Oregon Ducks roster and a head-to-head win against Memphis. The Broncos have become the standard every other Group of Six contender is chasing.

The season's biggest surprise lives in Westwood

If Boise State is the least surprising selection, UCLA may be the most surprising team in the country. A program that was 3-9 last season has already doubled its win total. Two of the writers chose UCLA. 

Few anticipated UCLA would emerge as a national factor this quickly under Bob Chesney, who has already earned recognition on the Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year watchlist. No.9-ranked UCLA entered the season with modest expectations and plenty of questions about whether it could compete in an increasingly brutal Big Ten environment. 

Instead, the Bruins have become one of the best stories in college football. They defeated No. 13 Oregon in Autzen Stadium 17-15 and proceeded to beat the Wisconsin Badgers 17-7. 

Cal Poly transfer Ty Dieffenbach wasted little time making an impact, throwing for a career-high 264 yards in his first start for the Bruins against Wisconsin.

Chesney joined "Inside College Football" on Tuesday and pointed to a culture that was eager for change and willing to embrace it.

"I knew I needed to bring a lot of energy here and I knew I needed to revive this program," Chesney said. "I just didn't know if anyone else would reciprocate. Everybody carries the same excitement and energy for this program; those are the biggest similarities that connect me back to home."