ESPN’s FPI (Football Power Index) is out after Week 9. This week involved several of the lower ranked teams competing with the top teams, with interesting results, but not many upsets.
According to ESPN, FPI is defined as “a predictive rating system designed to measure team strength and project performance going forward.” In the FPI, 10 of the top 25 teams are in the SEC, including four of the top five. That shows how much competition Georgia has to deal with in the top conference in college football.
Georgia was on their bye week this week after the amazing 30-15 win over the Texas Longhorns. However, even with the loss, Texas is not only ahead of Georgia in the rankings, but they’re not at the top of the list after defeating the Vanderbilt Commodores 27-24. Georgia is ranked No. 4.
Alabama also appears ahead of Georgia after a 34-0 blowout win over Missouri. They’re penciled in as the No. 3 spot, despite having a worse record than Georgia, although they did win 41-34 against the Bulldogs earlier in the year.
The most even matchup on paper this week came from the LSU Tigers and the Texas A&M Aggies, two teams with undefeated records against SEC competition. The Aggies beat the Tigers 38-23 thanks to five touchdowns on the ground. As a result, Texas A&M rises two spots in FPI while LSU drops two spots.
Week 10 features some more intriguing games. Big Ten titans Ohio State and Penn State matchup in a game with conference championship implications. Pittsburgh and SMU, two teams undefeated in the ACC, play each other next week as well. The Oregon Ducks, currently the No. 1 team on the US LBM Coaches Poll, will match up against the defending champion Michigan Wolerines.
ESPN’s FPI Top 25 after Week 9
- Texas (25.7 FPI)
- Ohio State (25.6 FPI)
- Alabama (25 FPI)
- Georgia (22.9 FPI)
- Notre Dame (22.5 FPI)
- Tennessee (21.5 FPI)
- Ole Miss (21.4 FPI)
- Oregon (21 FPI)
- Penn State (19.6 FPI)
- Miami (19.1 FPI)
- Indiana (17.2 FPI)
- Texas A&M (16.7 FPI)
- Clemson (16.5 FPI)
- LSU (16.3 FPI)
- USC (14.8 FPI)
- SMU (13.3 FPI)
- Louisville (13.3 FPI)
- Kansas State (13.2 FPI)
- Iowa State (12.5 FPI)
- Boise State (11.9 FPI)
- South Carolina (11.5 FPI)
- Colorado (11.0 FPI)
- Florida (10.9 FPI)
- Missouri (10.6 FPI)
- Arkansas (10.4 FPI)