We like to do this exercise for Ohio State football, and we’ve carried it over into basketball as well. Each week during the football season, ESPN and its Football Power Index utilizes some formulaic equation that we’ll never know to predict the likelihood of OSU winning each of its games. It changes every week based on what the Buckeyes and their opponents do each time out, and the model is supposed to be predictive of future success.
Take that for what it’s worth.
It just so happens that ESPN does the same for college basketball, but rather than calling it FPI — you guessed it — BPI is used (Basketball Power Index).
So far this season, we’ve stayed away from looking at each game and projecting what the final record will be for Ohio State because, well, there’s a lot more games during a basketball season and we didn’t really know what this team was yet. But now that we are a few games in, it makes since to visit it and see what the “worldwide leader” things about OSU and what games it will win and lose.
It’ll be a good baseline for this team and we’ll continue to go through this fun little drill periodically throughout the season. For now, though, here’s what ESPN’s BPI says about Ohio State basketball’s chances of winning each remaining game on the schedule and what the projected ending record will be.
Saturday., Dec.. 9, at Penn State
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Win Probability: 56.7%
Running predictive record: 9-1 (2-0 in Big Ten)
Saturday, Dec. 16 vs. UCLA (CBS Sports Classic)
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Win Probability: 71.6%
Running predictive record: 10-1 (2-0 in Big Ten)
Thursday, Dec. 21 vs. New Orleans
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Win Probability: 96.6%
Running predictive record: 11-1 (2-0 in Big Ten)
Saturday, Dec. 30 vs. West Virginia
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Win Probability: 77.3%
Running predictive record: 12-1 (2-0 in Big Ten)
Wednesday, Jan. 3 vs. Rutgers
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Win Probability: 74.5%
Running predictive record: 13-1 (3-0 in Big Ten)
Saturday, Jan. 6 at Indiana
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Indiana
Win Probability: 54.1%
Running predictive record: 13-2 (3-1 in Big Ten)
Wednesday, Jan. 10 vs. Wisconsin
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Win Probability: 53.9%
Running predictive record: 14-2 (4-1 in Big Ten)
Monday, Jan. 15 at Michigan
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Michigan
Win Probability: 57.2%
Running predictive record: 14-3 (4-2 in Big Ten)
Saturday, Jan. 20 vs. Penn State
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Win Probability: 82.7%
Running predictive record: 15-3 (5-2 in Big Ten)
Tuesday, Jan. 23 at Nebraska
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Nebraska
Win Probability: 55.7%
Running predictive record: 15-4 (5-3 in Big Ten)
Saturday, Jan. 27 at Northwestern
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Northwestern
Win Probability: 60.9%
Running predictive record: 15-5 (5-4 in Big Ten)
Tuesday, Jan. 30 vs. Illinois
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Win Probability: 55.7%
Running predictive record: 16-5 (6-4 in Big Ten)
Friday, Feb. 2 at Iowa
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Iowa
Win Probability: 65.8%
Running predictive record: 16-6 (6-5 in Big Ten)
Tuesday, Feb. 6 vs. Indiana
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Win Probability: 73.9%
Running predictive record: 17-6 (7-5 in Big Ten)
Saturday, Feb. 10 vs. Maryland
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Win Probability: 76.4%
Running predictive record: 18-6 (8-5 in Big Ten)
Tuesday, Feb. 13 at Wisconsin
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Wisconsin
Win Probability: 75.2%
Running predictive record: 18-7 (8-6 in Big Ten)
Sunday, Feb. 18 vs. Purdue
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Purdue
Win Probability: 62.9%
Running predictive record: 18-8 (8-7 in Big Ten)
Thursday, Feb. 22 at Minnesota
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Win Probability: 58.1%
Running predictive record: 19-8 (9-7 in Big Ten)
Sunday, Feb. 25 at Michigan State
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Michigan State
Win Probability: 64.1%
Running predictive record: 19-9 (9-8 in Big Ten)
Thursday, Feb. 29 vs. Nebraska
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Win Probability: 76.6%
Running predictive record: 20-9 (10-8 in Big Ten)
Sunday, March 3 vs. Michigan
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Win Probability: 70.5%
Running predictive record: 21-9 (11-8 in Big Ten)
Sunday, March 10 at Rutgers
What the ESPN BPI predicts
Predicted Winner: Rutgers
Win Probability: 56.9%
Running predictive record: 21-10 (11-9 in Big Ten)
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