ESPN’s infamous Football Power Index Rankings (FPI) have long been a source of contention at times with the average college football fan, and especially with some Clemson fans.
Many will recall after Deshaun Watson and Clemson thoroughly dismantled Oklahoma in the 2015 CFP semifinal round game at the Orange Bowl, how the FPI mysteriously still had the Sonners ranked ahead of the Tigers.
Any system that has Team A ranked ahead of Team B, after Team B just toe-dragged Team A up and down the field and won by 20, has major flaws. Yet, here we are, and ESPN still trots it out every season, never telling the exact formula for how it is determined.
“A measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 10,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily.”
ESPN explanation of the FPI
But, that is neither here or there, and a story for another day. This time, they got it right. At least at the top.
Here is the Top 10
Other ACC teams to make the cut are UNC at #18, Florida State at #23, and Virginia Tech at #25. Ironically, Louisville doesn’t make the list. A team many have penciled in as the leagues second or third best team behind Clemson.
