Tennessee Vols fans will loathe the new ESPN FPI Top 25 rankings
ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) rankings have long been heralded as some of the most accurate rankings in college football, but Tennessee Vols fans probably won't agree after seeing ESPN's Week Two FPI rankings. Here's how ESPN's FPI rankings are calculated: From ESPN: "The Football Power Index (FPI) is a measure of team strength that […]
ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) rankings have long been heralded as some of the most accurate rankings in college football, but Tennessee Vols fans probably won't agree after seeing ESPN's Week Two FPI rankings.
Here's how ESPN's FPI rankings are calculated:
From ESPN: "The Football Power Index (FPI) is 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 20,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily. FPI data from seasons prior to 2019 may not be complete."
The updated FPI rankings have Tennessee as the No. 22 team in the nation after the Vols' 30-13 win against Austin Peay.
It's not a shock that Tennessee fell in the FPI rankings after a rough game against Austin Peay, though tumbling all the way to No. 22 seems like too much of a drop (UT was previously ranked No. 12). But that's what the simulations/data apparently says.
Tennessee's low ranking combined with Alabama's ranking after losing at home to Texas is where the FPI rankings become laughable.
Alabama, despite losing by 10 points to the Longhorns in Tuscaloosa, is still ranked No. 1 in the FPI rankings!
The FPI rankings can claim to be objective. But when you see Alabama ranked No. 1 with a 1-1 record over teams like Georgia and Ohio State, or even Florida State (which has a win over LSU, a team that beat Alabama last season), then it calls the validity of the the FPI rankings into question.
Alabama continues to get the benefit of the doubt despite trending in the wrong direction the last couple of seasons. No one is saying that Alabama shouldn't be feared — Nick Saban is still the greatest college football coach of all-time — but the respect given to the Crimson Tide has moved beyond reasonable to absurd. All that should matter in the FPI rankings is what's happened this season. And it's hard to believe that's the case with Alabama sitting at No. 1.
Vols HC Josh Heupel reacts to the holding penalties called against Tennessee’s WRs in win against Austin Peay
Vols head coach Josh Heupel reacts to the holding penalties called against Tennessee’s WRs in win against Austin Peay
Featured mage via Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
