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ESPN releases top-25 power rankings for college football

By Cameron La Fontaine

Jan 6, 2014; Pasadena, CA, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) holds the Coaches Trophy after defeating the Auburn Tigers 34-31 in the 2014 BCS National Championship game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 6, 2014; Pasadena, CA, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) holds the Coaches Trophy after defeating the Auburn Tigers 34-31 in the 2014 BCS National Championship game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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The first kickoff of the highly anticipated college football season is only a few weeks away and ESPN, in honor of the new College Football Playoff, selected their own panel of 13 voters along with ESPN Stats and Information to create a top 25 power ranking of teams based on the Football Power Index (FPI).

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According to ESPN, the “Football Power Index predicts and ranks team strength based on expected points added from offense, defense and special teams, adjusted for opponent strength. Using preseason FPI, ESPN Stats & Information has projected each team’s chances of winning each game on its schedule based on the difference between the two teams’ FPIs, game site and game type.” 

The voters included Colin Cowherd, Desmond Howard, David Pollack, Gene Wojciechowski and Scott Van Pelt among others.

ESPN’s final FPI top-25 looked like this:

1. Florida State

Overall: 1, Offense: 2, Defense: 1

2. Alabama

Overall: 4, Offense: 10, Defense: 3

3. Oklahoma

Overall: 7, Offense: 19, Defense: 4

4. Oregon

Overall: 2, Offense: 1, Defense: 10

5. Auburn

Overall: 3, Offense: 3, Defense: 19

6. Ohio State

Overall: 6, Offense: 5, Defense: 21

7. Michigan State

Overall: 24, Offense: 48, Defense: 20

8. UCLA

Overall: 5, Offense: 6, Defense: 28

9. South Carolina

Overall: 9, Offense: 8, Defense: 18

10. Stanford

Overall: 8, Offense: 16, Defense: 8

11.Baylor

Overall: 11, Offense: 4, Defense: 29

12. Georgia

Overall: 12, Offense: 15, Defense: 7

13. LSU

Overall: 14, Offense: 20, Defense: 14

14. USC

Overall: 13, Offense: 12, Defense: 17

15. Notre Dame

Overall: 29, Offense: 41, Defense: 25

16. Clemson

Overall: 15, Offense: 25, Defense: 6

17. Wisconsin

Overall: 23, Offense: 18, Defense: 40

18. Texas A&M

Overall: 10, Offense: 7, Defense: 24

19. Ole Miss

Overall: 20, Offense: 34, Defense: 11

20. Washington

Overall: 27, Offense 21, Defense 41

21. North Carolina

Overall: 17, Offense 19, Defense: 27

22. Nebraska

Overall: 43, Offense: 54, Defense: 35

23. UCF

Overall: 48, Offense: 43, Defense: 54

24. Texas

Overall: 25, Offense: 38, Defense: 22

25. TCU

Overall: 36, Offense: 87, Defense: 5

Some facts and stats associated with the top-25 power rankings according to FPI:

Best offense: Oregon

Best defense: Florida State

Largest FPI overall vs. power ranking difference: UCF (25)

Highest ranked team with lowest FPI: Michigan State ranked at seven with 24 overall FPI.

Largest difference between offense and defense: 25th ranked TCU. Offense at 87 with defense at five (82 point difference).

Snubs: Missouri, Florida, Arizona State, Kansas State.

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