ESPN released their FPI rankings following Week 3 and the Georgia Bulldogs have fallen from the No. 1 spot. After a rough 13-12 win over the Kentucky Wildcats, many media outlets, including Joel Klatt, dropped the Bulldogs down in their respective rankings.
According to ESPN, FPI (football power index) is defined as “a predictive rating system designed to measure team strength and project performance going forward.” In the top 25 rankings, there are nine teams in the SEC, including five of the top six, showing how much competition the Bulldogs have to deal with in the best conference in college football.
Texas has looked like the complete package in the SEC so far, dominating UTSA even without Quinn Ewers for most of the game. Their 31-12 win against No. 10 Michigan on the road was extremely impressive.
Meanwhile, Alabama earned the No. 2 spot after defeating Wisconsin 42-10. They still have yet to play a ranked opponent, but they’ll get tested against Georgia in Week 5. Both Georgia and Alabama have bye weeks ahead of their Sept. 28 game.
Tennessee finished No. 4 after throttling Kent State 71-0. They have yet to play an SEC opponent, but their best win was against No. 24 N.C. State 51-10
There is real possibility that Georgia could slip in these rankings even further, since they have a bye. Their matchup against Alabama in Week 5 will be seismic in these rankings and for Georgia’s SEC championship hopes.
ESPN’s Top 25 FPI Rankings after Week 3
- Texas (28.5 FPI)
- Alabama (28.2 FPI)
- Ohio State (26.2 FPI)
- Tennessee (24.4 FPI)
- Georgia (23.7 FPI)
- Ole Miss (22.7 FPI)
- Notre Dame (19.9 FPI)
- Miami (17.9 FPI)
- Penn State (17.7 FPI)
- Missouri (17.4 FPI)
- Oregon (17.1 FPI)
- USC (16.8 FPI)
- Louisville (14.7 FPI)
- Oklahoma (13.5 FPI)
- Texas A&M (13.4 FPI)
- Clemson (13.0 FPI)
- Kansas State (12.8 FPI)
- UCF (12.7 FPI)
- Indiana (12.1 FPI)
- Oklahoma State (10.9 FPI)
- Michigan (10.7 FPI)
- LSU (10.7 FPI)
- Boston College (10.2 FPI)
- Utah (10.1 FPI)
- Nebraska (9.1 FPI)