Despite a sluggish offensive first half and a significant injury at quarterback, Texas A&M (3-1, 1-0 SEC) claimed victory in their first conference matchup of the season. Naturally, it gave them a significant jolt in ESPN’s FPI power rankings.
The worldwide leader in sports updated its College Football Power Index through Week 4, and the Aggies bumped up two spots to No. 16 overall. Alabama (No. 3), Georgia (No. 5), Ole Miss (No. 13), and LSU (No. 14) are the only SEC teams to rank ahead of A&M.
Here’s the latest breakdown of how the Aggies stack up in ESPN’s FPI power rankings, including the strength of the current record, as well as offense and defensive efficiency.
Overall ranking: No. 16
The Aggies jumped up two spots following their first SEC victory of the season, a 27-10 win over visiting Auburn. Their strength of remaining schedule clocks in at No. 4 overall, underscoring the volume of formidable foes on the horizon. The task is tall, but if the Aggies can persevere through the gauntlet of their schedule, we could see them finish high in ESPN’s FPI by season’s end.
Strength of Record: No. 36
The saying goes that to be the best, you have to beat the best. ESPN’s FPI model clearly feels the same, as the Aggies’ strength of record clocks in at No. 36 after beating Auburn. That’s a stark jump from their No. 64 ranking a week ago. Stacking up wins in conference play will only propel A&M further in these rankings.
Offensive efficiency: 80.4 (No. 18)
This shouldn’t be a surprise, as the Maroon and White struggled on offense for the first half of Week 4. Their 80.4 grade is a slight dip from their 84.0 grade last week, and their ranking dropped to No. 18 from No. 13 a week ago. It remains to be seen if Conner Weigman will suit up this week, but if Max Johnson has to step in, he more than showed he’s capable of leading this offense.
Defensive efficiency: 66.2 (No. 38)
A&M recorded a significant leap in defensive efficiency after bottling up Auburn for just 10 points and one total offensive scoring drive. The Maroon and White’s 66.2 grade is a stark improvement from 47.2 last week, and they jumped up 54 spots to rank No. 38 overall. A season-high seven sacks against the Tigers will more than boost a team in the FPI rankings.
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