Penn State is still ahead of Pitt in one set of rankings.
Even though Pitt is 5-0 with three wins over Power 4 schools and Penn State is 3-2 without a Power 4 win, Penn State is No. 20 in ESPN’s FPI and Pitt is No. 23.
Penn State fans, don’t get cocky.
Pitt fans, don’t shoot the messenger. Pitt has objectively had a better season so far, and that will be reflected in the Coaches Poll, where Penn State is currently No. 22 but expected to fall out, and the AP Poll, where Penn State is already out.
Penn State had a chance to get back into the AP with a win at Northwestern, but instead laid an egg.
IT’S ONLY FPI
It really isn’t that big of a deal.
By definition, FPI is a “predictiverating system developed by ESPN that measures team strength and uses it to forecast game and season results in American football. Each team’s FPI rating is composed of predictive offensive, defensive, and special teams value, as measured by a function of expected points added (EPA). That rating is the basis for FPI’s game-level and season-level projections.”
A great example of FPI being weird took place last season.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.After losing to Indiana to drop to 3-6, Penn State still was No. 21 in the FPI rankings, and it was relevant enough for IU coach Curt Cignetti to cite when talking about PSU.
“They’re in the top 25 in the ESPN [College] Football Power Index,” Cignetti said at his weekly press conference before the Penn State game. “Still the same guys they started the year with for the most part that was ranked No. 1 to No. 3 in the country. So a lot of good football players at all positions, playing really hard.”
MORE STRANGE STUFF
Photo by Ed Thompson, Steelers Now
It’s hard to believe now, but there was a time not too long ago when Penn State was favored to win every game it played this season per FPI. It’s even harder to believe that it still is, almost.
ESPN has Penn State with a 50-50 chance to beat Michigan. In every other game, PSU is favored.
Penn State takes on USC at 7:30 Saturday night for the annual White Out Game, which will be broadcast on NBC.
