An annual right of spring is laughing at how bad ESPN’s FPI is each season. This year’s ESPN FPI came out and I expected more of the same. I was ready for it, and they of course the ESPN FPI didn’t fail.
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Using recruiting rankings as a predictive component is just not something I can get behind.
Use returning starts – OK, Using recruiting rankings – come on.
Why don’t we use coaches’ career stats in that case?
Let’s get started.
I’m not sure I buy Ohio State as such a heavy favorite to win the national title. They were listed as having a nearly 37% chance of winning the title. Alabama was at 20% and the two-time defending champs Georgia were at 19%. If I’m defending the Georgia Bulldogs you know something is not right. Georgia isn’t returning their starting QB, but neither is Ohio State and just take a look at the schedules. Ohio State’s is tougher. The Bulldogs have won 33 of their last 34 games.
I’m not seeing how you can make a case for Ohio State over both Alabama and Georgia.
LSU is 9 teams ahead of Florida State. Now LSU was a good team last season, but let’s not forget Florida State beat them last year, the Tigers didn’t exactly finish with a flourish losing to a dreadful Texas A&M team, and getting wiped out by Georgia. Great you beat Purdue in a bowl game. Syracuse beat them too. Maybe even worse than LSU being ranked that high, is Oklahoma coming off a 6-7 being ranked 11th and also ahead of the Noles.
I’m pretty sure Mike Norvell will have plenty of bulletin board material for his Noles.
Then of course you have the inexplicable top 25 teams. What are Florida, Texas A&M, and Baylor doing in any top 25 ranking at this point? Those were really bad football teams last year. They have to prove their worth.
Well, usually you have to prove worth, except with the ESPN FPI.
