ESPN’s FPI is underselling Kansas football, and it’s pretty embarrassing
Kansas football is coming off its best season in 15 years, but the ESPN College Football Power Index doesn’t think too fondly of the Jayhawks.
The Kansas Jayhawks were one of the best stories in college football last year.
KU fans had dreaded Saturdays for over a decade, as their team had not eclipsed three wins since 2009. After claiming bowl eligibility and hosting College GameDay in 2022, there’s finally a reason to be excited about Kansas football. But apparently, ESPN’s FPI doesn’t share the same sentiment.
Before we dive into these absurd predictions, what is the ESPN College Football Power Index? They describe it as “a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season.” They do this by using advanced metrics developed by ESPN analysts and others alike.
The FPI ranks Kansas as the No. 68 team in the nation, with a projected 4.1-7.9 win/loss total. They’re also ranked dead last among all Big 12 schools. For a team returning a combined 17 starters on offense and defense, including a quarterback who was ranked No. 2 on ESPN’s own Heisman Watch this past October, that seems like an iffy ranking to say the least.
READ: KU football over/under win total set for 2023
That isn’t to say that the Jayhawks are guaranteed a winning record in 2023. There are still numerous question marks surrounding the team. Can Jalon Daniels stay healthy? Will the special teams’ blunders lessen? Is there going to be a possibility to come up with a defensive stop on third down?
However, the FPI is completely underselling Kansas football. The Jayhawks are given a 16 percent chance to win six games, and they are one of three schools with a 0 percent chance to win the Big 12. Not only did KU reach that win total last year, but they’re also heading into the season with higher expectations than they’ve had in many years.
I know what you’re thinking — why is this guy arguing with a digitally created college football system? Regardless, these embarrassing projections go to show how flawed ESPN’s FPI design is.
To view the complete ESPN FPI, click here.
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