Ohio State, Alabama Top Preseason Football Power Index

    Powerhouse programs fill the top of the ESPN Preseason Football Power Index, with the Ohio State Buckeyes standing on top.


    Powerhouse programs fill the top of the ESPN Preseason Football Power Index, with the Ohio State Buckeyes standing on top.


    If the ESPN preseason FPI is any indication of what we will see in the 2017 College Football Playoff, fans will be treated to four powerhouse programs, all from different conferences, playing for the game’s ultimate prize.

    Ohio State tops the list with a score of +29.0, as the Buckeyes return a slew of talent from a team that ran into eventual national champion Clemson in this past season’s playoff, losing to the Tigers 31-0.

    Dabo Swinney’s team also defeated the No. 2 team in Alabama. The Crimson Tide (+25.9) lost on a last-second touchdown to Clemson in the title game, but as always, will reload. The return of quarterback Jalen Hurts from an excellent freshman season makes the Tide dangerous.

    Oklahoma (+24.5) and Florida State (+24.3) round out the top four, while Auburn follows at 21.5. The Tigers are a threat to Alabama’s dominance in the SEC, as Baylor transfer quarterback Jarrett Stidham hopes to take Auburn back to the title game for the first time since 2013.

    Fellow SEC West member LSU comes next at No. 6 at 19.6, while defending national champion Clemson has the same score and follows.

    Here is the top 25 based on ESPN’s FPI, which “is 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.”

    Preseason Football Power Index

    1. Ohio State (29.0)

    2. Alabama (25.9)

    3. Oklahoma (24.5)

    4. FSU (24.3)

    5. Auburn (21.5)

    6. LSU (19.6)

    7. Clemson (19.6)

    8. Penn State (18.9)

    9. Washington (18.7)

    10. Wisconsin (17.4)

    11. Stanford (16.7)

    12. USC (16.3)

    13. Georgia (15.6)

    14. Louisville (14.9)

    15. Florida (14.5)

    16. Miami (14.4)

    17. Michigan (13.7)

    18. TCU (13.5)

    19. Tennessee (13.4)

    20. Notre Dame (12.9)

    21. Oregon (12.3)

    22. NC State (12.2)

    23. UCLA (12.1)

    24. Texas (11.8)

    25. Washington State (11.7)

    MORE: Post-National Signing Day Top 25 College Football Rankings

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