Let’s compare the final ESPN FPI rankings for 2016 with the preseason ESPN FPI rankings for 2017.
It’s the college football offseason, but thankfully, ESPN has already released its 2017 preseason FPI rankings – naming Ohio State the top team heading into next season. The Buckeyes, who lost in the College Football Playoff to Clemson last year, finished at No. 4 in ESPN’s final 2016 FPI rankings.
We thought it’d be interesting to take a look at where each team finished last season and where they’re projected to finish next season. Oregon and South Carolina, which both had disappointing campaigns in 2016, are expected to improve the most next year.
Here’s a chart of all 128 teams that played last year and will play this year. The chart doesn’t compute the FPI difference – it computes the FPI rank difference.
| Team | 2016 Final Rank | 2017 Preseason Rank | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 61 | 21 | 40 |
| South Carolina | 72 | 32 | 40 |
| Syracuse | 81 | 46 | 35 |
| Arizona State | 70 | 40 | 30 |
| Georgia | 41 | 13 | 28 |
| Kentucky | 62 | 34 | 28 |
| Marshall | 115 | 87 | 28 |
| Rutgers | 113 | 88 | 25 |
| Arizona | 79 | 55 | 24 |
| Missouri | 64 | 41 | 23 |
| UCLA | 43 | 23 | 20 |
| Texas | 44 | 24 | 20 |
| Duke | 65 | 45 | 20 |
| Oregon State | 71 | 52 | 19 |
| Miss St | 51 | 33 | 18 |
| FAU | 119 | 101 | 18 |
| Tulane | 95 | 78 | 17 |
| Notre Dame | 32 | 17 | 15 |
| TCU | 34 | 19 | 15 |
| NC State | 37 | 22 | 15 |
| Arkansas | 50 | 36 | 14 |
| Northwestern | 42 | 29 | 13 |
| SMU | 92 | 79 | 13 |
| Miami (OH) | 97 | 85 | 12 |
| Fresno State | 120 | 108 | 12 |
| Baylor | 39 | 28 | 11 |
| UVA | 84 | 73 | 11 |
| Illinois | 94 | 83 | 11 |
| Colorado State | 74 | 64 | 10 |
| Georgia Tech | 46 | 37 | 9 |
| Memphis | 52 | 43 | 9 |
| Wake Forest | 63 | 54 | 9 |
| Maryland | 78 | 69 | 9 |
| UL Monroe | 126 | 117 | 9 |
| Vanderbilt | 55 | 47 | 8 |
| Stanford | 18 | 11 | 7 |
| Florida | 22 | 15 | 7 |
| Indiana | 67 | 60 | 7 |
| UCF | 73 | 66 | 7 |
| Auburn | 11 | 5 | 6 |
| UTSA | 101 | 95 | 6 |
| Penn State | 13 | 8 | 5 |
| Texas Tech | 53 | 48 | 5 |
| Bowling Green | 116 | 111 | 5 |
| Buffalo | 127 | 122 | 5 |
| Oklahoma | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| Florida State | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| UNLV | 107 | 103 | 4 |
| Akron | 108 | 104 | 4 |
| Hawai’i | 111 | 107 | 4 |
| Ohio State | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Boston College | 75 | 72 | 3 |
| UMass | 118 | 115 | 3 |
| Rice | 121 | 118 | 3 |
| Wisconsin | 12 | 10 | 2 |
| Michigan State | 60 | 58 | 2 |
| Army | 77 | 75 | 2 |
| Cent Michigan | 91 | 89 | 2 |
| Kansas | 104 | 102 | 2 |
| ECU | 98 | 97 | 1 |
| Purdue | 99 | 98 | 1 |
| LSU | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Mid Tennessee | 86 | 86 | 0 |
| Cincinnati | 90 | 90 | 0 |
| Alabama | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| FIU | 122 | 123 | -1 |
| USC | 10 | 12 | -2 |
| Miami (FL) | 14 | 16 | -2 |
| Iowa State | 66 | 68 | -2 |
| Ball State | 103 | 105 | -2 |
| Texas State | 128 | 130 | -2 |
| Tennessee | 17 | 20 | -3 |
| Kansas State | 27 | 30 | -3 |
| UL Lafayette | 106 | 109 | -3 |
| New Mexico St | 123 | 126 | -3 |
| Washington | 5 | 9 | -4 |
| Cal | 58 | 62 | -4 |
| Wyoming | 76 | 80 | -4 |
| Arkansas State | 80 | 84 | -4 |
| Ohio | 87 | 91 | -4 |
| UTEP | 124 | 128 | -4 |
| Charlotte | 125 | 129 | -4 |
| Clemson | 2 | 7 | -5 |
| Louisville | 9 | 14 | -5 |
| Washington St | 20 | 25 | -5 |
| Nevada | 100 | 106 | -6 |
| Troy | 69 | 76 | -7 |
| E Michigan | 105 | 112 | -7 |
| Kent State | 109 | 116 | -7 |
| South Alabama | 114 | 121 | -7 |
| VT | 23 | 31 | -8 |
| Old Dominion | 85 | 93 | -8 |
| San Jose State | 102 | 110 | -8 |
| UConn | 112 | 120 | -8 |
| North Texas | 117 | 125 | -8 |
| Ole Miss | 29 | 38 | -9 |
| Iowa | 30 | 39 | -9 |
| Nebraska | 48 | 57 | -9 |
| Toledo | 56 | 65 | -9 |
| Oklahoma State | 15 | 26 | -11 |
| Texas A&M | 16 | 27 | -11 |
| Utah State | 88 | 99 | -11 |
| Southern Miss | 89 | 100 | -11 |
| N Illinois | 82 | 94 | -12 |
| New Mexico | 83 | 96 | -13 |
| UNC | 21 | 35 | -14 |
| Minnesota | 47 | 61 | -14 |
| Navy | 57 | 71 | -14 |
| Georgia State | 110 | 124 | -14 |
| Michigan | 3 | 18 | -15 |
| USF | 36 | 51 | -15 |
| Utah | 33 | 50 | -17 |
| BYU | 31 | 49 | -18 |
| San Diego State | 45 | 63 | -18 |
| Tulsa | 49 | 67 | -18 |
| Pitt | 25 | 44 | -19 |
| Appalachian St | 54 | 74 | -20 |
| Boise State | 35 | 56 | -21 |
| Houston | 38 | 59 | -21 |
| Ga Southern | 93 | 114 | -21 |
| LA Tech | 59 | 81 | -22 |
| Colorado | 19 | 42 | -23 |
| Idaho | 96 | 119 | -23 |
| Air Force | 68 | 92 | -24 |
| West Virginia | 24 | 53 | -29 |
| Temple | 40 | 82 | -42 |
| W Michigan | 26 | 70 | -44 |
| W Kentucky | 28 | 77 | -49 |
Four of the 10 teams expected to improve the most call the SEC home.
The ‘Power 5’ team expected to fall off the most in 2017? As you can see, ESPN does not think West Virginia will have nearly as good a 2017 campaign as it did in 2017.
What do you think of these rankings? Will Oregon and South Carolina improve the most?
