Florida State football finally got back in the win column Saturday, but the victory did not move the Seminoles in ESPN’s Football Power Index.
FSU remains No. 41 nationally in the latest FPI rankings following its 31-24 road win over Boston College. The Seminoles entered the weekend at the same spot after dropping four places following their loss to the Clemson Tigers.
The result still represented an important step for Florida State. The Seminoles improved to 4-5 overall and 2-4 in ACC play, snapped a 12-game true road losing streak and gave interim head coach Rick Stockstill a victory in his first game leading the program. FSU also outgained Boston College 380-320 and rushed for 202 yards.
Perhaps the more interesting movement came from the team
Florida State beat.
Boston College actually climbed two spots from No. 85 to No. 83 despite falling to the Seminoles. The Eagles had entered the matchup at No. 85 following a 47-2 loss to the Duke Blue Devils.
That movement is a reminder that FPI is not designed like a traditional poll in which winning automatically sends a team upward and drops them when they lose. ESPN describes FPI as a forward-looking measurement of team strength that evaluates performance on a play-by-play basis while adjusting for factors such as opponent quality.
That helps explain how Boston College could improve despite losing a competitive seven-point game to a higher-rated opponent, while Florida State’s narrow victory was not enough to move the Seminoles nationally.
FSU’s ranking has been volatile throughout the season. The Seminoles climbed as high as No. 30 following their 38-7 win over Virginia, dropped to No. 41 after losing at Louisville, rebounded to No. 36 after taking Miami to double overtime, and eventually returned to No. 41 following the Clemson loss.
For now, Saturday’s victory stopped Florida State’s losing streak without changing ESPN’s overall assessment of the team. The Seminoles will have another opportunity to improve that standing Friday night when they travel to face Pittsburgh.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Florida State football holds steady in FPI rankings after road win
