Florida State got back into the win column Saturday, but the victory did not help the Seminoles in ESPN’s latest Football Power Index.
FSU fell six spots to No. 45 nationally in the updated FPI rankings following its 34-7 victory over Central Arkansas at Doak Campbell Stadium. The Seminoles’ FPI rating also dropped from 7.8 to 6.6, continuing a slide that has followed them through the opening month of the season.
Florida State entered the Central Arkansas game ranked No. 39 after falling two spots following its 50-36 loss at Alabama. FSU had been No. 37 before making the trip to Tuscaloosa.
At first glance, dropping six positions after a 27-point victory might seem unusual. One potential explanation is that the model did not view Florida State’s
performance against an FCS opponent as strongly as the final score suggests.
The Seminoles controlled the game statistically, producing 417 total yards and 8.7 yards per play while holding Central Arkansas to 248 yards and 3.4 yards per snap. Still, FSU committed 10 penalties for 115 yards, turned the ball over once, and allowed the Bears to possess the ball for more than 39 minutes.
However, FPI is designed differently from a traditional poll. ESPN describes it as a forward-looking measurement of team strength, and once the season begins, the system relies heavily on play-by-play performance while adjusting production for the strength of the opponent and game location.
That makes simply beating an FCS opponent less meaningful than how efficiently a team performs relative to the level of competition.
Florida State is now 2-2, and the upcoming schedule will provide considerably more opportunities to change the model’s view of the Seminoles. FSU returns to ACC competition against the Virginia Cavaliers on Oct. 3, beginning a stretch in which its FPI standing will have a chance to move significantly in either direction.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Florida State keeps sliding in ESPN’s latest FPI update
