ESPN’s FPI predicts the outcome of every SEC Week 2 game
By Andrew Olson
Published:
The SEC Week 2 slate has a little bit of everything. SEC fans checking out Saturday’s games will be treated to headlining nonconference clashes, division battles and an intriguing crossover game.
ESPN’s Football Power Index predicts the outcome of every game. Here’s how the FPI projects Saturday’s slate of 12 games featuring SEC teams:
- No. 1 Alabama (81.9% chance to win) at Texas
- No. 16 Arkansas (74% chance to win) vs. South Carolina
- Vanderbilt (38% chance to win) vs. No. 23 Wake Forest
- Mizzou (38.4% chance to win) at Kansas State
- No. 6 Texas A&M (82.2% chance to win) vs. App State
- No. 24 Tennessee (54.1% chance to win) at No. 17 Pitt
- No. 2 Georgia (99.9% chance to win) vs. Samford
- No. 12 Florida (54.8% chance to win) vs. No. 20 Kentucky
- No. 22 Ole Miss (99.1% chance to win) vs. Central Arkansas
- Auburn (96.3% chance to win) vs. San Jose State
- LSU (98.7% chance to win) vs. Southern
- Mississippi State (77.9% chance to win) at Arizona
The SEC went a perfect 13-0 last Saturday. That won’t be the case in Week 2 with the Arkansas-South Carolina and Florida-Kentucky games.
The 3:30 p.m. ET “SEC on CBS” showcase game has not started yet. ESPN’s “College GameDay” is in Austin for the Alabama-Texas game, which will air on FOX.
The SEC Network has sent “SEC Nation” correspondents to 3 sites. Laura Rutledge, Paul Finebaum, Jordan Rodgers, Marty Smith, Ryan McGee and Benjamin Watson are in Nashville for Vanderbilt’s game against Wake Forest. Tim Tebow is back in Gainesville for the Florida-Kentucky game. Roman Harper is in Austin for Alabama-Texas. Pete Thamel will also appear from Austin on “SEC Nation.”
Here’s how ESPN explains the FPI:
FPI is a predictive rating system designed to measure team strength and project performance going forward. The ultimate goal of FPI is not to rank teams 1 through 128; rather, it is to correctly predict games and season outcomes. If Vegas ever published the power rankings it uses to set its lines, they would likely look quite a lot like FPI.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaign of Fred Taylor.
