If you’re tired of hearing the same old talking points used in explaining the latest preseason polls and think that team statistics show a different story, Dr. Ed Feng’s The Power Rank might be what you’re looking for.

Feng has crunched the numbers, including strength of schedule, margin of victory, turnovers and returning starters, and assigned a preseason ranking to all 128 FBS teams. The Power Rank, which uses an algorithm that Feng says has correctly predicted the outcome of  71.7 percent of non-cupcake games in the last three seasons, has Alabama on top, but it also predicts that the Crimson Tide will face a very difficult schedule with four opponents in the top 10.

The Power Rank’s Top 10, with anticipated margin of victory against an average opponent in parenthesis:

  1. Alabama (21.2)
  2. Florida State (19.3)
  3. LSU (17.3)
  4. Clemson (16.3)
  5. Oklahoma (16.2)
  6. Stanford (15.7)
  7. Tennessee (14.8)
  8. Ole Miss (13.2)
  9. Michigan (12.6)
  10. Texas A&M (12.3)

Despite having Alabama highest, Feng chose to spotlight the LSU ranking in his post with the rankings. He offers the following for why the Tigers come in at No. 3:

Now, LSU checks in at 3rd in my preseason rankings, a clear contender for the SEC West and playoff spot. Let’s look at the top reasons.

  • Leonard Fournette
  • 9 starters back on both sides of the ball
  • The hiring of coordinator Dave Aranda, whose defense at Wisconsin ranked 12th, 16th and 12th over the past 3 years in my yards per play adjusted for schedule
  • Did I mention Leonard Fournette?

There’s only one problem, and he’s the guy taking snaps from the center. QB Brandon Harris completed a meager 54% of his passes last year, allowing defenses to key on Fournette in critical games.

Other SEC teams’ power rankings:

  • No. 12 Arkansas (11.8)
  • No. 16 Georgia (11.0)
  • No. 23 Mississippi State (9.5)
  • No. 28 Florida (8.3)
  • No. 32 Auburn (7.1)
  • No. 34 South Carolina (5.9)
  • No. 44 Vanderbilt (3.7)
  • No. 52 Missouri (3.0)
  • No. 83 Kentucky (-2.3)

What do you think? Is he too high on the SEC West? Is Kentucky truly most likely to lose to an average team?