ESPN's FPI Predicts BC To Finish 5-7
ESPN's Football Power Index is a system they use to predict how the season will go in college football. According to the site "The Football Power Index (FPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team's performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 10,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily."
So where do they have Boston College? 65th. And their record isn't very promising either, as the projections have them finishing 5-7 this season.
Where does the FPI have BC's opponents? (Records I rounded off, they are placed with decimals on the spreadsheet)
Clemson is ranked #1, with an almost clear path to 12-0 according to the simulations. Notre Dame is #7 (9-3), Florida State is #21 (8-4), Virginia Tech #32 (8-4), NC State #46 (7-5), Pittsburgh #48 (7-5), Syracuse #49 (7-5), Wake Forest #59 (6-6), Louisville #66 (5-7), Rutgers #92 (3-9), and Kansas #108 (3-9).
I am skeptical of these projections, as always, because yes they project some schools pretty accurately, like Clemson I am sure will be 12-0, 11-1, but there are so many variables for teams in the middle. Is BC really that much marginally better than Louisville a team they trounced last year? If they are factoring in last year's stats in this system, how much weight do they put on a healthy AJ Dillon. Obviously they don't and they can't.
That is why the games are played, and projections are just that projections.