ESPN FPI Rankings After Week 3 — Where Purdue Stands Following Loss to USC
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Purdue's 33-17 loss to USC in its Big Ten opener on Saturday didn't help its status in ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI). The Boilermakers actually dropped one spot after suffering their first defeat and falling to 2-1 on the year.
After Week 3 action, Purdue now ranks No. 79 in ESPN's FPI. That's one spot lower than last week, when Barry Odom's team was listed at No. 78. The Boilers are ahead of just one Big Ten team now, with UCLA falling 17 spots to No. 93.
USC didn't see any bump after pulling off the road victory at Ross-Ade Stadium, remaining at No. 5 in ESPN's FPI for Week 4. The Trojans are 3-0 on the season.
Purdue posted wins over Ball State and Southern Illinois before suffering a loss to USC. The Boilermakers will play their first road game of the season this weekend, traveling to South Bend for a rivalry showdown with Notre Dame.
Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will air on NBC and Peacock.
Notre Dame in ESPN's FPI
The Fighting Irish aren't off to a great start this year. Notre Dame is 0-2 to begin the year, suffering heartbreaking losses to No. 10 Miami (27-24) and No. 16 Texas A&M (41-40). It's a tough start for a team that played in the National Championship Game last season.
Even though Marcus Freeman's team has started winless, Notre Dame is still considered one of the top teams in college football, per ESPN's FPI. The Fighting Irish rank No. 14 despite the 0-2 spot.
Notre Dame is also still ranked in the Associated Press Poll, sitting at No. 24.
Big Ten rankings per ESPN's FPI
ESPN's FPI ranks every FBS team in college football. Here's where all 18 Big Ten teams stand heading into Week 4 (national ranking):
- #1 Oregon Ducks (3-0)
- #2 Ohio State Buckeyes (3-0)
- #5 USC Trojans (3-0)
- #7 Penn State Nittany Lions (3-0)
- #10 Michigan Wolverines (2-1)
- #16 Indiana Hoosiers (3-0)
- #17 Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-0)
- #23 Illinois Fighting Illini (3-0)
- #29 Washington Huskies (2-0)
- #40 Iowa Hawkeyes (2-1)
- #44 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (3-0)
- #45 Wisconsin Badgers (2-1)
- #55 Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-1)
- #60 Maryland Terrapins (3-0)
- #69 Michigan State Spartans (3-0)
- #76 Northwestern Wildcats (1-2)
- #79 Purdue Boilermakers (2-1)
- #93 UCLA Bruins (0-3)
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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