College football rankings: ESPN updates top 25 poll for Week 13, Rivalry Weekend
College football rankings: ESPN updates top 25 poll for Week 13
ESPN Football Power Index (FPI) college football rankings and computer prediction model are a measure of team strength that predicts a team’s future performance.
Rankings and scores predictions are based on 20,000 simulations of a team’s season, using a combination of analytics, including scores to date, quality of opponents, and a team’s schedule.
This isn't a conventional "power ranking" of the best teams, but a projection of how every team would finish against an average opponent on a neutral field, ranked by expected point margin per game.
25. Wisconsin. The Badgers clipped Nebraska by a single point on the road, but also watched as top running back Braelon Allen sustained a leg injury.
24. Oklahoma. The Sooners opened up a 28-0 lead in the first quarter of Bedlam and never looked back, taking down their rivals at home and moving to 6-5.
23. Oregon State. One of the quietest 8-3 teams in college football this season, the Beavers moved up 5 spots in these rankings after a big win over Arizona State.
22. Washington. Another big win for the Huskies, a rout over Colorado, their fourth straight victory on the year after a 2-game losing skid midseason.
21. Minnesota. Mo Ibrahim ran for a career-high 263 yards, but it wasn't enough for the Gophers in an ugly loss to Iowa ahead of next week's clash with Wisconsin.
20. Louisville. A 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown helped spur on the Cardinal offense in a big win over a then-ranked NC State, and moves Louisville into third place in the ACC Atlantic standings.
19. Baylor. Getting edged at home by TCU on a last-second field goal wasn't enough to move the now 6-5 Bears out of the ESPN rankings this week.
18. Mississippi State. Losing three of the last five to ranked SEC competition hasn't helped the Bulldogs, but they thrashed ETSU by seven touchdowns in Cupcake Week.
17. Ole Miss. A third loss in their last four drops the Rebels two spots in these rankings, this time an ugly showing on the road to Arkansas, who took a 42-6 lead before the comeback attempt that failed.
16. Notre Dame. Make it five straight for the Fighting Irish after they blanked BC at home and now head out to a solid USC for a major clash in Rivalry Weekend.
15. TCU. An oddly low ranking from the ESPN computers for the Horned Frogs after they came from behind to stay undefeated in a dramatic win at Baylor.
14. USC. The last hope for the Pac-12 to make the College Football Playoff after a statement win over rival UCLA, clinching a berth in the conference championship game.
13. Oregon. A close win at home over Utah with an injured Bo Nix giving his best at quarterback to avoid a third loss ahead of the Oregon State finale.
12. Kansas State. The Wildcats strengthened their hold on the No. 2 spot in the Big 12 standings with an impressive victory over West Virginia, but still have to beat Kansas next week to earn the right to face TCU in Arlington.
11. Florida State. For the first time since 2016, the Seminoles have won eight games in a season after another offensive outburst, scoring over 40 points in three of the last four outings.
10. LSU. A big win over UAB helps the Tigers puts another notch in the win column ahead of the finale against a reeling Texas A&M and from there against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game with a still-slim shot at the playoff if they win out.
9. Clemson. Beating Miami at home by 30 didn't prove that much, but it keeps the Tigers at one loss ahead of the finale against a South Carolina team that just rocked the Vols and after that, the ACC title game with a College Football Playoff berth vaguely in sight.
8. Utah. A three-point loss at Oregon wasn't enough to move down the ESPN rankings this week, but Cameron Rising didn't throw a touchdown in that game. He did throw three interceptions.
7. Penn State. Thrashing Rutgers, 55-10, keeps the Nittany Lions on the path to a 10-win season and what should be a solid bowl game.
6. Tennessee. ESPN maintains its optimistic prediction for the Vols despite a shocking result at South Carolina, allowing 63 points to the Gamecocks and dropping a costly second game that could keep them out of the playoff. And now quarterback Hendon Hooker is injured, too.
5. Texas. FPI has been strangely high on the Longhorns all season, even amid their struggles, and now especially after they just ransacked Kansas on the road to stay in the Big 12 title hunt.
4. Michigan. A two-point win at home over West challenger Illinois is a statement of a kind going into The Game, but now there's an injury to star running back Blake Corum, the engine behind this offense.
3. Alabama. Dismantling Austin Peay was the least dramatic result of the college football weekend, but it keeps the Crimson Tide at two losses going into the Iron Bowl.
2. Ohio State. Maryland gave the Buckeye defense all it could handle most of the night, but the Big Ten favorites held on away from home to stay perfect with Michigan on tap, and a chance to play for the Big Ten title and College Football Playoff.
1. Georgia. A slugfest at Kentucky keeps the Bulldogs perfect on the year with just Georgia Tech and the SEC title game standing in the way of another playoff berth.
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