Football Power Index prediction: Big Ten ESPN Stats & Information’s Sharon Katz gives the preseason breakdown of the Big Ten conference. 0 Shares Print As the 2015 college football season approaches, ESPN Stats & Information will preview each Power 5 conference from the perspective of preseason FPI. As a refresher, preseason FPI is a rating based on a number of factors that have been found to be predictive for the coming season (previous years’ efficiencies, returning starters, recruiting rankings and coaching tenure). An explanation of preseason FPI can be found here and here, and full season projections are available at espn.com/fpi. Today we will analyze the upcoming season in the Big Ten. FPI’s favorite The Big Ten is expected to be the most-lopsided conference race in the country with Ohio State projected to run away with the conference championship. There is more than a one-in-three chance a team other than Ohio State wins the Big Ten. ESPN Stats & InformationThe Buckeyes have the best chance of any Power 5 team to win its conference, but there is still a 37 percent chance that some other team takes the title. FPI projects that Michigan State, Wisconsin and Nebraska are the next-most likely teams to win the conference. Although Wisconsin and Nebraska rank lower than Michigan and Penn State in preseason FPI, those teams have an easier path to the Big Ten championship game through the Big Ten West. FPI projects that Wisconsin has a 44 percent chance to win the Big Ten West, followed by Nebraska at 29 percent. In comparison, neither Michigan nor Penn State has more than a 6 percent chance to win the Big Ten East, where Ohio State and Michigan State are the favorites. Top games of the year Matchup quality ranks games (on a 0-to-100 scale) based on how good each team is and how close the game is expected to be. …
Continue Reading: FPI previews the Big Ten season
