ESPN FPI Ranks Alabama No. 2 For Second Consecutive Week

ESPN FPI continues to buy into the Alabama hype, with a high ranking for the Crimson Tide despite Alabama being on a bye week in week four.

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The ESPN Football Power Index (FPI) is a computer-generated system, that runs over 10,000 simulations in a season to predict performance moving forward to test how above-average or below-average a team is.

According to ESPN's FPI, Alabama has a ranking of 28.0, ranking the Crimson Tide as the No. 2 team in the country, behind the Texas Longhorns with an FPI of 29.1.

The ESPN Football Power Index also provided some percentage odds for teams to make it a certain distance in the season, as well as records. Alabama currently has the fifth-best record projection according to ESPN's FPI, with a W/L of 10.6-1.8.

The four ahead of Alabama: Texas (11.6-1.1), Miami (11.2-1.5), Ohio State (11.1-1.5), and Ole Miss (10.7-1.7).

Despite the strong rating, the FPI does not expect Alabama to win out in the regular season, which would slot the Crimson Tide going 12-0 in the regular season. ESPN gives Alabama just a 10.2% projection to win out.

The Crimson Tide's remaining schedule includes home matchups with No. 2 Georgia and No. 11 Missouri and road trips to No. 5 Tennessee, No. 14 LSU, and No. 21 Oklahoma.

Despite being ranked fifth in Win/Loss projection, Alabama has the second-best odds of any SEC team to win the conference at 20%. Texas is No. 1 in the SEC at 40%.

Alabama has the second-best chance to make the College Football Playoff with an 82.9% projection to make the expanded 12-team field. Texas is No. 1 again with a 93% projection to make the 12-team playoffs.

Alabama remained at No. 2 behind Texas in odds to make the College Football Playoff National Championship, with a projection of 27.2%. Texas has a 38.1% projection to make the championship game, played in Atlanta, Georgia on January 20.

To win the national championship, which would be Alabama's 19th overall in football, the Crimson Tide has a 16.3% projection. Texas is once again No. 1 in this category at 23.9%.

Here is the full ESPN top 10 according to the FPI:

1. Texas (29.1 FPI Ranking)
2. Alabama (28.0)
3. Ohio State (26.2)
4. Georgia (24.0)
5. Tennessee (23.8)
6. Ole Miss (23.8)
7. Miami (20.4)
8. Penn State (19.8)
9. Notre Dame (19.7)
10. Oregon (17.4)