The computers at ESPN believe Michigan State will finish the 2021 in the bottom third of the Big Ten but potentially end up bowling.
ESPN released their initial Football Power Index (FPI) rankings for the upcoming 2021 season, and the Spartans are ranked as the No. 56 team in the country and 12th in the Big Ten. Despite being ranked near the bottom of the Big Ten, FPI projects the Spartans to finish with 5.6 wins and 6.4 losses, which would technically round up to 6-6. Additionally, FPI gives the Spartans a 51.3 percent chance to win six games and become bowl eligible.
Oklahoma has a 26% chance to win next season's national championship thanks to a load of returning talent 👀
More from our preseason FPI ratings ➡️ (ESPN+) https://t.co/dZjUB5YdAy pic.twitter.com/FjtiNnE4s0
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) April 13, 2021
ESPN’s 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.”
Here is where each of the Big Ten teams rank:
- No. 5 – Ohio State
- No. 10 – Penn State
- No. 15 – Wisconsin
- No. 23 – Iowa
- No. 25 – Indiana
- No. 30 – Northwestern
- No. 40 – Michigan
- No. 46 – Nebraska
- No. 49 – Minnesota
- No. 50 – Purdue
- No. 55 – Maryland
- No. 56 – Michigan State
- No. 79 – Rutgers
- No. 87 – Illinois
To no surprise, Ohio State is the heavy favorites by ESPN’s FPI to not only win the Big Ten East Division but the conference as a whole. The Spartans are currently given a 0.8 percent chance at winning the Big Ten East Division and 0.3 percent chance to win the league.
