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College football Week 6 rankings: Pittsburgh rises, Boston slides and more - See top risers and fallers
College football Week 6 brought shock upsets, statement wins, and crushing defeats, shaking up ESPN’s Football Power Index with dramatic rises and falls.
College football’s Week 6 schedule produced surprises that shook the ESPN Football Power Index (FPI) rankings.
The updated numbers highlighted dramatic moves among power conference teams, as Pittsburgh surged after a quarterback change, UCLA stunned Penn State, and Boston College and North Carolina suffered heavy drops, reported Sports Illustrated.
Biggest winners: Panthers, Bruins, and Wildcats
Pittsburgh Panthers
Pittsburgh made one of the biggest leaps of the week, soaring to the 18th spot from the 48th. The Panthers quickly switched quarterbacks, handing the reins to freshman Mason Heintschel. The decision paid off as Heintschel torched Boston College in a dominant 48-7 win. Now 3-2, Pitt is projected with a 60.3 percent chance to reach bowl eligibility with at least six wins this season.
Also read: Seattle Mariners aim to bounce back against Tigers in ALDS after tough game 1 loss
UCLA (Up 12 to 78th)
The Bruins delivered one of the season’s biggest upsets by toppling No. 7 Penn State, 42-37. In spite of being the 25.5-point underdog, UCLA piled up 280 rushing yards and converted 10 of 16 third downs. Although FPI still forecasted a tough road ahead with a likely 2-10 record, the single victory will remain a highlight of their season, the Sports Illustrated report added.
Northwestern (Up 11 to 67)
The Wildcats defeated Louisiana-Monroe, 42-7, to improve to 3-2 on the year, jumping 11 spots in the rankings. FPI now has them ahead of Purdue and UCLA, with a 20 per cent chance of reaching six wins and therefore bowl eligibility.
Biggest losers: Eagles, Tar Heels, and Cougars
Boston College (Down 14 to 82nd)
The Eagles dropped hard after their thrashing at the hands of Pitt. Outgained 503-216, Boston College fell to 1-4 and slid near the bottom of the Big Ten standings. FPI projects just a 3-9 finish with only a 1 per cent chance of reaching six wins.
North Carolina (Down 11 to 98th)
Things look dire for the Tar Heels following a 38-10 loss to Clemson. UNC is now in last place in the ACC and near the bottom of all the power conferences, only ahead of Oklahoma State. FPI projects a 4-8 season, giving the Tar Heels just a 4.7 per cent chance of hitting six wins.
Houston (Down 10 to 63rd)
The Cougars lost their first game of the year, falling to Texas Tech, 35-11. Houston seemed out of sync offensively, registering only 12 first downs and going 1-for-12 on third down conversions. That said, FPI still projects a 7-5 record and gives the Cougars a 92.2 per cent probability of bowl eligibility.
The AP Top 25 showed the changes from Week 6. UCLA’s win surprised Penn State, while Alabama secured an important victory against Vanderbilt. Miami stayed unbeaten after narrowly defeating Florida State. Ohio State, Oregon, and Miami still hold the top three positions, according to another NCAA report.
FAQs
Q1: What is ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI)?
FPI is a predictive ranking system that measures team strength and projects future performance based on 20,000 simulations of a team’s season.
Q2: Who was the biggest riser in Week 6’s FPI rankings?
The Pittsburgh Panthers jumped 18 spots to 48th after defeating Boston College 48-7.
Q3: Which team suffered the steepest fall in the rankings?
Boston College dropped 14 places to 82nd following their heavy loss to Pittsburgh.
