Wisconsin a top-20 team in ESPN’s updated preseason FPI
ben kenney
·6 min read
Welcome to college football’s first game week of the year, for the limited Week 0 slate at least.
Wisconsin doesn’t open its 2023 season until September 3 when Buffalo visits town. But starting this weekend, there will be college football on our television screens for the rest of the calendar year and beyond.
The season across the sport is one of nostalgia, at least from my perspective. Starting in 2024 the sport is set to drastically change with an expanded College Football Playoff, large-scale conference realignment and, in our backyard, the elimination of the Big Ten West division.
It’s Wisconsin’s last best chance to win the Big Ten and make a run to the four-team playoff. To do so the team will need to peak in Luke Fickell and Phil Longo’s first year, but it’ll also need some of the sport’s top contenders to take a slide.
ESPN recently updated its FPI metric in advance of the season’s start. Wisconsin, just like in nearly every other poll, slots into the top 20 and has a large quantity of brand names to contend with:
Apr 15, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, United States; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord (6) looks for a play during the first quarter of the Ohio State Buckeyes spring game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday morning. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Scheller-The Columbus Dispatch
Nov 13, 2021; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama head coach Nick Saban watches the Crimson Tide warm up before playing New Mexico State at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
FPI Index: 28.2
Projected Win-Loss Record: 10.8-1.8
Playoff %: 57.1
National Title %: 18.7
Georgia
Jan 10, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; The Georgia Bulldogs mascot Uga on the sideline during the first half in the 2022 CFP college football national championship game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2022; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh listens in as quarterback Alan Bowman (15) huddles up the offense during the Spring game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
FPI Index: 21.4
Projected Win-Loss Record: 9.9-2.3
Playoff %: 25.5
National Title %: 4.8
USC
Mar 1, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC football head coach Lincoln Riley attends the USC Trojans and the Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball game at Galen Center. The Wildcats won 91-71. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
FPI Index: 19.9
Projected Win-Loss Record: 10-2.6
Playoff %: 22.2
National Title %: 3.5
Clemson
Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports
FPI Index: 19.4
Projected Win-Loss Record: 9.5-2.5
Playoff %: 18.3
National Title %: 3
Notre Dame
Sep 25, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Kyren Williams (23) gains yardage during the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 12, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive tackle Dvon Ellies (91) carries the American flag onto the field prior to the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel during preseason football practice held on UT’s campus on Monday, August 7, 2023. Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel-USA TODAY NETWORK
Dec 29, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; The Oregon Ducks mascot on the field during the second half of the 2021 Alamo Bowl against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
FPI Index: 15.0
Projected Win-Loss Record: 8.9-3.4
Playoff %: 7.5
National Title %: 0.7
Florida State
Sep 24, 2022; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Trey Benson (3) returns the opening kickoff for a touchdown against Boston College Eagles cornerback Josh DeBerry (21) at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
FPI Index: 15.0
Projected Win-Loss Record: 8.4-3.6
Playoff %: 5.3
National Title %: 0.6
Utah
Jan 1, 2022; Pasadena, CA, USA; Utah Utes head coach Kyle Wittingham looks on in the fourth quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the 2022 Rose Bowl college football game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 31, 2020; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin congratulates Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) after a touchdown during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
FPI Index: 13.4
Projected Win-Loss Record: 7.5-4.5
Playoff %: 2.3
National Title %: 0.3
TCU
Jan 25, 2022; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head football coach Sonny Dykes and wife Kate during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
FPI Index: 13.0
Projected Win-Loss Record: 7.9-4.2
Playoff %: 3.2
National Title %: 0.4
Florida
Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz (15) finds a receiver during the second half of the University of Florida Orange & Blue game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, April 13, 2023. Orange defeated Blue 10-7. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun] Ncaa Football Orange And Blue Game
FPI Index: 12.7
Projected Win-Loss Record: 6.8-5.3
Playoff %: 1.5
National Title %: 0.1
Texas A&M
Texas A&M Head Coach Jimbo Fisher addresses the media at the 2023 SEC Football Kickoff Media Days at the Nashville Grand Hyatt on Broadway, Monday, July 17, 2023. Denny Simmons / The Tennessean-USA TODAY NETWORK
FPI Index: 12.7
Projected Win-Loss Record: 7.5-4.6
Playoff %: 1.9
National Title %: 0.2
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Tanner Mordecai (8) runs through a drill during fall training camp at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023.
Legendary women's basketball star and broadcaster Rebecca Lobo shared a troubling example of sexism she encountered while coaching her son's youth basketball team.
Jim Otto appeared in 210 straight games for the Raiders and was one of just three players who appeared in every single regular season AFL game throughout his career.
Marvin Harrison Jr., Fanatics said, “rejected or ignored every request” from the company while refusing to fulfill obligations of their contract that was signed last May.
![Florida Gators quarterback <a class="link " href="https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/players/299744" data-i13n="sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link" data-ylk="slk:Graham Mertz;sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link;itc:0">Graham Mertz</a> (15) finds a receiver during the second half of the University of Florida Orange & Blue game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, April 13, 2023. Orange defeated Blue 10-7. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]<br>Ncaa Football Orange And Blue Game](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Qw27pi6VYKxfCKCTfs8_uw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYxMg--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/badgers_wire_usa_today_articles_739/d75cd72a8ba89b7fc8ad8128e3f5fd5c)
