For the second straight year, ESPN’s College Football Power Index (FPI) absolutely loves the Wisconsin Badgers.
Every season, ESPN FPI predicts every NCAA Division 1 college football game in terms of win probability.
FPI, as described by ESPN, is “a predictive rating system designed to measure team strength and project performance going forward. The ultimate goal of FPI is not to rank teams 1 through 128; rather, it is to correctly predict games and season outcomes.
“Each team’s FPI rating is composed of a predicted offensive, defensive and special teams component. These ratings represent the number of points each unit is expected to contribute to the team’s net scoring margin on a neutral field against an average FBS opponent.”
While FPI sees Wisconsin as the 17th best team in college football, it also sees the Badgers as having a favorable schedule. Here is a look at how FPI sees that schedule playing out:
Week 1 vs Penn State
(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Wisconsin’s win probability: 54.4% Record: 1-0
Week 2 vs Eastern Michigan
Credit: Mark Hoffman/The Journal Sentinel
Wisconsin’s win probability: 90.9% Record: 2-0
Week 4 vs Notre Dame (neutral site game at Soldier Field)
Badgers quarterback Jack Coan leaves the field after the Rose Bowl loss to Oregon.
Wisconsin’s win probability: 38.6% Record: 2-1
Week 5 vs Michigan
Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports
Wisconsin’s win probability: 67.7% Record: 3-1
Week 6 at Illinois
Wisconsin offensive lineman Jon Dietzen blocks Illinois defensive lineman Roderick Perry on Friday night.
Wisconsin’s win probability: 82.2% Record: 4-1
Week 7 vs Army
(AP Photo/Andy Manis)
Wisconsin’s win probability: 87.5% Record: 5-1
Week 8 at Purdue
Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Wisconsin’s win probability: 63.6% Record: 6-1
Week 9 vs Iowa
Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Wisconsin’s win probability: 60.2% Record: 7-1
Week 10 at Rutgers
Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports
Wisconsin’s win probability: 76.9% Record: 8-1
Week 11 vs Northwestern
Credit: Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY Sports
Wisconsin’s win probability: 68.8% Record: 9-1
Week 12 vs Nebraska
Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Wisconsin’s win probability: 74.8% Record: 10-1
Week 13 at Minnesota
Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Wisconsin’s win probability: 65.2% Record: 11-1
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