GREEN & WHITE FOOTBALL

Michigan State football receives high ranking in ESPN FPI preseason poll

Phil Friend
Lansing State Journal

After Michigan State's offense struggled mightily at the end of the 2018 season and the team limped to a 7-6 final record, one might think expectations for the Spartans in 2019 would be lower than they were coming into 2018.

Think again, at least if ESPN's preseason Football Power Index rankings have anything to say about it.

On Thursday, ESPN released Preseason FPI 1.0 for the 2019 season. To no one's surprise, Clemson and Alabama come in 1-2, respectively, followed by Georgia and LSU.

But strolling in at No. 14? Michigan State.

The Spartans' lofty ranking is largely based on the team's defense, which is ranked third overall, just behind Alabama and Clemson. 

Michigan State's special teams also come in with a decent national ranking at 19. 

The offense, which finished last season ranked 116th out of 129 teams in total offense at 342 yards per game, has an FPI ranking of 55, the lowest of any team in the top 25. Florida State's offense comes in at 48th. 

Other Big Ten teams in the FPI top 25 include Michigan (fifth), Penn State (12th), Ohio State (14th), Wisconsin (23rd) and Iowa (25th).

The FPI rankings are determined by four factors: 

  • Team performance over the past four seasons (most emphasis on last season)
  • Returning starters at quarterback, on offense overall and on defense
  • Whether a team has a returning head coach
  • Recruiting rankings over the past four seasons

Out of all the major publications that did "way-too-early" top 25 rankings sometime after the national title game, Sports Illustrated is the only one MSU appeared in, coming in at No. 23.

Contact digital sports reporter Phil Friend at 517-377-1220 or pfriend@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Phil_Friend.

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