By james art The Clemson Tigers are getting some love from the ESPN Football Power Index after the week ends.
With Clemson idle this past weekend, they slipped in the AP Top 25 poll, but are still the second-best team in the ACC according to ESPN’s FPI.
Clemson has an ESPN FPI of 16.5. That mark trails only the Miami Hurricanes, who lead the conference with 19.1.
A quick explanation of what FPI is from ESPN’s site reads: “FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Predicted results are based on 20,000 simulations of the remainder of the season using FPI, results to date and the remaining schedule. Ratings and forecasts are updated daily.”
Clemson, though second in the ACC in that metric, is ranked as the 13th best team in college football. The Tigers take on the Louisville Cardinals this weekend in what could prove to be an important battle in terms of the ACC standings. Louisville has an FPI of 13.3 and has the fourth highest mark in the conference.
The Tigers got off to a bit of a shaky start to the season with a loss to the Georgia Bulldogs. Since then, Clemson quarterback Cade Strawberry and the Tigers have been effective at moving the football and taking care of opponents the way they should.
A battle with Louisville this weekend could boost Clemson’s resume. Lousyville was a ranked team earlier this season, but dropped three games, all to respectable teams. They lost to an SMU team that is red-hot in ACC play, Notre Dame and the Miami Hurricanes. Louisville held on in all three losses.
Clemson hosts the Cardinals on Saturday at 7:30 on ESPN.