COLUMBUS, Ohio — ESPN’s preseason Football Power Index says Ohio State football and Alabama will play for the national championship for the second time in three years. The Crimson Tide topped the preseason ranking with a score of 28.9 — merely 0.6 points ahead of OSU. Defending national champion Georgia is close behind at 27.4, while FPI predicts Clemson (23.2) will also return to playoff form. However, the Buckeyes lead the contenders in some of FPI’s predictive metrics. Ohio State’s 32.5% chance of going undefeated is the best in the country. So is its overall predicted win total (11.8), its conference championship odds (73.6%) and its likelihood of making the playoff (82.3%). FPI currently gives OSU a 50% chance to make the national championship game, with Alabama slightly ahead at 51.6%. Among other FPI’s other notable preseason reads: • Michigan will come back to earth a bit after its playoff…
Continue Reading: Alabama edges Ohio State football in ESPN’s preseason FPI ranking, but Buckeyes lead in playoff odds
