College Sporting News

Sam Houston State Tops the Final 2011 Regular Season Gridiron Power Index (GPI)

Unbeaten Sam Houston State edged into the top spot of the Gridiron Power Index (GPI) with the entire top four separated by a single point in this final ranking of the 2011 regular season. The GPI is the index ranking for the NCAA Division I FCS and a top indicator of at-large playoff selection.

The Colonial Athletic Association has six teams in the top 25; the Missouri Valley Football and Southern Conferences have five teams each; the Big Sky Conference has three; the Southland and the Great West Conferences have two each; and the Ivy and Patriot Leagues each have one. (Games through 11/20/11)

As conference average rankings the Missouri Valley Football Conference moved into the #1 slot, overtaking the Southern Conference.

The greatest movement this week saw Youngstown State moving down five places and Harvard rising five. Three new schools entered the top 25 in Cal Poly, Southern Utah and Eastern Washington while Portland State, Samford and South Dakota departed. The Final 2011 GPI will be released after the championships once all the college football games have been played, in January 2012.

11/21/2011 GPI Top 25
Rank, School, Rating, Change
1. Sam Houston State (2.00) +1
2. Northern Iowa (2.43) +1
3. North Dakota State (2.86) -2
4. Georgia Southern (3.00) -1
5. Montana (5.57) +3
6. Wofford (7.71) -0
7. Appalachian State (8.14) -1
8. Montana State (8.29) -3
9. Towson (9.00) +2
10. Lehigh (9.14) +1
11. New Hampshire (13.00) +3
12. Maine (13.71) -2
13. Harvard (13.86) +4
14. Illinois State (14.14) -2
15. Old Dominion (16.29) -0
16. Central Arkansas (18.14) +2
17. Indiana State (19.43) -4
18. Chattanooga (19.71) +1
19. James Madison (20.29) +3
20T. Furman (21.00) -0
20T. Youngstown State (21.00) -5
22. Cal Poly (22.00) NEW
23. Southern Utah (22.57) NEW
24. Delaware (23.86) -1
25. Eastern Washington (25.00) NEW

Conference Ranking:
Rank, League, Total Average
1. Missouri Valley Football Conference (25.24)
2. Southern Conference (26.17)
3. Great West Conference (29.11)
4. Colonial Athletic Association (31.70)
5. Big Sky Conference (38.33)
6. Southland Conference (46.27)
7. Patriot League (49.53)
8. Ohio Valley Conference (51.11)
9. Independents (58.72)
10. Ivy League (59.09)
11. Big South Conference (61.33)
12. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (67.90)
13. Northeast Conference (70.79)
14. Pioneer Football League (76.96)
15. Southwestern Athletic Conference (78.76)

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The GPI was correct in indicating the top eligible 10 at-large selections except it indicating #14 Illinois State over the committee's choice of #33 Eastern Kentucky.