What Does ESPN's FPI Say About Georgia Tech's Matchup With VMI?

Georgia Tech is given an 99% chance to win against VMI according to ESPN's FPI

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

A big week is coming up for the Yellow Jackets as they prepare for VMI.

Georgia Tech falls back to being an unranked team after its 31-28 loss to Syracuse. The Yellow Jackets are still a good team and have their full season ahead of them however. I think the key aspect to look for in this game is how Georgia Tech responds after the loss and if they can get some areas cleaned up like their pass defense and their surprising struggles in the run game against Syracuse. This will be the first time we see the Yellow Jackets respond to adversity this season. They did a good job responding and showing true grit and effort in the fourth quarter against Syracuse, and they nearly pulled off the win. Georgia Tech is a physical team and likes to have balance. With the running game struggling last week, expect the Yellow Jackets to establish star running back Jamal Haynes and the running game early. 

ESPN’s FPI is giving Georgia Tech a 99% chance of winning at home against VMI and is a heavy favorite going into this game. This is the first time they have faced off since 1988. In the last matchup, the Yellow Jackets won 34-7. The game against VMI is a get-right game for the Yellow Jackets to get ready before ranked ACC opponent Louisville. 

Georgia Tech has dropped a spot in the ESPN College Football Power Index after their loss to Syracuse. Florida State surprisingly jumped Georgia Tech in the poll and the Yellow Jackets are now the No. 6 best team in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets are also given only a 2% chance to win the ACC according to FPI. 

ESPN uses its FPI (Football Power Index) as an advanced analytical model to help look at matchups and predict outcomes. In ESPN's own words: "FPI 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. If Vegas ever published the power rankings it uses to set its lines, they would likely look quite a lot like FPI.