College Sports Journal Re-Introduces the Gridiron Power Index (GPI) For the 2023 FCS Football Season
BETHLEHEM – South Dakota State took the No. 1 spot in the official re-introduction of the Gridiron Power Index on September 27th, 2023.
Originally created in 2001 by Ralph Wallace for I-AA.org, the Gridiron Power Index was originally used as a poll average shorthand to quickly compare a variety of different human and computer polling algorithms. Similar to the BCS’ system of analysis of different computer pools and human polls, it was a tool used by the NCAA FCS Playoff Subcommittee to determine at-large bid viability.
The GPI was run and maintained from 2001 to 2015, but it’s been updated for 2023.
The original index had the only two human FCS polls in existence at that time, the STATS Perform FCS Top 25 (then called The Sports Network FCS Top 25) and the USA Today FCS Top 25, which is no longer in existence.
Additionally, it used anywhere from five to eight different computer polls using different methodologies and weights in an effort to get a diverse data set for the Index.
“The GPI has a chance to be reimagined,” Chuck Burton said. “Taking Ralph Wallace’s original computation for the GPI and introducing several different human polls to it allows us to have a more balanced and diverse index than ever – half human polls and half computer polls.”
The 2023 version of the GPI is comprised of five different human polls (FCS Stats Perform Top 25, FCS Coaches, Reddit FCS, Any Given Saturday, and the FCS Fans Nation Media) and five different historic and respected computer polls (Laz Index, Massey Ratings, Sagarin Ratings, Keeper Ratings, and Dwiggins Ratings). All five computer rankings were at one time a part of the original GPI.
The highest and lowest rankings are dropped, and the remaining polls are averaged. Whenever possible “Others Receiving Votes” have been included in the index.
GPI Top 25,Week of 9/27/2023
| GPI RANK | TEAM | CONF | W-L | RAW GPI SCORE |
| 1 | South Dakota State | MFVC | 3-0 | 1.5 |
| 2 | North Dakota State | MVFC | 3-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Montana State | Big Sky | 3-1 | 3.125 |
| 4 | Idaho | Big Sky | 3-1 | 4.25 |
| 5 | Southern Illinois | MVFC | 3-0 | 6.5 |
| 6 | Sacramento State | Big Sky | 3-1 | 7.25 |
| 7 | Holy Cross | Patriot | 3-1 | 7.875 |
| T8 | Furman | SoCon | 3-1 | 9.375 |
| T8 | William & Mary | CAA | 4-0- | 9.375 |
| 10 | Weber State | Big Sky | 2-2 | 14 |
| 11 | Delaware | CAA | 3-1 | 14.375 |
| 12 | Western Carolina | SoCon | 3-1 | 14.625 |
| 13 | North Dakota | MVFC | 2-1 | 14.875 |
| 14 | UT Martin | BSC-OVC | 3-1 | 15.75 |
| 15 | Incarnate Word | Southland | 3-1 | 16 |
| 16 | Villanova | CAA | 3-1 | 17.875 |
| 17 | Eastern Washington | Big Sky | 2-2 | 18.5 |
| 18 | UC Davis | Big Sky | 2-2 | 18.75 |
| T19 | Youngstown State | MFVC | 2-1 | 19.375 |
| T19 | New Hampshire | CAA | 2-2 | 19.375 |
| 21 | Austin Peay | UAC | 2-2 | 22.275 |
| 22 | Montana | Big Sky | 3-1 | 24.625 |
| T23 | Florida A&M | SWAC | 3-1 | 25.125 |
| T23 | Fordham | Patriot | 3-1 | 25.125 |
| 25 | Chattanooga | SoCon | 3-1 | 26.375 |
