Gridiron Power Index 10/23/2023 – Southern Illinois No. 7 In GPI, Absent from Initial FCS Committee Seeding Rankings
BETHLEHEM, PA – The FCS playoff committee released its Top 10 rankings on Thursday, and absent was Southern Illinois, which was ranked No. 7 in the 10/23 release of the GPI this week.
Comparing the two rankings, the top was very similar, with both South Dakota State and Montana State both occupying the top spots, with Furman and South Dakota fairly close behind.
But the GPI indicates that based on the index, Southern Illinois (No. 7) and North Dakota State (No. 9) should have been in the seeding conversation instead of Western Carolina and Incarnate Word, rated at 9 and 10 respectively by the committee.
Delaware was ranked 8 by the GPI (5 by the committee), and Sacramento State was ranked 10 (8 by the committee).
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 10/23/2023
| GPI RANK | TEAM | CONF | W-L | LAST | RAW GPI SCORE |
| 1 | South Dakota State | MFVC | 7-0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Montana State | Big Sky | 6-1 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | South Dakota | MVFC | 6-1 | 3 | 5.125 |
| T4 | Idaho | Big Sky | 5-2 | 5 | 6.625 |
| T4 | Furman | SoCon | 6-1 | 9 | 6.625 |
| 6 | Montana | Big Sky | 6-1 | 8 | 7.625 |
| 7 | Southern Illinois | MVFC | 5-2 | 6 | 8.125 |
| 8 | Delaware | CAA | 6-1 | 12 | 8.375 |
| 9 | North Dakota State | MVFC | 5-2 | 10 | 8.625 |
| 10 | Sacramento State | Big Sky | 5-2 | 4 | 9.125 |
| 11 | UT Martin | BSC-OVC | 6-1 | T15 | 12.625 |
| 12 | Incarnate Word | Southland | 6-1 | 14 | 15 |
| T13 | Austin Peay | UAC | 5-2 | 17 | 15.25 |
| T13 | Western Carolina | SoCon | 5-2 | 11 | 15.25 |
| 15 | North Dakota | MVFC | 4-3 | 7 | 15.625 |
| 16 | Central Arkansas | UAC | 5-2 | 18 | 17.25 |
| 17 | Youngstown State | MVFC | 4-3 | 19 | 17.75 |
| 18 | Chattanooga | SoCon | 6-2 | 22 | 18.375 |
| 19 | Northern Iowa | MVFC | 4-3 | NR | 18.5 |
| 20 | Lafayette | Patriot | 6-1 | NR | 20 |
| 21 | Villanova | CAA | 6-2 | 21 | 20.25 |
| 22 | North Carolina Central | MEAC | 6-1 | 23 | 21.5 |
| 23 | Albany | CAA | 5-3 | NR | 23.125 |
| T24 | Harvard | Ivy | 5-1 | 13 | 23.375 |
| T24 | Holy Cross | Patriot | 4-3 | T15 | 23.375 |
