Alabama’s Unexpected Plunge in ESPN FPI After Shocking Florida State Defeat: What It Means for Their Season

Well, now, if there’s one thing Week 1 delivered—it threw a serious curveball at the Alabama Crimson Tide. Here we are, expecting that powerhouse to steamroll right out the gate, and instead, Florida State comes in and snatches a 31-17 upset. Talk about a reality check! The Crimson Tide might’ve grabbed an early 7-0 lead, but after that, their rhythm? Gone. Scattered. Disjointed. It’s the kind of loss that’s going to sting and—make no mistake—shake their standing in the polls for sure. ESPN’s Football Power Index didn’t just take a little dig; it dropped Alabama ten spots all the way down to No. 13. Now, projections are whispering about a 6.8-5.3 finish, practically signaling a season far from the glory Alabama’s faithful are accustomed to. The chances for winning the SEC or clinching the national title? Suddenly slim to none. The schedule’s pace doesn’t ease up either, with UL Monroe looming next—an opponent ranked a full hundred spots below, yet nobody’s feeling comfortable about that just yet. It’s a season opener that has all of us on edge, wondering what this newfound Alabama development truly means for the months ahead. LEARN MORE

The Alabama Crimson Tide were part of one of the most surprising results across college football during the Week 1 slate, falling to the Florida State Seminoles by a final score of 31-17.

A disappointing performance, this was a game in which Alabama originally jumped out to an early 7-0 lead, but went on to struggle across the remainder of the contest.

As a result, the Crimson Tide are now likely set to drop in both college football polls this upcoming Tuesday, with the exact number of spots still to be determined.

The Crimson Tide have also since dropped in multiple college football metrics also, one of which is ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI).

According to the latest update Sunday, Aug. 31, Alabama is now considered the nation’s No. 13 team, according to ESPN’s FPI, dropping 10 spots from the most recent update. The metric also projects Alabama to finish with a 6.8-5.3 overall record, while also listing a 0.1% chance to win out.

In addition to that, ESPN FPI also gives Alabama an 82.3% chance to win six games, as well as a 2.2% chance to win the SEC. The Crimson Tide are also given a 14.6% chance to make the College Football Playoff, a 1.6% chance to make the national title game, and a 0.8% to win the national championship.

Alabama, sitting at 0-1 overall, will return to action Saturday, Sept. 6 against UL Monroe at home, with kickoff set for 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network. ESPN’s FPI currently ranks UL Monroe as the nation’s No. 110 team.

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