2011 GPI Continues With Georgia Southern as No. 1

The Gridiron Power Index (GPI), the index ranking for the NCAA Division I FCS and a top indicator of at-large playoff selection continues with unbeaten Georgia Southern in the top spot.

The Southern Conference has seven teams in the top 25; the Colonial Athletic Association has six; the Big Sky and Missouri Valley Football Conferences have three teams each; the Great West Conference has two; and the Big South, Ohio Valley and Southland Conferences plus the Ivy and Patriot Leagues have one each. (Games through 10/9/11)

As conference average rankings the Southern Conference maintains their sizable lead at #1 while the Colonial Athletic Association, Great West and Missouri Valley Football Conferences stay bunched at #2-3-4 respectively. The Big Sky is closing in at #5.

The greatest movement this week included Samford moving up six places and Southern Utah falling seven. Four new schools entered the top 25. The Final 2011 GPI will be released once all the college football games have been played, in January 2012.

10/10/2011 GPI Top 25
Rank, School, Rating, Change
1. Ga Southern (1.43) -0
2. Wofford (2.43) +1
3. Northern Iowa (2.71) -1
4. N Dakota St (5.29) -0
5. Montana St (6.29) -0
6. Sam Houston St (7.00) +2
7. New Hampshire (7.86) -0
8. Maine (8.00) +1
9. Lehigh (11.00) +3
10. Appalachian St (11.86) -0
11. South Dakota (12.43) +3
12. James Madison (12.86) -6
13. Delaware (15.43) +4
14. Montana (15.71) +5
15. Samford (17.14) +6
16. Furman (17.43) -6
17. Indiana St (18.86) -5
18. Towson (20.43) +5
19. Chattanooga (21.57) -1
20. Coastal Carolina (22.57) -0
21. Harvard (23.71) NEW
22. E Washington (24.57) NEW
23. Southern Utah (26.14) -7
24. Old Dominion (26.86) NEW
25. Elon (27.43) NEW

Full GPI Detail

Conference Ranking:
Rank, League, Total Average
1. Southern Conference (21.02)
2. Colonial Athletic Association (29.91)
3. Great West Conference (31.60)
4. Missouri Valley Football Conference (33.52)
5. Big Sky Conference (36.44)
6. Southland Conference (45.43)
7. Patriot League (51.79)
8. Ohio Valley Conference (51.95)
9. Independents (52.29)
10. Ivy League (58.64)
11. Big South Conference (59.63)
12. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (67.51)
13. Northeast Conference (71.81)
14. Pioneer Football League (77.27)
15. Southwestern Athletic Conference (81.47)

Conference Ranking Detail:

1. Southern Conference (21.02)
1. Ga Southern (1.43)
2. Wofford (2.43)
10. Appalachian St (11.86)
15. Samford (17.14)
16. Furman (17.43)
19. Chattanooga (21.57)
25. Elon (27.43)
39. The Citadel (34.14)
65T. W Carolina (55.71)

2. Colonial Athletic Association (29.91)
7. New Hampshire (7.86)
8. Maine (8.00)
12. James Madison (12.86)
13. Delaware (15.43)
18. Towson (20.43)
24. Old Dominion (26.86)
32. Richmond (32.14)
43. Massachusetts (37.00)
54T. William & Mary (45.29)
70. Rhode Island (57.00)
85. Villanova (66.14)

3. Great West Conference (31.60)
11. South Dakota (12.43)
23. Southern Utah (26.14)
36T. North Dakota (33.00)
40. Cal Poly (34.29)
61. UC Davis (52.14)

4. Missouri Valley Football Conference (33.52)
3. Northern Iowa (2.71)
4. N Dakota St (5.29)
17. Indiana St (18.86)
47. W Illinois (39.29)
48. S Illinois (40.43)
49. Illinois St (41.71)
51. Youngstown St (42.14)
54T. S Dakota St (45.29)
83T. Missouri St (66.00)

5. Big Sky Conference (36.44)
5. Montana St (6.29)
14. Montana (15.71)
22. E Washington (24.57)
26. Weber St (27.57)
30. Sacramento St (29.00)
36T. Portland St (33.00)
50. Northern Arizona (42.00)
81. Idaho St (65.43)
109. N Colorado (84.43)

6. Southland Conference (45.43)
6. Sam Houston St (7.00)
31. McNeese St (29.71)
34T. Northwestern St (32.86)
44Cent Arkansas37.71
62. SF Austin (52.71)
77. Lamar (62.29)
87. SE Louisiana (69.00)
90. Nicholls St (72.14)

7. Patriot League (51.79)
9. Lehigh (11.00)
46. Holy Cross (38.86)
59. Bucknell (50.71)
63. Georgetown (54.71)
71. Colgate (57.43)
82. Lafayette (65.71)
107T. Fordham (84.14)

8. Ohio Valley Conference (51.95)
29. Jacksonville St (28.86)
33. Tennessee Tech (32.43)
38. TN Martin (33.14)
52. E Kentucky (43.57)
57. Murray St (48.29)
79. Tennessee St (64.86)
80. Austin Peay (65.14)
89. E Illinois (71.43)
103. SE Missouri St (79.86)

9. Independents (52.29)
27T. Texas St (28.57)
45. South Alabama (37.86)
86. UT San Antonio (66.43)
97. Georgia St (76.29)

10. Ivy League (58.64)
21. Harvard (23.71)
34T. Brown (32.86)
42. Yale (36.71)
64. Cornell (55.00)
88. Penn (69.86)
98. Dartmouth (76.57)
104. Princeton (81.43)
121. Columbia (93.00)

11. Big South Conference (59.63)
20. Coastal Carolina (22.57)
27T. Liberty (28.57)
56. Stony Brook (47.57)
78. Presbyterian (64.00)
95T. Gardner Webb (73.71)
116. Charleston So (89.29)
119. VMI (91.71)

12. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (67.51)
41. Norfolk St (34.43)
53. S Carolina St (45.14)
68. NC A&T (56.57)
72. Bethune-Cookman (57.86)
76. Hampton (61.00)
91. Howard (72.43)
93. Florida A&M (73.00)
94. Morgan St (73.29)
105. NC Central (82.29)
120. Delaware St (92.14)
123. Savannah St (94.43)

13. Northeast Conference (71.81)
58. Albany (50.57)
73. Bryant (59.43)
75. Duquesne (60.71)
83T. Monmouth (66.00)
92. Robert Morris (72.57)
95T. Sacred Heart (75.71)
100. Central Conn (78.71)
113. Wagner (87.71)
124. St Francis PA (94.86)

14. Pioneer Football League (77.27)
67. Jacksonville (56.43)
69. Drake (56.86)
74. San Diego (60.43)
99. Dayton (77.00)
101. Butler (79.14)
107T. Marist (84.14)
110. Davidson (86.00)
111. Campbell (86.57)
115. Morehead St (89.00)
126. Valparaiso (97.14)

15. Southwestern Athletic Conference (81.47)
60. Jackson St (50.86)
65T. Alabama St (55.71)
102. Alabama A&M (79.71)
106. Prairie View (82.71)
112. Ark Pine Bluff (87.57)
114. Southern Univ (88.14)
117. TX Southern (89.57)
118. Grambling (90.29)
122. Alcorn St (93.14)
125. MS Valley St (97.00)