North Dakota State Takes Over the Top of the 2011 Gridiron Power Index (GPI)

North Dakota State takes over the top spot in the Gridiron Power Index (GPI), the index ranking for the NCAA Division I FCS and a top indicator of at-large playoff selection.

The Southern Conference and Colonial Athletic Association have six teams each in the top 25; the Missouri Valley Football Conference has five; the Big Sky, Great West Conference and Ivy League have two each; and the Southland Conference plus the Patriot League each have one. (Games through 10/30/11)

As conference average rankings the Southern Conference's lead at #1 is challenged by the Missouri Valley Football Conference which strengthened its #2 position.

The greatest movement this week included several teams moving up five places and Towson tumbling 11. Three new schools entered the top 25, Youngstown State, Massachusetts and Southern Utah while South Dakota, Liberty and Jacksonville State departed. The Final 2011 GPI will be released once all the college football games have been played, in January 2012.

10/31/2011 GPI Top 25
Rank, School, Rating, Change
1. N Dakota St (1.00) +1
2. Northern Iowa (3.43) +1
3T. Sam Houston St (4.00) +1
3T. Ga Southern (4.00) -3
5T. Appalachian St (5.43) +1
5T. Montana St (5.43) +3
7. Wofford (6.57) -2
8. Maine (7.57) -1
9. Montana (9.43) +5
10. Lehigh (11.43) -0
11. Indiana St (12.71) +4
12. New Hampshire (13.57) -0
13. Harvard (14.86) +3
14. Illinois St (16.14) +5
15. Furman (17.14) +3
16. Old Dominion (17.43) +5
17. James Madison (19.43) -6
18. Chattanooga (19.57) -6
19. Cal Poly (20.00) +4
20. Towson (20.29) -11
21. Brown (20.43) -4
22. Samford (23.00) -2
23. Youngstown St (23.29) NEW
24. Massachusetts (23.71) NEW
25. Southern Utah (25.29) NEW

Full GPI Detail:
http://www.collegesportingnews.com/s...0111031gpi.htm

Conference Ranking:
Rank, League, Total Average
1. Southern Conference (25.33)
2. Missouri Valley Football Conference (26.57)
3. Colonial Athletic Association (29.80)
4. Great West Conference (33.83)
5. Big Sky Conference (38.79)
6. Patriot League (46.88)
7. Southland Conference (47.59)
8. Ohio Valley Conference (50.37)
9. Ivy League (57.75)
10. Independents (58.00)
11. Big South Conference (60.57)
12. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (68.40)
13. Northeast Conference (71.35)
14. Pioneer Football League (75.83)
15. Southwestern Athletic Conference (80.86)

Conference Ranking Detail:

1. Southern Conference (25.33)
3T. Ga Southern (4.00)
5T. Appalachian St (5.43)
7. Wofford (6.57)
15. Furman (17.14)
18. Chattanooga (19.57)
22. Samford (23.00)
35. The Citadel (32.71)
57. Elon (46.43)
93. W Carolina (73.14)

2. Missouri Valley Football Conference (26.57)
1. N Dakota St (1.00)
2. Northern Iowa (3.43)
11. Indiana St (12.71)
14. Illinois St (16.14)
23. Youngstown St (23.29)
38. S Dakota St (34.43)
51T. S Illinois (44.00)
62T. Missouri St (51.00)
65. W Illinois (53.14)

3. Colonial Athletic Association (29.80)
8. Maine (7.57)
12. New Hampshire (13.57)
16. Old Dominion (17.43)
17. James Madison (19.43)
20. Towson (20.29)
24. Massachusetts (23.71)
26. Delaware (26.00)
44. William & Mary (40.14)
50. Rhode Island (43.71)
54. Richmond (44.29)
89. Villanova (71.71)

4. Great West Conference (33.83)
19. Cal Poly (20.00)
25. Southern Utah (25.29)
28. South Dakota (27.29)
45. North Dakota (40.29)
67. UC Davis (56.29)

5. Big Sky Conference (38.79)
5T. Montana St (5.43)
9. Montana (9.43)
27. Portland St (26.71)
33. E Washington (31.71)
41. Sacramento St (38.00)
43. Weber St (39.14)
49. Northern Arizona (41.86)
92. Idaho St (73.00)
107. N Colorado (83.86)

6. Patriot League (46.88)
10. Lehigh (11.43)
39. Georgetown (35.29)
40. Holy Cross (36.29)
55. Bucknell (44.86)
69. Lafayette (56.86)
74T. Colgate (60.14)
106. Fordham (83.29)

7. Southland Conference (47.59)
3T. Sam Houston St (4.00)
29T. Cent Arkansas (27.86)
31. Northwestern St (29.14)
42. SF Austin (39.00)
62T. McNeese St (51.00)
88. SE Louisiana (71.57)
100. Lamar (77.57)
102. Nicholls St (80.57)

8. Ohio Valley Conference (50.37)
32. E Kentucky (30.29)
36. Tennessee Tech (33.00)
37. Jacksonville St (33.71)
46. TN Martin (40.86)
51T. Murray St (44.00)
71T. Tennessee St (57.86)
80. E Illinois (64.00)
96. SE Missouri St (74.14)
99. Austin Peay (75.43)

9. Ivy League (57.75)
13. Harvard (14.86)
21. Brown (20.43)
66. Yale (53.57)
71T. Cornell (57.86)
78. Penn (63.43)
98. Dartmouth (74.86)
104. Princeton (82.71)
122. Columbia (94.29)

10. Independents (58.00)
51T. South Alabama (44.00)
56. Texas St (45.86)
87. UT San Antonio (70.14)
90. Georgia St (72.00)

11. Big South Conference (60.57)
29T. Liberty (27.86)
34. Stony Brook (32.00)
68. Presbyterian (56.71)
70. Coastal Carolina (57.00)
86. Gardner Webb (70.00)
116. VMI (90.00)
117. Charleston So (90.43)

12. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (68.40)
48. Norfolk St (41.57)
59. Bethune-Cookman (48.57)
60. S Carolina St (49.57)
76. Hampton (60.29)
77. Florida A&M (62.29)
82. Morgan St (67.00)
83. NC A&T (67.29)
97. Howard (74.86)
119. NC Central (92.43)
120. Delaware St (93.14)
124. Savannah St (95.43)

13. Northeast Conference (71.35)
47. Albany (41.14)
64. Duquesne (51.14)
79. Bryant (63.86)
81. Monmouth (66.71)
94T. Sacred Heart (74.00)
103. Robert Morris (81.14)
111. Central Conn (85.86)
113. Wagner (89.00)
114. St Francis (89.29)

14. Pioneer Football League (75.83)
58. Jacksonville (47.29)
74T. Drake (60.14)
84. Campbell (68.14)
85. San Diego (68.86)
91. Dayton (72.57)
101. Marist (80.00)
105. Butler (83.14)
115. Morehead St (89.43)
118. Davidson (91.29)
126. Valparaiso (97.43)

15. Southwestern Athletic Conference (80.86)
61. Jackson St (49.86)
71T. Alabama St (57.86)
94T. Alabama A&M (74.00)
108. Grambling (84.14)
109. Southern U (84.86)
110. Prairie View (85.14)
112. Ark Pine Bluff (88.29)
121. Alcorn St (93.57)
123. TX Southern (94.57)
125. MS Valley St (96.29)