North Dakota State Near Perfect at No. 1 in the 10/22/12 Gridiron Power Index (GPI)

North Dakota State is alone on top of the Gridiron Power Index (GPI), the index ranking for the NCAA Division I FCS and a top indicator of at-large playoff selection. Georgia Southern is ranked second and the media and coach's poll leader Eastern Washington follows in third. According to the unbiased computer rankings, NDSU is the unanimous best and GPI #4 Cal Poly is second. The polls have the CP Mustangs in eleventh.

The Missouri Valley Football Conference has seven teams in the top 25; the Big Sky Conference and the Colonial Athletic Association have four teams each; the Southern Conference has three; the Ohio Valley and Southland Conferences have two each; the Northeast and Big South Conferences plus the Ivy League each have one. (Games through 10/20/12)

For conference average rankings, the Missouri Valley Football Conference stays ahead with the Southern and Big Sky Conferences at two and three. The Southland Conference and the Colonial Athletic Association are in a virtual tie at fourth and fifth and the Ohio Valley Conference is close behind in sixth.

10/22/2012 GPI Top 25

Rank School (No. of #1 Ratings) (Rating)
1. N Dakota St (7) (1.57)
2. Ga Southern (3.71)
3. E Washington (2) (4.00)
4. Cal Poly (4.86)
5. Sam Houston St (6.71)
6. Montana St (7.71)
7. Northern Arizona (8.14)
8. Indiana St (9.29)
9. Wofford (9.57)
10. Old Dominion (12.14)
11. Cent Arkansas (13.71)
12. Stony Brook (14.86)
13. S Dakota St (15.57)
14. Appalachian St (17.14)
15T. New Hampshire 18.29)
15T. Illinois St (18.29)
17. Northern Iowa (19.29)
18. E Kentucky (19.43)
19. S Illinois (20.14)
20. Villanova (20.57)
21. Youngstown St (21.14)
22T. Albany (22.43)
22T. James Madison (22.43)
24. Harvard (22.71)
25. Tennessee St (22.86)

Conference Ranking:

Rank, League, Total Average
1. Missouri Valley Football Conference (23.70)
2. Southern Conference (30.00)
3. Big Sky Conference (32.58)
4. Southland Conference (38.04)
5. Colonial Athletic Association (39.05)
6. Ohio Valley Conference (40.08)
7. Patriot League (57.12)
8. Ivy League (57.32)
9. Big South Conference (64.04)
10. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (65.09)
11. Northeast Conference (66.56)
12. Southwestern Athletic Conference (75.44)
13. Pioneer Football League (77.05)

Full GPI Detail:
http://www.collegesportingnews.com/s...0121022GPI.htm

Conference Ranking Detail:

1. Missouri Valley Football Conference (23.70)
1. N Dakota St (7) (1.57)
8. Indiana St (9.29)
13. S Dakota St (15.57)
15T. Illinois St (18.29)
17. Northern Iowa (19.29)
19. S Illinois (20.14)
21. Youngstown St (21.14)
43. Missouri St (37.00)
48. W Illinois (42.57)
60. South Dakota (52.14)

2. Southern Conference (30.00)
2. Ga Southern (3.71)
9. Wofford (9.57)
14. Appalachian St (17.14)
27. Chattanooga (24.00)
30. Samford (28.29)
37. The Citadel (32.43)
49. Elon (42.86)
57. Furman (48.43)
82. W Carolina (63.57)

3. Big Sky Conference (32.58)
3. E Washington (2) (4.00)
4. Cal Poly (4.86)
6. Montana St (7.71)
7. Northern Arizona (8.14)
31T. North Dakota (29.29)
39T. Sacramento St (35.14)
41. Southern Utah (36.00)
42. Montana (36.57)
46. UC Davis (38.57)
47. Portland St (41.71)
53Weber St 46.14)
67. N Colorado (55.71)
103. Idaho St (79.71)

4. Southland Conference (38.04)
5. Sam Houston St (6.71)
11. Cent Arkansas (13.71)
31T. SF Austin (29.29)
35. McNeese St (32.00)
54. Northwestern St (46.71)
55. SE Louisiana (47.29)
80T. Lamar (63.14)
84. Nicholls St (65.43)

5. Colonial Athletic Association (39.05)
10. Old Dominion (12.14)
15T. New Hampshire (18.29)
20. Villanova (20.57)
22T. James Madison (22.43)
29. Richmond (26.86)
34. Towson (30.86)
44. Delaware (37.14)
51. Maine (44.71)
59. William & Mary (51.57)
94. Georgia St (76.14)
115. Rhode Island (88.86)

6. Ohio Valley Conference (40.08)
18. E Kentucky (19.43)
25. Tennessee St (22.86)
26. TN Martin (23.43)
33. E Illinois (29.43)
36. Jacksonville St (32.29)
38. Murray St (35.00)
70. SE Missouri St (57.29)
76. Tennessee Tech (61.00)
104T. Austin Peay (80.00)

7. Patriot League (57.12)
28. Lehigh (26.57)
50. Colgate (44.57)
56. Fordham (48.29)
66. Lafayette (55.14)
86. Georgetown (68.86)
95. Holy Cross (76.43)
104T. Bucknell (80.00)

8. Ivy League (57.32)
24. Harvard (22.71)
45. Princeton (37.43)
58. Brown (49.00)
68. Cornell (56.00)
80T. Dartmouth (63.14)
89. Penn (70.57)
100. Yale (78.14)
106. Columbia (81.57)

9. Big South Conference (64.04)
12. Stony Brook (14.86)
52. Coastal Car (45.86)
69. Liberty (57.00)
93. Gardner Webb (76.00)
101. Charleston So (78.43)
112. VMI (86.29)
116. Presbyterian (89.86)

10. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (65.09)
39T. Bethune-Cookman (35.14)
61. NC Central (52.43)
64. Delaware St (53.71)
73. S Carolina St (60.43)
74T. Howard (60.86)
78. Florida A&M (62.71)
90. NC A&T (71.14)
91. Morgan St (71.29)
96. Hampton (77.86)
97T. Norfolk St (78.00)
119. Savannah St (92.43)

11. Northeast Conference (66.56)
22T. Albany (22.43)
71. Duquesne (58.14)
77. Monmouth (62.14)
79. Wagner (63.00)
88. St Francis (69.86)
99. Robert Morris (78.00)
102. Sacred Heart (79.29)
107. Bryant (82.43)
108. Central Conn (83.71)

12. Southwestern Athletic Conference (75.44)
63. Alabama A&M (53.00)
65. Ark Pine Bluff (54.00)
74T. Alabama St (60.86)
85. Jackson St (67.57)
97T. Southern Univ (78.00)
110. Alcorn St (85.14)
111. Prairie View (85.43)
113. MS Valley St (87.57)
117. TX Southern (91.14)
118. Grambling (91.71)

13. Pioneer Football League (77.05)
62. Drake (52.57)
72. San Diego (59.29)
83. Jacksonville (63.86)
87. Butler (69.29)
92. Dayton (71.43)
109. Marist (84.29)
114. Morehead St (88.43)
120. Davidson (92.86)
121. Campbell (94.14)
122. Valparaiso (94.29)