Another wild week of college football action leaves the ESPN computers humming, whirring, and trying to make sense of the college football picture via the company's FPI ratings. FPI is very much a numbers-based index, causing some surprising results, like Notre Dame leaping (over Ohio State) to No. 1, and two-loss LSU and Oregon each (somehow) remaining in the top 10. But here are the teams from the power four conferences that made big jumps or dips in the FPI rankings for Week 6.
Risers
Louisville (up 12 spots to 24th)
The 44-20 triumph of the Cardinals over Florida State gave them a massive FPI jump. It also seems to provide an insight into the struggles of the ACC. The 3-3 Cardinals are third in the league in FPI and yet are given just a 1.8% shot at a College Football Playoff spot. Miami is the only ACC team in the top 21 spots of the FPI ranking, so while Louisville helps the league, it's a league that still needs plenty of help.
Purdue (up 12 spots to 58th)
The Boilermakers whipped Minnesota 41-13 and saw one of Week 6's biggest FPI leaps. It's still a tough slate ahead for Purdue, with FPI giving them just a 35.5% chance to reach six wins. But there are now six Big Ten teams with a lesser chance, including the one Purdue just curb-stomped.
South Carolina (up 10 spots to 28th)
With a season teetering on the brink of disaster, Shane Beamer and USC grabbed a massive 38-19 road win at Florida. The Gamecocks are now a mild favorite to reach six wins and a bowl berth, with a 57.7% chance. Given dissatisfaction with Beamer, every step forward is a huge one right now.
Fallers
Florida State (down 11 spots to 41st)
Leading Louisville 14-0, Mike Norvell made a bad fourth down decision... and lost by 24 points. Florida State's FPI ranking dropped to the middle of the ACC pack and FPI gives them just a 67% chance of reaching six wins on the season.
West Virginia (down 11 spots to 72nd)
The Mountaineers took a 52-31 loss to Arizona and slid to the basement of the Big 12. At 3-3, FPI sees just a 14.6% shot at six wins, with only Colorado having worse odds of that outcome in the conference.
Florida (down 10 spots to 25th)
Once the darlings of the SEC surprise group, Florida's second straight loss saw the Gators' CFP chances implode, dropping to just 2.6%. For that matter, the odds of six wins even slipped significantly to 84.5%. Florida's slide to the middle of the SEC pack is one of the league's bigger Week 6 developments.
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