LSU football drops in ESPN's FPI rankings after Vanderbilt loss

LSU football has slowly slid in ESPN’s Football Power Index as the season has worn on. They jumped to 11th in the nation following their Week 1 win over Clemson, but after a string of unimpressive performances, including their recent losses to Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, the Tigers now sit at 20th.

This ranking is a three-spot drop from last week, when the Tigers’ win over South Carolina moved them to 17th.

ESPN's Football Power Index doesn’t fully match LSU's position in most major polls, with the Coaches Poll ranking them at 19th. This is because FPI relies on various statistics and simulations to evaluate each team's strength compared to an average FBS team, meaning their model provides a projection that aligns more with how many LSU fans perceive the Tigers after seeing their frustrating performance in Nashville.

FPI offers a moderately positive projection for the LSU compared to an average FBS team, but that doesn't offer much hope, given the lack of "average" left on the Tigers' schedule. Their lone opponent who can be considered average, according to FPI, would the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, whom the Tigers will host in late November.

That matchup will take place after LSU faces Texas A&M, Alabama, and Arkansas, who are ranked 10th, third, and 36th in FPI, respectively. 

Unless the Tigers can make a miraculous turnaround in their execution on both sides of the ball, their ranking in ESPN’s model is likely to continue falling as they enter the toughest stretch of the schedule.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football drops in ESPN's FPI rankings after Vanderbilt loss