With the 2025 college football season looming, ESPN just dropped its annual preseason Football Power Index (FPI), and let’s just say—fans are seeing a familiar SEC-flavored bias baked right in. Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and LSU all crowd the top rankings, giving the SEC 7 of the top 13 spots. It’s SEC overload, and the internet did what the internet does best: cooked them for it.

Here’s the twist: Texas is sitting pretty at No. 1 in ESPN’s FPI. Arch Manning finally stepping into the spotlight is news enough, but it’s who’s coming right behind that’s got fans side-eying the whole system—Georgia and Alabama, predictably holding down top-three spots. Out of the top 25, a wild 13 teams are from the SEC.

Enter Josh Pate. The host of the Late Kick podcast didn’t hold back when he broke down ESPN’s FPI on his June 3 show. With the calm confidence of a man who’s been here before, Pate delivered a subtle but surgical critique of the rankings—and the machine behind them. “They’ve got 11 of their top 19 from the SEC. Uh, Bill Connelly—many things he’s been labeled, SEC homer not one of them. Ten of his top 17 in his preseason S&P+ are from the SEC.” Translation: if both ESPN’s FPI and Connelly’s S&P+ have the SEC dominating the top 20, it might be less of a conspiracy and more of a reality check.

Pate pointed out the inconvenient truth that no matter what model you use, if you’re doing predictive rankings based on talent acquisition and recruiting, the SEC is going to eat. “Any kind of predictive model is going to disproportionately weight talent acquisition. The SEC teams, by and large, get most of the good talent. It doesn’t always pan out, it doesn’t guarantee anything—but we’re predictive. It’s June.” Pate explained. The SEC gobbles up four- and five-star recruits like it’s a buffet, and computers love them some shiny star ratings. But Pate made sure to clarify—this isn’t about giving the FPI a pat on the back.

“I’ve taken as many shots at the FPI as anyone has over the years. It’s just because the network that releases it happens to be a major network, they can also bake it into their commentary, and it just—sometimes it’s laughable,” he added. The rankings aren’t just numbers. They’re narratives. And when the same network pumps out those numbers and the commentary, it’s like being judge and jury.

Pate didn’t stop there. He flat-out said Tennessee at No. 10 made zero sense. “You lose Nico,” he said, “and you do it in the fashion it went down… I got a lot of uncertainty.” Then there’s Georgia—FPI says No. 2, Pate had them sitting at No. 11. His words? “Understandable difference.” Translation: They’re guessing, same as everyone else.

Then he takes it further. Arizona State—Big 12 champs and playoff participants—are chilling at No. 24 in ESPN’s eyes. Pate had them at 13. Clemson didn’t crack FPI’s top 10, but he’s got them holding down his No. 1 spot. Oh, and Illinois? FPI straight-up ghosted Bret Bielema’s squad. Pate? He had them top 15. All this just proves one thing: ESPN’s algorithm might be smart, but it isn’t watching the same games we are.

So here’s the play: the FPI doesn’t just measure what might happen. It shapes what fans and media think will happen. The SEC, with all its shiny helmets and five-star rosters, gets the benefit of the doubt—again. Even if the actual results don’t always match the hype.

ESPN’s Big 12 disrespect is crazy

But while ESPN rolls out the red carpet for the SEC, it basically ghosted the Big 12, literally and figuratively.

Let’s rewind. The 2024 Big 12 season? Straight-up heat. Arizona State smacked Iowa State 45–19 in the conference championship, punched their ticket to the CFP, and planted their flag. Four Big 12 squads landed in the final AP Top 25. BYU went 11–2, smoked Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. Iowa State had 11 wins, a Pop-Tarts Bowl dub, and a defense that made QBs see ghosts. Colorado went from basement to bowl-worthy with Coach Prime. But guess what? ESPN’s FPI is seeing none of that.

Arizona State? Down at 24. BYU? Even lower, sitting at No. 26. Iowa State and Colorado? Not even in the top 25. Meanwhile, SEC and Big Ten teams with weaker résumés are moonwalking into the top 20 like it’s nothing. Missouri over Arizona State? Nebraska over BYU? Oklahoma—now a 6-7 SEC member—somehow holding No. 16 despite getting their helmets handed to them at the end of last season. It’s like ESPN’s algorithm thinks 2020 never ended.

Arizona State has a 16.1% shot at the College Football Playoff, per the FPI. Kansas State—highest ranked among Big 12 teams—has just 22.2%. Meanwhile, Texas, Alabama, and Georgia get 60+% odds despite massive turnover and tougher paths. Like… where’s the logic?

The FPI claims to factor in talent, returning production, coaching stability, and strength of schedule. Cool. But it clearly undervalues the Big 12’s stars and depth. That’s wild when you remember the league’s stacked returning rosters and elite transfers. Arizona State’s entire staff stayed intact. Iowa State returns the backbone of that nasty defense. And Texas Tech? They might’ve won the whole damn portal cycle, reloading with plug-and-play ballers who could break out Week 1. And they’re ranked No. 36. Thirty. Six.

It isn’t just about numbers, either. These rankings set the tone. They shape the coverage. People will say, ‘Well, ESPN’s model says so…’ like it’s gospel. But when one of the biggest football platforms keeps underplaying a conference that’s earned its flowers, that hits different.

The truth? The Big 12 doesn’t need your pity—they’ll take your respect by force. And they’ve done it before. That Arizona State playoff run wasn’t a fluke. Colorado’s rise under Deion wasn’t just vibes. And if you think Texas Tech, BYU, or Kansas State are just placeholders in 2025, you haven’t been paying attention. This conference might be down in ESPN’s numbers, but they’re up on the field. And that’s what counts.

So yeah, the FPI can say what it wants. Let the SEC soak up the spotlight for now. The Big 12’s coming with receipts, smoke, and a whole lot of disrespect to settle. And they won’t need an algorithm to prove it.