Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Bowling Green Falcons
0-1 · #225 Elo
at
Sat, Sep 19, 12:00 PM ET
Jack Trice Stadium
Iowa State Cyclones
1-0 · #31 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Iowa State Cyclones are 21.1 points better (#31 vs #225 of 240), and ISU add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the rushing game: ISU rushing ranks #48, BGSU defends it at #48; the other way BGSU #111 into ISU's #17.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
ISU
ISU rated 21.1 points better on Elo (#31 vs #225).
Home & rest
Even
ISU gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
ISU
ISU passing ranks #52, BGSU defends it at #82; the other way BGSU #128 into ISU's #68.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
ISU
ISU rushing ranks #48, BGSU defends it at #48; the other way BGSU #111 into ISU's #17.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Slight edge
ISU
BGSU third-down conversion ranks #98, ISU defends it at #63; the other way ISU #69 into BGSU's #24.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
ISU
ISU +28.0 per game over the last five, BGSU −7.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Bowling Green FalconsIowa State Cyclones
1285 Elo · #225
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
ISU +21.1 pts
1664 Elo · #31
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−16.8 pts vs ISU D
Offense vs defenseEach offense's scoring rating against the other defense's — what drives the model total. Shown as an edge, though the winner call runs on Elo.
ISU +18.2 pts
+1.4 pts vs BGSU D
L · −7.0
Form (last 5)Average margin over the last five games. Already inside the ratings — listed so you can see when recent form and the rating disagree.
ISU +17.5 pts
W · +28.0
−12.6
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
ISU +22.5 pts
+9.9
MarketThe consensus spread, read as points. Compare with the model margin above it.
not priced

Bars are in points toward the favored side. Blue factors are inside the model's margin; grey ones are context it does not add on top (form and offense/defense are already in the ratings; injuries beyond the quarterback are not priced).

Dissect the matchup

CollegeFootballData, garbage time excluded · 2025 season (last season until three games are in)

Biggest mismatches

  • ISU defense (#28 standard-down ppa allowed) against a BGSU offense ranked #130
  • ISU defense (#21 points / scoring opportunity allowed) against a BGSU offense ranked #117
  • ISU defense (#17 rushing ppa / play allowed) against a BGSU offense ranked #111
  • ISU defense (#43 rush success rate allowed) against a BGSU offense ranked #124
  • BGSU defense (#9 power success allowed) against a ISU offense ranked #90

A mismatch is a rank gap of at least a fifth of the league between an offense and the defense it faces on the same measure. Descriptive rows (pass rate, pace, direction) are shown for reading the game, not ranked. ▲▼ mark where the last three games sit clearly above or below the season number, in the direction that helps that side.

Bowling Green Falcons offense vs Iowa State Cyclones defense

ranks of 135
BGSU offISU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced40%50%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).66%67%·
Plays / game6162·
Possession / game31:1928:25·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.07#128+0.24#68ISU
Pass success rate35%#12340%#53ISU
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.59#471.56#73·
Yards / pass attempt6.3#1166.8#51ISU
Completion %58%#10961%#62ISU
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.1%#552.3%#73·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.03#111+0.01#17ISU
Rush success rate37%#12440%#43ISU
Rush explosiveness0.95#760.83#10ISU
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.88#772.79#49ISU
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.19%#6521%#36ISU
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.58%#13370%#55ISU
Yards / rush4.0#964.5#88·
Situational
Standard-down PPA−0.06#130+0.02#28ISU
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.19#112+0.23#47ISU
Third-down conversion37%#9839%#63ISU
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.19#1173.06#21ISU
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.16.0%#8016.7%#46ISU
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.17#571.50#39·

Iowa State Cyclones offense vs Bowling Green Falcons defense

ranks of 135
ISU offBGSU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced45%46%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).70%67%·
Plays / game6658·
Possession / game31:3528:41·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.29#52+0.28#82ISU
Pass success rate44%#4342%#68·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.57#541.60#94ISU
Yards / pass attempt7.7#457.5#97ISU
Completion %61%#8359%#29BGSU
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.2%#883.7%#17BGSU
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.15#48+0.06#48·
Rush success rate46%#4539%#40·
Rush explosiveness0.93#821.06#115ISU
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.00#582.74#40·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.18%#5625%#8BGSU
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.69%#9059%#9BGSU
Yards / rush4.4#694.2#63·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.18#33+0.07#59·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.21#99+0.32#79·
Third-down conversion40%#6934%#24BGSU
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.54#853.44#48BGSU
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.14.5%#5519.0%#12BGSU
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.17#591.33#59·

Season

BGSUISU
0-1Record1-0
13.0Points for / game38.0
20.0Points against / game10.0
0-1 / 0-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
0-1Against the spread0-1
0-1Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
LLast 5W

Power ratings

BGSUISU
1285Elo1664
#225 of 240Rank#31 of 240
−8.1Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+3.4
+1.9Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+8.7
1468Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1421

Elo drives the winner call. Offense/defense ratings drive the total.

Advanced

BGSUISU
−15.0SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−0.4
0.025Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.186
0.153Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.092
36% / 41%Success rate (off / def)45% / 39%
1.23 / 1.31Explosiveness (off / def)1.21 / 1.22
568Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.670
-6%Returning production2%

Advanced stats are from 2025 until this season has about three games. Source: CollegeFootballData.

Head to head

No meetings in our history.

How the margin was built

Rating gap
ISU +21.1 pts
Home field
ISU +— pts
Rest
Even
Weather / roof
— pts on the total
Model margin
Model total

Market

Spread
Total
Moneyline

Per-book prices appear once the multi-book feed has this game (about a week out).

Informational only. Winner probabilities are backtested and calibrated; spread and total calls are tracked leans. 21+, 1-800-GAMBLER.