Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
BYU Cougars
1-0 · #17 Elo
at
Sat, Sep 19, 7:30 PM ET
Canvas Stadium
Colorado State Rams
1-0 · #213 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone BYU Cougars are 23.9 points better (#17 vs #213 of 240), and CSU add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: BYU third-down conversion ranks #49, CSU defends it at #130; the other way CSU #122 into BYU's #20.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
BYU
BYU rated 23.9 points better on Elo (#213 vs #17).
Home & rest
Even
CSU gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
BYU
BYU passing ranks #54, CSU defends it at #119; the other way CSU #96 into BYU's #37.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
BYU
BYU rushing ranks #26, CSU defends it at #104; the other way CSU #79 into BYU's #45.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
BYU
BYU third-down conversion ranks #49, CSU defends it at #130; the other way CSU #122 into BYU's #20.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
BYU
CSU +22.0 per game over the last five, BYU +56.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

BYU CougarsColorado State Rams
1760 Elo · #17
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
BYU +23.9 pts
1330 Elo · #213
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
+11.2 pts vs CSU 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.
BYU +24.7 pts
−13.5 pts vs BYU D
W · +56.0
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.
BYU +17.0 pts
W · +22.0
+15.9
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
BYU +31.5 pts
−15.6
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

  • CSU defense (#20 interceptions forced) against a BYU offense ranked #123
  • BYU power success (#5) against a CSU defense ranked #108 at stopping it
  • BYU defense (#20 third-down conversion allowed) against a CSU offense ranked #122
  • BYU defense (#21 takeaways / game) against a CSU offense ranked #115
  • BYU standard-down ppa (#36) against a CSU defense ranked #121 at stopping it

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.

BYU Cougars offense vs Colorado State Rams defense

ranks of 135
BYU offCSU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced45%42%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).70%73%·
Plays / game6365·
Possession / game32:4333:10·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.28#54+0.38#119BYU
Pass success rate44%#4846%#116BYU
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.50#931.72#122BYU
Yards / pass attempt7.7#448.2#119BYU
Completion %64%#4963%#83BYU
Interception rate / Interceptions forced4.2%#1233.7%#20CSU
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.20#26+0.17#104BYU
Rush success rate47%#3246%#106BYU
Rush explosiveness0.95#770.94#58·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.00#573.26#122BYU
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.17%#3815%#120BYU
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.82%#577%#108BYU
Yards / rush4.8#405.0#122BYU
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.17#36+0.20#121BYU
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.34#54+0.34#94BYU
Third-down conversion41%#4946%#130BYU
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.03#394.03#103BYU
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.13.6%#4313.2%#115BYU
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.14#481.33#60·

Colorado State Rams offense vs BYU Cougars defense

ranks of 135
CSU offBYU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced54%52%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).65%66%·
Plays / game5861·
Possession / game26:5027:17·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.20#96+0.18#37BYU
Pass success rate38%#10940%#59BYU
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.51#901.45#23BYU
Yards / pass attempt6.6#996.5#34BYU
Completion %62%#7258%#23BYU
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.0%#511.5%#115CSU
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.09#79+0.06#45BYU
Rush success rate44%#6539%#33BYU
Rush explosiveness0.90#960.96#70·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.97#622.83#54·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.19%#7521%#38BYU
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.59%#13175%#95BYU
Yards / rush3.6#1183.8#42BYU
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.06#99+0.05#44BYU
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.25#88+0.16#16BYU
Third-down conversion33%#12233%#20BYU
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.52#873.29#35BYU
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.18.8%#12415.8%#64BYU
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.67#1151.71#21BYU

Season

BYUCSU
1-0Record1-0
63.0Points for / game35.0
7.0Points against / game13.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
1-0Against the spread1-0
1-0Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.1-0
WLast 5W

Power ratings

BYUCSU
1760Elo1330
#17 of 240Rank#213 of 240
+9.7Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.−2.2
+11.3Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.−1.4
1456Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1336

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

Advanced

BYUCSU
+14.9SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−11.6
0.218Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.126
0.090Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.236
46% / 39%Success rate (off / def)40% / 45%
1.19 / 1.22Explosiveness (off / def)1.21 / 1.27
689Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.640
79%Returning production40%

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
BYU +23.9 pts
Home field
CSU +— 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.