Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Iowa Hawkeyes
1-0 · #12 Elo
at
Sat, Sep 26, 12:00 AM ET
Michigan Stadium
Michigan Wolverines
1-0 · #28 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Iowa Hawkeyes are 5.9 points better (#12 vs #28 of 240), and MICH add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: IOWA third-down conversion ranks #34, MICH defends it at #52; the other way MICH #32 into IOWA's #23.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
IOWA
IOWA rated 5.9 points better on Elo (#28 vs #12).
Home & rest
Even
MICH gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Slight edge
IOWA
IOWA passing ranks #70, MICH defends it at #58; the other way MICH #95 into IOWA's #30.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Even
MICH rushing ranks #17, IOWA defends it at #53; the other way IOWA #34 into MICH's #49.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
IOWA
IOWA third-down conversion ranks #34, MICH defends it at #52; the other way MICH #32 into IOWA's #23.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
IOWA
MICH +1.0 per game over the last five, IOWA +40.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Iowa HawkeyesMichigan Wolverines
1795 Elo · #12
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
IOWA +5.9 pts
1688 Elo · #28
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−1.7 pts vs MICH 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.
IOWA +10.2 pts
−11.9 pts vs IOWA D
W · +40.0
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.
IOWA +19.5 pts
W · +1.0
+19.7
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
IOWA +7.3 pts
+12.4
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

  • IOWA defense (#8 pass explosiveness allowed) against a MICH offense ranked #106
  • MICH defense (#22 rush explosiveness allowed) against a IOWA offense ranked #98
  • MICH defense (#32 yards / pass attempt allowed) against a IOWA offense ranked #105
  • IOWA stuff rate (#15) against a MICH defense ranked #85 at stopping it
  • IOWA defense (#24 completion % allowed) against a MICH offense ranked #94

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.

Iowa Hawkeyes offense vs Michigan Wolverines defense

ranks of 135
IOWA offMICH defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced38%52%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).73%70%·
Plays / game5564·
Possession / game31:2830:13·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.24#70+0.22#58·
Pass success rate39%#9544%#105·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.55#681.34#3MICH
Yards / pass attempt6.5#1056.5#32MICH
Completion %63%#5864%#92IOWA
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.8%#1172.3%#71MICH
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.19#34+0.07#49·
Rush success rate48%#1641%#58IOWA
Rush explosiveness0.90#980.88#22MICH
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.29#152.68#28·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.14%#1518%#85IOWA
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.81%#1059%#11·
Yards / rush4.6#553.4#19MICH
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.16#45+0.00#20·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.20#109+0.40#114·
Third-down conversion43%#3437%#52·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.44#203.79#81IOWA
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.11.2%#716.7%#48IOWA
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.00#351.46#42·

Michigan Wolverines offense vs Iowa Hawkeyes defense

ranks of 135
MICH offIOWA defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced44%50%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).70%71%·
Plays / game6253·
Possession / game29:4728:32·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.20#95+0.16#30IOWA
Pass success rate40%#8737%#25IOWA
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.46#1061.38#8IOWA
Yards / pass attempt7.1#706.0#14IOWA
Completion %59%#9458%#24IOWA
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.8%#1132.2%#86IOWA
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.23#17+0.08#53MICH
Rush success rate49%#1341%#54MICH
Rush explosiveness0.98#620.89#32IOWA
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.29#162.92#74MICH
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.14%#919%#71MICH
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.77%#3369%#51·
Yards / rush5.5#113.6#27·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.17#37+0.02#24·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.25#90+0.22#41IOWA
Third-down conversion44%#3234%#23·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.64#743.34#38IOWA
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.12.1%#1316.9%#44MICH
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.31#751.08#95·

Season

IOWAMICH
1-0Record1-0
40.0Points for / game13.0
0.0Points against / game12.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
1-0Against the spread0-1
0-1Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
WLast 5W

Power ratings

IOWAMICH
1795Elo1688
#12 of 240Rank#28 of 240
+7.6Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+3.2
+15.1Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+9.3
1262Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1512

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

Advanced

IOWAMICH
+14.6SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+17.0
0.170Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.190
0.080Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.122
44% / 39%Success rate (off / def)44% / 42%
1.12 / 1.13Explosiveness (off / def)1.17 / 1.13
723Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.890
34%Returning production69%

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

Head to head

2023MICH 26 vs IOWA 0MICH · MICH covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
IOWA +5.9 pts
Home field
MICH +— 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.