Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Utah Utes
1-0 · #9 Elo
at
Sat, Sep 26, 12:00 AM ET
Jack Trice Stadium
Iowa State Cyclones
1-0 · #31 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Utah Utes are 9.6 points better (#9 vs #31 of 240), and ISU add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: UTAH third-down conversion ranks #2, ISU defends it at #63; the other way ISU #69 into UTAH's #31.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
UTAH
UTAH rated 9.6 points better on Elo (#31 vs #9).
Home & rest
Even
ISU gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
UTAH
UTAH passing ranks #30, ISU defends it at #68; the other way ISU #52 into UTAH's #4.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Slight edge
ISU
ISU rushing ranks #48, UTAH defends it at #114; the other way UTAH #2 into ISU's #17.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
UTAH
UTAH third-down conversion ranks #2, ISU defends it at #63; the other way ISU #69 into UTAH's #31.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
UTAH
ISU +28.0 per game over the last five, UTAH +52.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Utah UtesIowa State Cyclones
1838 Elo · #9
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
UTAH +9.6 pts
1664 Elo · #31
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
+9.3 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.
UTAH +14.5 pts
−5.2 pts vs UTAH D
W · +52.0
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.
UTAH +12.0 pts
W · +28.0
+22.2
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
UTAH +12.3 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

  • UTAH defense (#6 passing-down ppa allowed) against a ISU offense ranked #99
  • UTAH yards / rush (#1) against a ISU defense ranked #88 at stopping it
  • UTAH defense (#1 completion % allowed) against a ISU offense ranked #83
  • UTAH defense (#16 points / scoring opportunity allowed) against a ISU offense ranked #85
  • ISU rushing ppa / play (#48) against a UTAH defense ranked #114 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.

Utah Utes offense vs Iowa State Cyclones defense

ranks of 135
UTAH offISU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced44%50%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).72%67%·
Plays / game6362·
Possession / game30:4828:25·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.38#30+0.24#68UTAH
Pass success rate47%#2340%#53UTAH
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.52#831.56#73·
Yards / pass attempt7.5#546.8#51·
Completion %63%#6161%#62·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced4.0%#1222.3%#73ISU
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.35#2+0.01#17·
Rush success rate51%#540%#43UTAH
Rush explosiveness1.10#180.83#10·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.55#22.79#49UTAH
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.13%#321%#36UTAH
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.82%#670%#55UTAH
Yards / rush6.0#14.5#88UTAH
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.24#10+0.02#28·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.65#2+0.23#47UTAH
Third-down conversion53%#239%#63UTAH
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.5.01#23.06#21·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.12.4%#1816.7%#46UTAH
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game0.92#181.50#39·

Iowa State Cyclones offense vs Utah Utes defense

ranks of 135
ISU offUTAH defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced45%47%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).70%67%·
Plays / game6654·
Possession / game31:3529:12·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.29#52+0.01#4UTAH
Pass success rate44%#4333%#8UTAH
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.57#541.70#117ISU
Yards / pass attempt7.7#456.0#12UTAH
Completion %61%#8349%#1UTAH
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.2%#881.3%#128ISU
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.15#48+0.18#114ISU
Rush success rate46%#4543%#79ISU
Rush explosiveness0.93#821.11#125ISU
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.00#582.87#63·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.18%#5620%#51·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.69%#9073%#81·
Yards / rush4.4#694.8#110ISU
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.18#33+0.06#49·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.21#99+0.10#6UTAH
Third-down conversion40%#6935%#31UTAH
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.54#852.93#16UTAH
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.14.5%#5516.9%#43·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.17#591.38#55·

Season

UTAHISU
1-0Record1-0
66.0Points for / game38.0
14.0Points against / game10.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
1-0Against the spread0-1
1-0Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
WLast 5W

Power ratings

UTAHISU
1838Elo1664
#9 of 240Rank#31 of 240
+18.0Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+3.4
+8.6Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+8.7
1484Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1421

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

Advanced

UTAHISU
+9.8SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−0.4
0.356Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.186
0.074Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.092
49% / 38%Success rate (off / def)45% / 39%
1.27 / 1.34Explosiveness (off / def)1.21 / 1.22
696Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.670
68%Returning production2%

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

Head to head

2024ISU 31 at UTAH 28ISU · UTAH covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
UTAH +9.6 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.