Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
at
Sat, Sep 26, 12:00 AM ET
Yulman Stadium
Tulane Green Wave
0-1 · #56 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Tulane Green Wave are 7.4 points better (#56 vs #119 of 240), and TULN add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: TULN third-down conversion ranks #44, USM defends it at #126; the other way USM #70 into TULN's #70.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
TULN
TULN rated 7.4 points better on Elo (#56 vs #119).
Home & rest
Even
TULN gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Slight edge
USM
USM passing ranks #57, TULN defends it at #74; the other way TULN #27 into USM's #19.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Slight edge
TULN
TULN rushing ranks #66, USM defends it at #89; the other way USM #74 into TULN's #63.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
TULN
TULN third-down conversion ranks #44, USM defends it at #126; the other way USM #70 into TULN's #70.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
USM
TULN −14.0 per game over the last five, USM +46.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Southern Miss Golden EaglesTulane Green Wave
1443 Elo · #119
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
TULN +7.4 pts
1576 Elo · #56
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−9.2 pts vs TULN 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.
TULN +5.2 pts
−4.1 pts vs USM D
W · +46.0
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.
USM +30.0 pts
L · −14.0
−7.1
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
TULN +13.4 pts
+6.3
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

  • TULN power success (#29) against a USM defense ranked #113 at stopping it
  • TULN third-down conversion (#44) against a USM defense ranked #126 at stopping it
  • TULN defense (#25 yards / rush allowed) against a USM offense ranked #105
  • USM completion % (#52) against a TULN defense ranked #129 at stopping it
  • TULN line yards / rush (#24) against a USM defense ranked #88 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.

Southern Miss Golden Eagles offense vs Tulane Green Wave defense

ranks of 135
USM offTULN defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced51%52%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).66%72%·
Plays / game6666·
Possession / game27:4329:08·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.28#57+0.26#74·
Pass success rate40%#8946%#121USM
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.73#151.40#12·
Yards / pass attempt7.6#507.7#106USM
Completion %64%#5268%#129USM
Interception rate / Interceptions forced5.1%#1291.9%#98TULN
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.10#74+0.09#63·
Rush success rate39%#10544%#91·
Rush explosiveness0.93#810.90#35TULN
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.96#642.97#84·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.19%#6917%#91·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.67%#9871%#66TULN
Yards / rush3.8#1053.6#25TULN
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.09#82+0.09#67·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.33#56+0.32#83USM
Third-down conversion40%#7040%#70·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.60#813.65#65·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.16.3%#9016.5%#52TULN
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.15#541.79#16TULN

Tulane Green Wave offense vs Southern Miss Golden Eagles defense

ranks of 135
TULN offUSM defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced45%45%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).71%68%·
Plays / game6469·
Possession / game30:5232:16·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.38#27+0.13#19·
Pass success rate48%#1541%#61TULN
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.54#751.49#42USM
Yards / pass attempt8.1#306.9#56·
Completion %62%#7363%#87·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.5%#1042.6%#56USM
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.11#66+0.14#89·
Rush success rate44%#5943%#75·
Rush explosiveness0.89#1051.01#92·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.18#242.99#88TULN
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.17%#4118%#73TULN
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.78%#2978%#113TULN
Yards / rush4.5#584.2#64·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.15#50+0.03#30·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.39#34+0.27#61TULN
Third-down conversion42%#4446%#126TULN
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.88#533.94#97TULN
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.12.5%#2117.4%#31·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.21#612.23#3USM

Season

USMTULN
1-0Record0-1
49.0Points for / game3.0
3.0Points against / game17.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road0-0 / 0-1
1-0Against the spread0-1
1-0Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
WLast 5L

Power ratings

USMTULN
1443Elo1576
#119 of 240Rank#56 of 240
+0.5Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.−2.3
+1.7Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+9.8
1379Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1619

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

Advanced

USMTULN
−20.7SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−4.3
0.177Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.219
0.103Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.154
39% / 41%Success rate (off / def)46% / 45%
1.34 / 1.21Explosiveness (off / def)1.19 / 1.17
603Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.665
90%Returning production21%

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

Head to head

2023TULN 21 at USM 3TULN · TULN covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
TULN +7.4 pts
Home field
TULN +— 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.