Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Troy Trojans
1-0 · #116 Elo
at
Sat, Sep 26, 7:30 PM ET
Maverik Stadium
Utah State Aggies
0-1 · #172 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Troy Trojans are 2.9 points better (#116 vs #172 of 240), and USU add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the rushing game: USU rushing ranks #31, TROY defends it at #64; the other way TROY #115 into USU's #123.

Who has the edge

Rating
Slight edge
TROY
TROY rated 2.9 points better on Elo (#172 vs #116).
Home & rest
Even
USU gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Even
USU passing ranks #69, TROY defends it at #34; the other way TROY #110 into USU's #64.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Slight edge
USU
USU rushing ranks #31, TROY defends it at #64; the other way TROY #115 into USU's #123.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Slight edge
TROY
TROY third-down conversion ranks #80, USU defends it at #83; the other way USU #112 into TROY's #58.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
TROY
USU −12.0 per game over the last five, TROY +3.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Troy TrojansUtah State Aggies
1445 Elo · #116
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
TROY +2.9 pts
1392 Elo · #172
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−5.8 pts vs USU 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.
USU +2.8 pts
−3.0 pts vs TROY D
W · +3.0
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.
TROY +7.5 pts
L · −12.0
−4.8
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
USU +1.7 pts
−3.1
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

  • USU defense (#31 completion % allowed) against a TROY offense ranked #110
  • TROY interception rate (#65) against a USU defense ranked #133 at stopping it
  • USU rush explosiveness (#9) against a TROY defense ranked #66 at stopping it
  • TROY defense (#36 interceptions forced) against a USU offense ranked #91
  • TROY defense (#58 third-down conversion allowed) against a USU offense ranked #112

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.

Troy Trojans offense vs Utah State Aggies defense

ranks of 135
TROY offUSU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced51%52%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).66%71%·
Plays / game6669·
Possession / game29:5532:44·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.17#110+0.24#64USU
Pass success rate38%#10542%#70USU
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.69#261.46#24·
Yards / pass attempt6.8#927.0#61USU
Completion %58%#11059%#31USU
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.3%#651.0%#133TROY
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.02#115+0.21#123·
Rush success rate39%#11045%#99·
Rush explosiveness0.87#1141.04#104·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.82#893.18#115·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.23%#12516%#107·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.78%#2470%#61TROY
Yards / rush2.8#1314.9#114·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.00#117+0.16#107·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.28#77+0.37#106TROY
Third-down conversion39%#8040%#83·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.67#713.77#77·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.19.6%#12713.5%#113·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.29#721.31#64·

Utah State Aggies offense vs Troy Trojans defense

ranks of 135
USU offTROY defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced52%44%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).67%66%·
Plays / game6266·
Possession / game27:1430:05·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.24#69+0.17#34TROY
Pass success rate41%#8339%#41TROY
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.55#671.70#119USU
Yards / pass attempt8.0#377.1#63·
Completion %60%#8960%#44TROY
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.2%#913.1%#36TROY
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.19#31+0.09#64USU
Rush success rate42%#8841%#57TROY
Rush explosiveness1.16#90.96#66USU
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.87#803.01#95·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.20%#9020%#57TROY
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.71%#7566%#31TROY
Yards / rush4.8#384.5#87USU
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.12#60+0.06#48·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.36#47+0.23#44·
Third-down conversion35%#11238%#58TROY
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.49#163.17#30·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.16.1%#8816.4%#54TROY
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game0.85#141.29#66USU

Season

TROYUSU
1-0Record0-1
24.0Points for / game17.0
21.0Points against / game29.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road0-1 / 0-0
0-1Against the spread0-1
0-1Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
WLast 5L

Power ratings

TROYUSU
1445Elo1392
#116 of 240Rank#172 of 240
−5.0Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+0.7
+3.7Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+0.7
1116Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1402

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

Advanced

TROYUSU
−8.0SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−7.9
0.096Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.200
0.116Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.222
38% / 40%Success rate (off / def)41% / 43%
1.30 / 1.29Explosiveness (off / def)1.35 / 1.25
596Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.544
35%Returning production65%

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
TROY +2.9 pts
Home field
USU +— 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.