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Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
9-4 last yr · #72 Elo
at
Thu, Oct 1, 8:00 PM ET
Aggie Memorial Stadium
New Mexico State Aggies
1-1 · #231 Elo
Spread —Total —Moneyline —
The read
On rating alone Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are 14.3 points better (#72 vs #231 of 240), and NMSU add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: WKU third-down conversion ranks #25, NMSU defends it at #95; the other way NMSU #45 into WKU's #35.
Who has the edge
Rating
Clear edge
WKU
WKU rated 14.3 points better on Elo (#231 vs #72).
Home & rest
Even
—
NMSU gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
WKU
WKU passing ranks #74, NMSU defends it at #76; the other way NMSU #111 into WKU's #29.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Even
—
WKU rushing ranks #85, NMSU defends it at #15; the other way NMSU #134 into WKU's #61.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
WKU
WKU third-down conversion ranks #25, NMSU defends it at #95; the other way NMSU #45 into WKU's #35.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Even
—
NMSU +10.0 per game over the last five, WKU +8.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
—
No line yet.
context · not in the margin
The margin, factor by factor
Western Kentucky HilltoppersNew Mexico State Aggies
1519 Elo · #72
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
WKU +14.3 pts
1261 Elo · #231
road
Home field
not priced
home
—
Rest
even
—
+2.1 pts vs NMSU 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.
WKU +9.7 pts
−7.7 pts vs WKU D
W L L W W · +8.0
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.
NMSU +1.0 pts
W L · +10.0
+1.6
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
WKU +17.1 pts
−15.5
—
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
- ▸WKU defense (#28 rush success rate allowed) against a NMSU offense ranked #134
- ▸WKU defense (#30 stuff rate forced) against a NMSU offense ranked #133
- ▸WKU defense (#10 points / scoring opportunity allowed) against a NMSU offense ranked #113
- ▸NMSU defense (#11 takeaways / game) against a WKU offense ranked #113
- ▸WKU defense (#10 completion % allowed) against a NMSU offense ranked #104
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.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers offense vs New Mexico State Aggies defense
ranks of 135| WKU off | NMSU def | Edge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity | |||
| Pass rate / Pass rate faced | 57% | 48% | · |
| Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains). | 67% | 69% | · |
| Plays / game | 65 | 72 | · |
| Possession / game | 29:36 | 29:52 | · |
| Passing | |||
| Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD). | +0.24#74 | +0.26#76 | · |
| Pass success rate | 42%#63 | 44%#108 | WKU |
| Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are. | 1.51#89 | 1.49#43 | NMSU |
| Yards / pass attempt | 7.1#69 | 7.0#58 | · |
| Completion % | 66%#32 | 64%#95 | WKU |
| Interception rate / Interceptions forced | 1.8%#38 | 3.9%#10 | NMSU |
| Rushing | |||
| Rushing PPA / play | +0.08#85 | +0.00#15 | NMSU |
| Rush success rate | 45%#50 | 41%#52 | · |
| Rush explosiveness | 0.91#93 | 0.92#44 | NMSU |
| Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed. | 2.99#61 | 2.99#90 | WKU |
| Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line. | 20%#96 | 20%#58 | NMSU |
| Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2. | 81%#12 | 71%#69 | WKU |
| Yards / rush | 4.2#83 | 4.4#84 | · |
| Situational | |||
| Standard-down PPA | +0.06#95 | +0.05#41 | NMSU |
| Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+). | +0.36#45 | +0.23#45 | · |
| Third-down conversion | 46%#25 | 41%#95 | WKU |
| Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40. | 4.21#30 | 3.29#34 | · |
| Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play. | 15.1%#60 | 15.6%#70 | · |
| Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game | 1.62#113 | 1.92#11 | NMSU |
New Mexico State Aggies offense vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers defense
ranks of 135| NMSU off | WKU def | Edge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity | |||
| Pass rate / Pass rate faced | 59% | 52% | · |
| Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains). | 64% | 66% | · |
| Plays / game | 68 | 68 | · |
| Possession / game | 30:06 | 30:25 | · |
| Passing | |||
| Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD). | +0.17#111 | +0.16#29 | WKU |
| Pass success rate | 40%#90 | 36%#17 | WKU |
| Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are. | 1.44#109 | 1.54#60 | WKU |
| Yards / pass attempt | 6.4#114 | 6.3#23 | WKU |
| Completion % | 58%#104 | 55%#10 | WKU |
| Interception rate / Interceptions forced | 3.2%#87 | 2.8%#48 | WKU |
| Rushing | |||
| Rushing PPA / play | −0.09#134 | +0.09#61 | WKU |
| Rush success rate | 33%#134 | 39%#28 | WKU |
| Rush explosiveness | 0.91#88 | 1.13#129 | NMSU |
| Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed. | 2.13#133 | 2.79#52 | WKU |
| Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line. | 26%#133 | 22%#30 | WKU |
| Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2. | 69%#89 | 55%#2 | WKU |
| Yards / rush | 2.6#135 | 4.9#116 | · |
| Situational | |||
| Standard-down PPA | −0.04#128 | +0.05#39 | WKU |
| Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+). | +0.20#107 | +0.23#42 | WKU |
| Third-down conversion | 42%#45 | 35%#35 | · |
| Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40. | 3.21#113 | 2.72#10 | WKU |
| Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play. | 20.3%#132 | 16.1%#59 | WKU |
| Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game | 2.00#131 | 1.08#96 | WKU |
Season
| WKU | NMSU | |
|---|---|---|
| 9-4 | Record | 1-1 |
| 29.5 | Points for / game | 34.0 |
| 22.8 | Points against / game | 24.0 |
| 5-1 / 4-3 | Home / road | 1-0 / 0-1 |
| 10-3 | Against the spread | 2-0 |
| 6-7 | Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean. | 1-1 |
| W L L W W | Last 5 | W L |
Season numbers are from 2025 until this season has games.
Power ratings
| WKU | NMSU | |
|---|---|---|
| 1519 | Elo | 1261 |
| #72 of 240 | Rank | #231 of 240 |
| −0.1 | Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted. | −4.9 |
| +2.8 | Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good. | −2.2 |
| — | Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season. | 1580 |
Elo drives the winner call. Offense/defense ratings drive the total.
Advanced
| WKU | NMSU | |
|---|---|---|
| −7.3 | SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average. | −18.5 |
| 0.162 | Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD). | 0.049 |
| 0.108 | Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better. | 0.105 |
| 43% / 37% | Success rate (off / def) | 37% / 42% |
| 1.24 / 1.34 | Explosiveness (off / def) | 1.26 / 1.21 |
| 612 | Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster. | 460 |
| 84% | Returning production | 24% |
Advanced stats are from 2025 until this season has about three games. Source: CollegeFootballData.
Head to head
| 2025 | NMSU 16 at WKU 35 | WKU · WKU covered |
| 2024 | WKU 41 at NMSU 28 | WKU · NMSU covered |
| 2023 | NMSU 38 at WKU 29 | NMSU · NMSU covered |
How the margin was built
- Rating gap
- WKU +14.3 pts
- Home field
- NMSU +— 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.