Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Maryland Terrapins
1-0 · #65 Elo
at
Sat, Oct 3, 12:00 AM ET
Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, NE)
Nebraska Cornhuskers
1-0 · #41 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Nebraska Cornhuskers are 3.6 points better (#41 vs #65 of 240), and NEB add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: NEB third-down conversion ranks #27, MD defends it at #102; the other way MD #99 into NEB's #67.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
NEB
NEB rated 3.6 points better on Elo (#41 vs #65).
Home & rest
Even
NEB gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Even
MD passing ranks #76, NEB defends it at #44; the other way NEB #81 into MD's #31.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Even
NEB rushing ranks #63, MD defends it at #88; the other way MD #109 into NEB's #131.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Slight edge
NEB
NEB third-down conversion ranks #27, MD defends it at #102; the other way MD #99 into NEB's #67.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
MD
NEB +28.0 per game over the last five, MD +62.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Maryland TerrapinsNebraska Cornhuskers
1549 Elo · #65
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
NEB +3.6 pts
1613 Elo · #41
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
+0.9 pts vs NEB 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.
NEB +0.5 pts
+1.5 pts vs MD D
W · +62.0
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.
MD +17.0 pts
W · +28.0
+0.6
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
NEB +5.6 pts
+6.2
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

  • MD passing-down ppa (#19) against a NEB defense ranked #126 at stopping it
  • NEB defense (#26 yards / pass attempt allowed) against a MD offense ranked #121
  • MD defense (#38 rush explosiveness allowed) against a NEB offense ranked #125
  • NEB defense (#26 completion % allowed) against a MD offense ranked #112
  • NEB rush success rate (#22) against a MD defense ranked #105 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.

Maryland Terrapins offense vs Nebraska Cornhuskers defense

ranks of 135
MD offNEB defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced64%43%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).66%69%·
Plays / game5955·
Possession / game26:5929:25·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.23#76+0.19#44NEB
Pass success rate41%#7839%#38NEB
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.48#991.46#25NEB
Yards / pass attempt6.2#1216.4#26NEB
Completion %58%#11258%#26NEB
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.9%#1182.2%#83NEB
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.04#109+0.25#131·
Rush success rate39%#10447%#116·
Rush explosiveness1.02#481.12#127MD
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.83#873.25#120MD
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.19%#7316%#116MD
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.73%#6379%#118MD
Yards / rush4.2#854.9#115MD
Situational
Standard-down PPA−0.01#124+0.10#72NEB
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.46#19+0.44#126MD
Third-down conversion37%#9939%#67NEB
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.39#994.37#127MD
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.14.2%#5114.4%#102MD
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.17#601.00#104MD

Nebraska Cornhuskers offense vs Maryland Terrapins defense

ranks of 135
NEB offMD defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced49%45%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).75%71%·
Plays / game5662·
Possession / game30:3533:01·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.22#81+0.16#31MD
Pass success rate45%#3643%#81NEB
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.39#1271.56#74MD
Yards / pass attempt7.7#437.1#67·
Completion %69%#1163%#86NEB
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.6%#262.3%#70NEB
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.13#63+0.13#88·
Rush success rate48%#2246%#105NEB
Rush explosiveness0.81#1250.90#38MD
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.16#303.06#101NEB
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.15%#1917%#100NEB
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.76%#4477%#106NEB
Yards / rush4.3#724.4#85·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.08#87+0.06#47MD
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.39#35+0.32#85NEB
Third-down conversion46%#2742%#102NEB
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.93#493.60#62·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.12.8%#2414.1%#103NEB
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game0.85#131.75#20·

Season

MDNEB
1-0Record1-0
62.0Points for / game49.0
0.0Points against / game21.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
1-0Against the spread1-0
1-0Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.1-0
WLast 5W

Power ratings

MDNEB
1549Elo1613
#65 of 240Rank#41 of 240
+5.3Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+6.8
+5.3Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+4.4
1500Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1478

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

Advanced

MDNEB
+5.2SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+9.3
0.148Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.160
0.134Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.207
40% / 44%Success rate (off / def)46% / 43%
1.32 / 1.19Explosiveness (off / def)1.09 / 1.27
720Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.787
54%Returning production46%

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

Head to head

2025NEB 34 at MD 31NEB · MD covered
2023MD 13 at NEB 10MD · MD covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
NEB +3.6 pts
Home field
NEB +— 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.