Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Navy Midshipmen
1-0 · #38 Elo
at
Sat, Oct 3, 12:00 PM ET
Falcon Stadium
Air Force Falcons
1-0 · #85 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Navy Midshipmen are 8.9 points better (#38 vs #85 of 240), and AFA add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the rushing game: NAVY rushing ranks #6, AFA defends it at #135; the other way AFA #18 into NAVY's #75.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
NAVY
NAVY rated 8.9 points better on Elo (#85 vs #38).
Home & rest
Even
AFA gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Even
NAVY passing ranks #9, AFA defends it at #134; the other way AFA #2 into NAVY's #118.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
NAVY
NAVY rushing ranks #6, AFA defends it at #135; the other way AFA #18 into NAVY's #75.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Slight edge
NAVY
NAVY third-down conversion ranks #4, AFA defends it at #134; the other way AFA #7 into NAVY's #66.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
AFA
AFA +34.0 per game over the last five, NAVY +27.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Navy MidshipmenAir Force Falcons
1636 Elo · #38
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
NAVY +8.9 pts
1476 Elo · #85
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−0.1 pts vs AFA 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.
NAVY +8.2 pts
−8.3 pts vs NAVY D
W · +27.0
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.
AFA +3.5 pts
W · +34.0
+6.2
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
NAVY +9.4 pts
−3.2
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

  • NAVY stuff rate (#1) against a AFA defense ranked #132 at stopping it
  • NAVY third-down conversion (#4) against a AFA defense ranked #134 at stopping it
  • NAVY rushing ppa / play (#6) against a AFA defense ranked #135 at stopping it
  • NAVY havoc rate faced (#3) against a AFA defense ranked #132 at stopping it
  • NAVY yards / pass attempt (#6) against a AFA defense ranked #134 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.

Navy Midshipmen offense vs Air Force Falcons defense

ranks of 135
NAVY offAFA defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced23%50%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).77%72%·
Plays / game6257·
Possession / game32:3726:08·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.46#9+0.51#134NAVY
Pass success rate42%#5854%#135NAVY
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.2.01#31.46#32NAVY
Yards / pass attempt9.3#69.5#134NAVY
Completion %58%#10770%#133·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.8%#1152.1%#89·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.28#6+0.31#135NAVY
Rush success rate52%#446%#109NAVY
Rush explosiveness1.06#321.21#132NAVY
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.45#53.30#126NAVY
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.11%#113%#132NAVY
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.81%#1376%#101NAVY
Yards / rush5.8#35.3#129NAVY
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.23#15+0.29#133NAVY
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.52#8+0.73#135NAVY
Third-down conversion52%#450%#134NAVY
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.22#284.28#121NAVY
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.9.2%#310.7%#132NAVY
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.08#430.83#115NAVY

Air Force Falcons offense vs Navy Midshipmen defense

ranks of 135
AFA offNAVY defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced21%46%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).76%69%·
Plays / game6760·
Possession / game33:5227:23·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.55#2+0.37#118AFA
Pass success rate47%#1944%#102AFA
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.2.13#21.63#103AFA
Yards / pass attempt10.6#18.0#115AFA
Completion %59%#9764%#101·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced4.3%#1241.6%#113·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.23#18+0.11#75AFA
Rush success rate48%#2339%#26·
Rush explosiveness0.96#691.06#113AFA
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.27#172.85#59AFA
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.12%#218%#80AFA
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.79%#2076%#102AFA
Yards / rush4.8#334.1#59·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.25#8+0.17#111AFA
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.39#39+0.30#71AFA
Third-down conversion51%#739%#66AFA
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.60#124.20#115AFA
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.9.0%#212.5%#123AFA
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.00#261.15#87AFA

Season

NAVYAFA
1-0Record1-0
42.0Points for / game34.0
15.0Points against / game0.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
0-1Against the spread1-0
1-0Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
WLast 5W

Power ratings

NAVYAFA
1636Elo1476
#38 of 240Rank#85 of 240
+4.7Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.−1.1
+7.2Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+4.8
1421Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1324

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

Advanced

NAVYAFA
+1.2SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−3.2
0.298Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.286
0.210Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.409
49% / 41%Success rate (off / def)47% / 50%
1.24 / 1.34Explosiveness (off / def)1.22 / 1.37
196Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.272
14%Returning production57%

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

Head to head

2025AFA 31 at NAVY 34NAVY · AFA covered
2024NAVY 34 at AFA 7NAVY · NAVY covered
2023AFA 17 at NAVY 6AFA · NAVY covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
NAVY +8.9 pts
Home field
AFA +— 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.