Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
at
Tue, Oct 6, 8:00 PM ET
Veterans Memorial Stadium (AL)
Troy Trojans
1-0 · #116 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Troy Trojans are 0.1 points better (#116 vs #119 of 240), and TROY add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the passing game: USM passing ranks #57, TROY defends it at #34; the other way TROY #110 into USM's #19.

Who has the edge

Rating
Even
TROY rated 0.1 points better on Elo (#116 vs #119).
Home & rest
Even
TROY gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
USM
USM passing ranks #57, TROY defends it at #34; the other way TROY #110 into USM's #19.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Even
USM rushing ranks #74, TROY defends it at #64; the other way TROY #115 into USM's #89.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
TROY
TROY third-down conversion ranks #80, USM defends it at #126; the other way USM #70 into TROY's #58.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
USM
TROY +3.0 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 EaglesTroy Trojans
1443 Elo · #119
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
TROY +0.1 pts
1445 Elo · #116
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−3.2 pts vs TROY 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.
USM +3.6 pts
−6.8 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 +21.5 pts
W · +3.0
−7.1
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
TROY +2.3 pts
−4.8
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

  • USM pass explosiveness (#15) against a TROY defense ranked #119 at stopping it
  • USM defense (#31 havoc rate) against a TROY offense ranked #127
  • TROY defense (#36 interceptions forced) against a USM offense ranked #129
  • USM defense (#19 passing ppa / play allowed) against a TROY offense ranked #110
  • TROY power success (#24) against a USM defense ranked #113 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 Troy Trojans defense

ranks of 135
USM offTROY defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced51%44%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).66%66%·
Plays / game6666·
Possession / game27:4330:05·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.28#57+0.17#34·
Pass success rate40%#8939%#41TROY
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.73#151.70#119USM
Yards / pass attempt7.6#507.1#63·
Completion %64%#5260%#44·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced5.1%#1293.1%#36TROY
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.10#74+0.09#64·
Rush success rate39%#10541%#57TROY
Rush explosiveness0.93#810.96#66·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.96#643.01#95USM
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.19%#6920%#57·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.67%#9866%#31TROY
Yards / rush3.8#1054.5#87·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.09#82+0.06#48TROY
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.33#56+0.23#44·
Third-down conversion40%#7038%#58·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.60#813.17#30TROY
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.16.3%#9016.4%#54TROY
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.15#541.29#66·

Troy Trojans offense vs Southern Miss Golden Eagles defense

ranks of 135
TROY offUSM defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced51%45%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).66%68%·
Plays / game6669·
Possession / game29:5532:16·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.17#110+0.13#19USM
Pass success rate38%#10541%#61USM
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.69#261.49#42·
Yards / pass attempt6.8#926.9#56USM
Completion %58%#11063%#87·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.3%#652.6%#56·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.02#115+0.14#89·
Rush success rate39%#11043%#75USM
Rush explosiveness0.87#1141.01#92·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.82#892.99#88·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.23%#12518%#73USM
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.78%#2478%#113TROY
Yards / rush2.8#1314.2#64USM
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.00#117+0.03#30USM
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.28#77+0.27#61·
Third-down conversion39%#8046%#126TROY
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.67#713.94#97·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.19.6%#12717.4%#31USM
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.29#722.23#3USM

Season

USMTROY
1-0Record1-0
49.0Points for / game24.0
3.0Points against / game21.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
1-0Against the spread0-1
1-0Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
WLast 5W

Power ratings

USMTROY
1443Elo1445
#119 of 240Rank#116 of 240
+0.5Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.−5.0
+1.7Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+3.7
1379Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1116

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

Advanced

USMTROY
−20.7SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−8.0
0.177Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.096
0.103Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.116
39% / 41%Success rate (off / def)38% / 40%
1.34 / 1.21Explosiveness (off / def)1.30 / 1.29
603Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.596
90%Returning production35%

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

Head to head

2025TROY 28 at USM 18TROY · TROY covered
2024USM 20 at TROY 52TROY · TROY covered
2023TROY 35 at USM 17TROY · TROY covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
TROY +0.1 pts
Home field
TROY +— 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.