Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
at
Fri, Oct 9, 7:00 PM ET
L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium
Louisville Cardinals
9-4 last yr · #25 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Louisville Cardinals are 5.6 points better (#25 vs #50 of 240), and LOU add 0.0 for home field.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
LOU
LOU rated 5.6 points better on Elo (#25 vs #50).
Home & rest
Even
LOU gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Even
FSU passing ranks #46, LOU defends it at #6; the other way LOU #118 into FSU's #70.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Even
LOU rushing ranks #21, FSU defends it at #73; the other way FSU #12 into LOU's #51.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Even
FSU third-down conversion ranks #8, LOU defends it at #19; the other way LOU #105 into FSU's #59.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
FSU
LOU +2.0 per game over the last five, FSU +17.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Florida State SeminolesLouisville Cardinals
1590 Elo · #50
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
LOU +5.6 pts
1691 Elo · #25
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−6.6 pts vs LOU 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.
LOU +5.7 pts
−0.8 pts vs FSU D
W · +17.0
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.
FSU +7.5 pts
W W L L L · +2.0
+7.2
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
LOU +5.2 pts
+12.4
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

  • FSU defense (#57 pass explosiveness allowed) against a LOU offense ranked #130
  • LOU defense (#38 takeaways / game) against a FSU offense ranked #105
  • LOU defense (#33 completion % allowed) against a FSU offense ranked #99
  • LOU defense (#19 pass success rate allowed) against a FSU offense ranked #79
  • LOU rush success rate (#9) against a FSU defense ranked #66 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.

Florida State Seminoles offense vs Louisville Cardinals defense

ranks of 135
FSU offLOU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced44%53%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).69%66%·
Plays / game6261·
Possession / game28:4629:48·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.32#46+0.06#6LOU
Pass success rate41%#7937%#19LOU
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.85#51.36#7·
Yards / pass attempt9.0#116.0#10·
Completion %59%#9959%#33LOU
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.5%#1052.2%#84·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.25#12+0.07#51FSU
Rush success rate50%#1038%#15·
Rush explosiveness1.03#450.95#62·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.40#72.74#41FSU
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.13%#520%#52FSU
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.75%#4875%#99FSU
Yards / rush5.2#203.5#21·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.17#39+0.02#27·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.50#11+0.11#9·
Third-down conversion51%#833%#19·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.95#453.38#43·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.14.5%#5417.3%#35·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.58#1051.54#38LOU

Louisville Cardinals offense vs Florida State Seminoles defense

ranks of 135
LOU offFSU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced53%44%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).72%70%·
Plays / game6059·
Possession / game30:1231:14·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.13#118+0.25#70FSU
Pass success rate41%#7343%#79·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.36#1301.54#57FSU
Yards / pass attempt6.9#857.0#60·
Completion %64%#4562%#75LOU
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.3%#982.8%#49FSU
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.21#21+0.11#73LOU
Rush success rate50%#942%#66LOU
Rush explosiveness1.08#280.86#18·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.75#1043.12#105·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.23%#12115%#119·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.65%#10776%#104·
Yards / rush5.1#263.6#28·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.15#49+0.09#66·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.14#123+0.34#92FSU
Third-down conversion35%#10538%#59FSU
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.62#764.12#110LOU
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.16.6%#9315.5%#72·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.31#781.17#79·

Season

FSULOU
1-0Record9-4
34.0Points for / game29.9
17.0Points against / game21.2
1-0 / 0-0Home / road6-3 / 3-1
0-1Against the spread4-9
0-1Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.6-7
WLast 5W W L L L

Season numbers are from 2025 until this season has games.

Power ratings

FSULOU
1590Elo1691
#50 of 240Rank#25 of 240
+2.2Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+5.2
+6.0Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+8.8
1270Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.

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

Advanced

FSULOU
+9.1SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+11.1
0.271Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.150
0.162Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.053
46% / 42%Success rate (off / def)45% / 37%
1.35 / 1.16Explosiveness (off / def)1.22 / 1.18
800Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.740
40%Returning production35%

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

Head to head

2023LOU 6 vs FSU 16FSU · FSU covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
LOU +5.6 pts
Home field
LOU +— 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.