Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Pittsburgh Panthers
1-0 · #34 Elo
at
Sat, Oct 17, 12:00 AM ET
Alumni Stadium (Chestnut Hill, MA)
Boston College Eagles
0-1 · #191 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Pittsburgh Panthers are 15.9 points better (#34 vs #191 of 240), and BC add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the passing game: PITT passing ranks #40, BC defends it at #120; the other way BC #65 into PITT's #54.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
PITT
PITT rated 15.9 points better on Elo (#191 vs #34).
Home & rest
Even
BC gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
PITT
PITT passing ranks #40, BC defends it at #120; the other way BC #65 into PITT's #54.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
PITT
PITT rushing ranks #96, BC defends it at #82; the other way BC #103 into PITT's #7.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Slight edge
PITT
PITT third-down conversion ranks #120, BC defends it at #92; the other way BC #77 into PITT's #15.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
PITT
BC −19.0 per game over the last five, PITT +45.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Pittsburgh PanthersBoston College Eagles
1651 Elo · #34
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
PITT +15.9 pts
1365 Elo · #191
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
+8.9 pts vs BC 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.
PITT +15.9 pts
−6.9 pts vs PITT D
W · +45.0
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.
PITT +32.0 pts
L · −19.0
+8.4
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
PITT +16.9 pts
−8.5
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

  • PITT defense (#3 yards / rush allowed) against a BC offense ranked #127
  • PITT defense (#6 line yards / rush allowed) against a BC offense ranked #105
  • PITT pass explosiveness (#29) against a BC defense ranked #126 at stopping it
  • PITT defense (#7 rushing ppa / play allowed) against a BC offense ranked #103
  • PITT defense (#33 takeaways / game) against a BC offense ranked #121

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.

Pittsburgh Panthers offense vs Boston College Eagles defense

ranks of 135
PITT offBC defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced55%47%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).67%71%·
Plays / game6159·
Possession / game28:5630:44·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.34#40+0.39#120PITT
Pass success rate41%#7442%#72·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.66#291.74#126PITT
Yards / pass attempt7.7#488.2#121PITT
Completion %62%#6764%#100PITT
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.2%#923.2%#34BC
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.06#96+0.12#82·
Rush success rate41%#9544%#86·
Rush explosiveness1.01#511.04#105PITT
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.63#1212.79#51BC
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.24%#12821%#43BC
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.67%#9770%#60BC
Yards / rush3.6#1215.1#124·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.11#66+0.18#115PITT
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.35#53+0.36#99PITT
Third-down conversion33%#12041%#92BC
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.65#733.82#84·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.18.4%#11912.3%#126·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.77#1241.00#103·

Boston College Eagles offense vs Pittsburgh Panthers defense

ranks of 135
BC offPITT defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced58%52%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).69%63%·
Plays / game6360·
Possession / game29:1631:04·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.25#65+0.21#54·
Pass success rate44%#5037%#23PITT
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.40#1231.65#109·
Yards / pass attempt7.4#607.1#68·
Completion %63%#5763%#81·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.3%#163.5%#27·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.05#103−0.06#7PITT
Rush success rate42%#9134%#7PITT
Rush explosiveness0.89#1060.96#68PITT
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.75#1052.34#6PITT
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.18%#5425%#7PITT
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.80%#1469%#53BC
Yards / rush3.3#1272.7#3PITT
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.09#85+0.02#25PITT
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.32#62+0.17#20PITT
Third-down conversion39%#7733%#15PITT
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.39#983.81#83·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.16.5%#9218.9%#14PITT
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.75#1211.62#33PITT

Season

PITTBC
1-0Record0-1
59.0Points for / game15.0
14.0Points against / game34.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road0-0 / 0-1
1-0Against the spread0-1
1-0Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
WLast 5L

Power ratings

PITTBC
1651Elo1365
#34 of 240Rank#191 of 240
+9.8Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.−0.4
+6.5Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+0.9
1454Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1558

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

Advanced

PITTBC
+6.2SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−2.5
0.189Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.159
0.076Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.233
41% / 35%Success rate (off / def)42% / 43%
1.39 / 1.35Explosiveness (off / def)1.21 / 1.39
675Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.660
40%Returning production16%

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

Head to head

2025BC 7 at PITT 48PITT · PITT covered
2024PITT 23 at BC 34BC · BC covered
2023BC 16 at PITT 24PITT · PITT covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
PITT +15.9 pts
Home field
BC +— 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.