Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
at
Sat, Oct 17, 12:00 AM ET
California Memorial Stadium
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Wake Forest Demon Deacons are 5.9 points better (#46 vs #83 of 240), and CAL add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the rushing game: WAKE rushing ranks #67, CAL defends it at #121; the other way CAL #132 into WAKE's #10.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
WAKE
WAKE rated 5.9 points better on Elo (#83 vs #46).
Home & rest
Even
CAL gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Even
WAKE passing ranks #68, CAL defends it at #23; the other way CAL #77 into WAKE's #12.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
WAKE
WAKE rushing ranks #67, CAL defends it at #121; the other way CAL #132 into WAKE's #10.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Even
WAKE third-down conversion ranks #68, CAL defends it at #98; the other way CAL #61 into WAKE's #40.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
WAKE
CAL −21.0 per game over the last five, WAKE +22.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Wake Forest Demon DeaconsCalifornia Golden Bears
1598 Elo · #46
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
WAKE +5.9 pts
1493 Elo · #83
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
+3.3 pts vs CAL 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.
WAKE +6.4 pts
−3.1 pts vs WAKE D
W · +22.0
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.
WAKE +21.5 pts
L · −21.0
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

  • WAKE defense (#10 rushing ppa / play allowed) against a CAL offense ranked #132
  • WAKE defense (#16 yards / rush allowed) against a CAL offense ranked #132
  • WAKE defense (#9 line yards / rush allowed) against a CAL offense ranked #119
  • WAKE power success (#21) against a CAL defense ranked #130 at stopping it
  • WAKE defense (#12 rush success rate allowed) against a CAL offense ranked #117

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.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons offense vs California Golden Bears defense

ranks of 135
WAKE offCAL defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced49%51%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).67%68%·
Plays / game6165·
Possession / game29:0529:46·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.25#68+0.14#23CAL
Pass success rate37%#11438%#34CAL
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.75#121.40#10·
Yards / pass attempt7.6#516.4#25·
Completion %57%#11862%#66CAL
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.0%#82.4%#68WAKE
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.11#67+0.21#121WAKE
Rush success rate40%#9947%#117·
Rush explosiveness1.12#110.98#81WAKE
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.79#1003.32#128WAKE
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.18%#6113%#133WAKE
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.79%#2185%#130WAKE
Yards / rush4.5#614.8#106WAKE
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.07#94+0.17#113·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.33#59+0.16#15CAL
Third-down conversion40%#6842%#98WAKE
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.23#1123.69#71CAL
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.15.5%#7215.1%#81·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.62#1121.00#102·

California Golden Bears offense vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons defense

ranks of 135
CAL offWAKE defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced60%51%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).68%64%·
Plays / game6963·
Possession / game30:1430:55·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.23#77+0.10#12WAKE
Pass success rate43%#5733%#7WAKE
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.45#1071.53#55WAKE
Yards / pass attempt7.1#735.9#8WAKE
Completion %64%#5059%#32·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.6%#252.4%#65CAL
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play−0.04#132−0.02#10WAKE
Rush success rate38%#11737%#12WAKE
Rush explosiveness0.89#1030.88#26WAKE
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.64#1192.49#9WAKE
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.18%#5727%#4WAKE
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.70%#8264%#22WAKE
Yards / rush2.8#1323.4#16WAKE
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.01#112−0.03#15WAKE
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.36#49+0.13#13WAKE
Third-down conversion40%#6136%#40·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.70#653.24#31WAKE
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.16.4%#9118.2%#22WAKE
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.23#661.15#90·

Season

WAKECAL
1-0Record0-1
38.0Points for / game24.0
16.0Points against / game45.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road0-1 / 0-0
0-1Against the spread0-1
1-0Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.1-0
WLast 5L

Power ratings

WAKECAL
1598Elo1493
#46 of 240Rank#83 of 240
+4.4Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+2.9
+6.0Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+1.1
1302Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.

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

Advanced

WAKECAL
+3.4SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.
0.151Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.123
0.026Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.169
38% / 35%Success rate (off / def)41% / 42%
1.43 / 1.20Explosiveness (off / def)1.25 / 1.18
681Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.
14%Returning production

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

Head to head

2024CAL 46 at WAKE 36CAL · CAL covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
WAKE +5.9 pts
Home field
CAL +— 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.