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

The read

On rating alone Western Michigan Broncos are 7.2 points better (#77 vs #185 of 240), and CMU add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the passing game: CMU passing ranks #22, WMU defends it at #11; the other way WMU #124 into CMU's #46.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
WMU
WMU rated 7.2 points better on Elo (#185 vs #77).
Home & rest
Even
CMU gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
CMU
CMU passing ranks #22, WMU defends it at #11; the other way WMU #124 into CMU's #46.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Even
WMU rushing ranks #57, CMU defends it at #35; the other way CMU #90 into WMU's #46.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Slight edge
WMU
WMU third-down conversion ranks #62, CMU defends it at #87; the other way CMU #115 into WMU's #12.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
WMU
CMU −31.0 per game over the last five, WMU −1.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Western Michigan BroncosCentral Michigan Chippewas
1508 Elo · #77
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
WMU +7.2 pts
1379 Elo · #185
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−2.9 pts vs CMU 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.
WMU +11.5 pts
−14.4 pts vs WMU D
L · −1.0
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.
WMU +15.0 pts
L · −31.0
−1.4
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
WMU +7.4 pts
−8.8
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

  • WMU defense (#12 third-down conversion allowed) against a CMU offense ranked #115
  • WMU defense (#21 rush success rate allowed) against a CMU offense ranked #101
  • CMU defense (#46 passing ppa / play allowed) against a WMU offense ranked #124
  • CMU defense (#26 points / scoring opportunity allowed) against a WMU offense ranked #104
  • CMU defense (#43 pass success rate allowed) against a WMU offense ranked #115

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.

Western Michigan Broncos offense vs Central Michigan Chippewas defense

ranks of 135
WMU offCMU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced33%51%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).70%68%·
Plays / game6158·
Possession / game32:3527:51·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.10#124+0.19#46CMU
Pass success rate37%#11539%#43CMU
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.41#1191.55#62CMU
Yards / pass attempt6.4#1156.7#48CMU
Completion %61%#8458%#27CMU
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.9%#1211.7%#109·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.14#57+0.04#35·
Rush success rate47%#3141%#56·
Rush explosiveness0.90#970.90#37CMU
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.17#252.83#55WMU
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.16%#2922%#28·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.76%#3962%#12CMU
Yards / rush4.6#484.4#78WMU
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.10#76+0.03#29CMU
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.15#120+0.26#56CMU
Third-down conversion40%#6241%#87·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.35#1043.14#26CMU
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.12.4%#2016.9%#42·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.07#381.62#29·

Central Michigan Chippewas offense vs Western Michigan Broncos defense

ranks of 135
CMU offWMU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced35%49%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).68%66%·
Plays / game5557·
Possession / game32:0627:25·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.40#22+0.10#11·
Pass success rate44%#4237%#21·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.61#401.46#29·
Yards / pass attempt8.6#176.5#33·
Completion %70%#855%#11·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced5.1%#1301.5%#118·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.07#90+0.06#46WMU
Rush success rate40%#10138%#21WMU
Rush explosiveness0.92#841.02#97·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.79#1022.77#48WMU
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.19%#7917%#95·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.75%#4773%#85CMU
Yards / rush4.0#943.7#38WMU
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.11#69+0.03#31WMU
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.31#66+0.12#12WMU
Third-down conversion34%#11531%#12WMU
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.60#802.83#14WMU
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.15.5%#6917.3%#34WMU
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.23#631.71#25WMU

Season

WMUCMU
0-1Record0-1
12.0Points for / game7.0
13.0Points against / game38.0
0-0 / 0-1Home / road0-0 / 0-1
1-0Against the spread0-1
0-1Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
LLast 5L

Power ratings

WMUCMU
1508Elo1379
#77 of 240Rank#185 of 240
−0.4Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.−3.8
+10.6Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+2.5
1683Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.

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

Advanced

WMUCMU
−6.0SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−15.1
0.115Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.171
0.061Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.100
43% / 37%Success rate (off / def)41% / 40%
1.05 / 1.25Explosiveness (off / def)1.18 / 1.23
572Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.540
100%Returning production54%

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

Head to head

2025CMU 21 at WMU 24WMU · CMU covered
2024WMU 14 at CMU 16CMU · CMU covered
2023CMU 28 at WMU 38WMU · WMU covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
WMU +7.2 pts
Home field
CMU +— 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.