Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
at
Sat, Oct 17, 3:30 PM ET
War Memorial Stadium
Wyoming Cowboys
0-1 · #226 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Wyoming Cowboys are 1.1 points better (#226 vs #232 of 240), and WYO add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: WYO third-down conversion ranks #118, NIU defends it at #110; the other way NIU #128 into WYO's #30.

Who has the edge

Rating
Even
WYO rated 1.1 points better on Elo (#226 vs #232).
Home & rest
Even
WYO gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Slight edge
WYO
WYO passing ranks #120, NIU defends it at #45; the other way NIU #133 into WYO's #18.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Even
WYO rushing ranks #117, NIU defends it at #106; the other way NIU #73 into WYO's #59.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
WYO
WYO third-down conversion ranks #118, NIU defends it at #110; the other way NIU #128 into WYO's #30.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
WYO
WYO −22.0 per game over the last five, NIU −40.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Northern Illinois HuskiesWyoming Cowboys
1259 Elo · #232
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
WYO +1.1 pts
1278 Elo · #226
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−9.6 pts vs WYO 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.
WYO +0.5 pts
−9.0 pts vs NIU D
L · −40.0
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.
WYO +9.0 pts
L · −22.0
−16.7
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
WYO +5.4 pts
−11.3
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

  • WYO defense (#14 completion % allowed) against a NIU offense ranked #133
  • WYO defense (#17 yards / pass attempt allowed) against a NIU offense ranked #134
  • WYO defense (#18 passing ppa / play allowed) against a NIU offense ranked #133
  • WYO defense (#20 pass success rate allowed) against a NIU offense ranked #135
  • WYO defense (#11 points / scoring opportunity allowed) against a NIU offense ranked #120

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.

Northern Illinois Huskies offense vs Wyoming Cowboys defense

ranks of 135
NIU offWYO defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced34%44%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).66%66%·
Plays / game5666·
Possession / game29:1331:28·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.00#133+0.13#18WYO
Pass success rate28%#13537%#20WYO
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.64#321.60#91NIU
Yards / pass attempt4.9#1346.1#17WYO
Completion %53%#13356%#14WYO
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.7%#1083.5%#28WYO
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.11#73+0.09#59·
Rush success rate38%#11440%#48WYO
Rush explosiveness1.11#150.93#52NIU
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.84#833.00#93·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.18%#5917%#104NIU
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.69%#8674%#92·
Yards / rush4.5#624.6#90NIU
Situational
Standard-down PPA−0.01#122+0.02#26WYO
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.13#126+0.17#22WYO
Third-down conversion32%#12835%#30WYO
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.04#1202.77#11WYO
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.13.0%#3013.0%#118NIU
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game0.92#161.25#73NIU

Wyoming Cowboys offense vs Northern Illinois Huskies defense

ranks of 135
WYO offNIU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced51%40%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).65%72%·
Plays / game6563·
Possession / game28:3230:47·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.12#120+0.19#45NIU
Pass success rate39%#10241%#65NIU
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.36#1311.53#54NIU
Yards / pass attempt5.7#1306.6#40NIU
Completion %56%#12459%#35NIU
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.6%#721.9%#96·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.02#117+0.17#106·
Rush success rate38%#11546%#110·
Rush explosiveness0.96#670.95#61·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.74#1073.18#116·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.22%#11515%#118·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.56%#13472%#77NIU
Yards / rush4.1#904.6#94·
Situational
Standard-down PPA−0.01#121+0.06#50NIU
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.16#118+0.50#133·
Third-down conversion34%#11843%#110·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.2.90#1263.45#50NIU
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.18.7%#12311.2%#131·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.50#1011.08#93·

Season

NIUWYO
0-1Record0-1
0.0Points for / game13.0
40.0Points against / game35.0
0-0 / 0-1Home / road0-0 / 0-1
0-1Against the spread0-1
0-1Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.1-0
LLast 5L

Power ratings

NIUWYO
1259Elo1278
#232 of 240Rank#226 of 240
−6.6Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.−9.9
−0.9Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+3.0
1792Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1271

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

Advanced

NIUWYO
−17.2SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−10.8
0.040Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.050
0.186Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.073
34% / 44%Success rate (off / def)38% / 38%
1.26 / 1.20Explosiveness (off / def)1.17 / 1.21
537Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.528
44%Returning production23%

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

Head to head

No meetings in our history.

How the margin was built

Rating gap
WYO +1.1 pts
Home field
WYO +— 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.