Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
UNLV Rebels
1-1 · #68 Elo
at
Sat, Oct 17, 3:30 PM ET
Falcon Stadium
Air Force Falcons
1-0 · #85 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone UNLV Rebels are 2.9 points better (#68 vs #85 of 240), and AFA add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: UNLV third-down conversion ranks #28, AFA defends it at #134; the other way AFA #7 into UNLV's #17.

Who has the edge

Rating
Slight edge
UNLV
UNLV rated 2.9 points better on Elo (#85 vs #68).
Home & rest
Even
AFA gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Slight edge
UNLV
UNLV passing ranks #33, AFA defends it at #134; the other way AFA #2 into UNLV's #71.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Even
UNLV rushing ranks #8, AFA defends it at #135; the other way AFA #18 into UNLV's #129.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
UNLV
UNLV third-down conversion ranks #28, AFA defends it at #134; the other way AFA #7 into UNLV's #17.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
AFA
AFA +34.0 per game over the last five, UNLV +4.5.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

UNLV RebelsAir Force Falcons
1529 Elo · #68
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
UNLV +2.9 pts
1476 Elo · #85
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−2.1 pts vs AFA 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.
UNLV +1.9 pts
−4.0 pts vs UNLV D
W L · +4.5
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.
AFA +14.8 pts
W · +34.0
+4.3
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
UNLV +7.5 pts
−3.2
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

  • UNLV rushing ppa / play (#8) against a AFA defense ranked #135 at stopping it
  • UNLV passing-down ppa (#15) against a AFA defense ranked #135 at stopping it
  • UNLV yards / rush (#10) against a AFA defense ranked #129 at stopping it
  • AFA standard-down ppa (#8) against a UNLV defense ranked #126 at stopping it
  • UNLV standard-down ppa (#17) against a AFA defense ranked #133 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.

UNLV Rebels offense vs Air Force Falcons defense

ranks of 135
UNLV offAFA defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced49%50%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).70%72%·
Plays / game6257·
Possession / game30:4326:08·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.37#33+0.51#134UNLV
Pass success rate46%#2654%#135UNLV
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.58#501.46#32·
Yards / pass attempt8.3#229.5#134UNLV
Completion %66%#2970%#133UNLV
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.3%#962.1%#89·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.26#8+0.31#135UNLV
Rush success rate48%#1946%#109UNLV
Rush explosiveness1.09#221.21#132UNLV
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.19#213.30#126UNLV
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.18%#6313%#132UNLV
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.71%#7776%#101·
Yards / rush5.6#105.3#129UNLV
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.22#17+0.29#133UNLV
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.47#15+0.73#135UNLV
Third-down conversion45%#2850%#134UNLV
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.45#184.28#121UNLV
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.16.0%#8610.7%#132UNLV
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.21#620.83#115UNLV

Air Force Falcons offense vs UNLV Rebels defense

ranks of 135
AFA offUNLV defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced21%50%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).76%69%·
Plays / game6763·
Possession / game33:5229:17·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.55#2+0.25#71AFA
Pass success rate47%#1943%#95AFA
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.2.13#21.56#68AFA
Yards / pass attempt10.6#17.7#104AFA
Completion %59%#9760%#43UNLV
Interception rate / Interceptions forced4.3%#1242.0%#93UNLV
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.23#18+0.23#129AFA
Rush success rate48%#2345%#102AFA
Rush explosiveness0.96#691.11#126AFA
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.27#173.15#111AFA
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.12%#217%#101AFA
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.79%#2062%#14·
Yards / rush4.8#335.2#127AFA
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.25#8+0.22#126AFA
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.39#39+0.20#27·
Third-down conversion51%#733%#17·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.60#123.78#79AFA
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.9.0%#214.9%#89AFA
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.00#261.71#24·

Season

UNLVAFA
1-1Record1-0
21.0Points for / game34.0
16.5Points against / game0.0
0-1 / 1-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
1-1Against the spread1-0
0-2Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
W LLast 5W

Power ratings

UNLVAFA
1529Elo1476
#68 of 240Rank#85 of 240
+2.7Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.−1.1
+3.0Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+4.8
1593Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1324

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

Advanced

UNLVAFA
+3.6SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−3.2
0.298Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.286
0.214Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.409
47% / 44%Success rate (off / def)47% / 50%
1.34 / 1.33Explosiveness (off / def)1.22 / 1.37
696Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.272
15%Returning production57%

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

Head to head

2025AFA 48 at UNLV 51UNLV · AFA covered
2023UNLV 31 at AFA 27UNLV · UNLV covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
UNLV +2.9 pts
Home field
AFA +— 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.