Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
3-9 last yr · #230 Elo
at
Tue, Oct 20, 7:00 PM ET
Pitbull Stadium
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Florida International Panthers are 5.4 points better (#195 vs #230 of 240), and FIU add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: MTSU third-down conversion ranks #93, FIU defends it at #69; the other way FIU #104 into MTSU's #65.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
FIU
FIU rated 5.4 points better on Elo (#195 vs #230).
Home & rest
Even
FIU gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Slight edge
FIU
FIU passing ranks #88, MTSU defends it at #125; the other way MTSU #87 into FIU's #78.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Even
MTSU rushing ranks #87, FIU defends it at #85; the other way FIU #51 into MTSU's #36.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Slight edge
FIU
MTSU third-down conversion ranks #93, FIU defends it at #69; the other way FIU #104 into MTSU's #65.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Slight edge
MTSU
FIU −10.0 per game over the last five, MTSU −4.8.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Middle Tennessee Blue RaidersFlorida International Panthers
1262 Elo · #230
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
FIU +5.4 pts
1360 Elo · #195
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−3.8 pts vs FIU 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.
FIU +7.1 pts
+3.3 pts vs MTSU D
W W L L L · −4.8
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.
MTSU +2.6 pts
L · −10.0
−16.0
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
FIU +5.5 pts
−10.5
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

  • MTSU defense (#16 stuff rate forced) against a FIU offense ranked #120
  • FIU pass success rate (#54) against a MTSU defense ranked #130 at stopping it
  • FIU points / scoring opportunity (#35) against a MTSU defense ranked #105 at stopping it
  • MTSU defense (#19 line yards / rush allowed) against a FIU offense ranked #82
  • FIU defense (#53 havoc rate) against a MTSU offense ranked #114

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.

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders offense vs Florida International Panthers defense

ranks of 135
MTSU offFIU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced62%51%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).68%69%·
Plays / game6862·
Possession / game28:4628:23·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.21#87+0.26#78·
Pass success rate42%#6241%#62·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.43#1151.61#98·
Yards / pass attempt6.4#1137.1#69FIU
Completion %60%#9161%#52FIU
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.0%#492.8%#46·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.08#87+0.12#85·
Rush success rate45%#5646%#108MTSU
Rush explosiveness0.88#1070.94#55FIU
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.92#703.21#118MTSU
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.22%#11616%#114·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.65%#10675%#94·
Yards / rush4.1#924.7#101·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.09#83+0.11#76·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.30#68+0.29#66·
Third-down conversion37%#9340%#69·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.20#1163.65#67FIU
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.18.0%#11416.4%#53FIU
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.00#311.62#30·

Florida International Panthers offense vs Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders defense

ranks of 135
FIU offMTSU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced49%48%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).67%71%·
Plays / game6265·
Possession / game31:3731:14·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.21#88+0.41#125FIU
Pass success rate43%#5448%#130FIU
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.39#1281.61#99MTSU
Yards / pass attempt6.5#1048.2#122·
Completion %60%#9064%#106·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.8%#771.9%#100·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.15#51+0.04#36·
Rush success rate39%#10841%#59MTSU
Rush explosiveness1.19#40.83#9·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.84#822.62#19MTSU
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.22%#12023%#16MTSU
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.74%#5566%#29·
Yards / rush4.9#314.1#55·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.12#61+0.17#110FIU
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.23#94+0.33#90·
Third-down conversion36%#10439%#65MTSU
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.12#354.03#105FIU
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.16.9%#10215.7%#67MTSU
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.62#1091.17#82MTSU

Season

MTSUFIU
3-9Record0-1
22.4Points for / game9.0
30.9Points against / game19.0
1-5 / 2-4Home / road0-0 / 0-1
6-6Against the spread1-0
6-6Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
W W L L LLast 5L

Season numbers are from 2025 until this season has games.

Power ratings

MTSUFIU
1262Elo1360
#230 of 240Rank#195 of 240
−2.9Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.−0.5
−3.8Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+1.0
Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1662

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

Advanced

MTSUFIU
−26.5SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−14.5
0.160Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.156
0.215Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.165
43% / 45%Success rate (off / def)41% / 43%
1.22 / 1.27Explosiveness (off / def)1.31 / 1.27
572Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.608
33%Returning production32%

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

Head to head

2025FIU 56 at MTSU 30FIU · FIU covered
2024MTSU 24 at FIU 35FIU · FIU covered
2023FIU 6 at MTSU 40MTSU · MTSU covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
FIU +5.4 pts
Home field
FIU +— 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.