Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Duke Blue Devils
1-0 · #32 Elo
at
Fri, Oct 23, 7:00 PM ET
Scott Stadium
Virginia Cavaliers
1-0 · #24 Elo
Spread UVA -6.5Total 53.5Moneyline DUKE +225 · UVA -278

The read

On rating alone Virginia Cavaliers are 2.4 points better (#24 vs #32 of 240), and UVA add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: UVA third-down conversion ranks #11, DUKE defends it at #124; the other way DUKE #78 into UVA's #2.

Who has the edge

Rating
Slight edge
UVA
UVA rated 2.4 points better on Elo (#24 vs #32).
Home & rest
Even
UVA gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Slight edge
UVA
UVA passing ranks #75, DUKE defends it at #124; the other way DUKE #24 into UVA's #24.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
UVA
UVA rushing ranks #30, DUKE defends it at #67; the other way DUKE #84 into UVA's #34.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
UVA
UVA third-down conversion ranks #11, DUKE defends it at #124; the other way DUKE #78 into UVA's #2.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
UVA
UVA +26.0 per game over the last five, DUKE +14.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
Clear edge
UVA
Consensus has UVA by 6.5.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Duke Blue DevilsVirginia Cavaliers
1658 Elo · #32
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
UVA +2.4 pts
1701 Elo · #24
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−5.5 pts vs UVA 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.
UVA +3.1 pts
−2.3 pts vs DUKE D
W · +14.0
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.
UVA +6.0 pts
W · +26.0
+6.6
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
UVA +4.5 pts
+11.1
DUKE +6.5
MarketThe consensus spread, read as points. Compare with the model margin above it.
UVA +6.5 pts
UVA -6.5

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

  • UVA third-down conversion (#11) against a DUKE defense ranked #124 at stopping it
  • UVA passing-down ppa (#46) against a DUKE defense ranked #127 at stopping it
  • UVA completion % (#47) against a DUKE defense ranked #126 at stopping it
  • UVA defense (#2 third-down conversion allowed) against a DUKE offense ranked #78
  • UVA power success (#11) against a DUKE defense ranked #84 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.

Duke Blue Devils offense vs Virginia Cavaliers defense

ranks of 135
DUKE offUVA defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced55%47%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).70%68%·
Plays / game6657·
Possession / game29:4427:44·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.39#24+0.15#24·
Pass success rate47%#2037%#22·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.59#441.49#44·
Yards / pass attempt7.9#396.6#47·
Completion %66%#2559%#37·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.8%#752.4%#64·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.08#84+0.04#34UVA
Rush success rate45%#5139%#30·
Rush explosiveness0.97#650.92#45·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.80#982.75#42UVA
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.22%#11419%#68UVA
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.69%#8571%#72·
Yards / rush4.3#803.5#23UVA
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.18#30+0.04#34·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.40#30+0.11#8·
Third-down conversion39%#7828%#2UVA
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.32#263.01#18·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.15.4%#6718.1%#23UVA
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.00#281.43#47·

Virginia Cavaliers offense vs Duke Blue Devils defense

ranks of 135
UVA offDUKE defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced49%50%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).68%68%·
Plays / game6967·
Possession / game32:1630:16·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.24#75+0.41#124UVA
Pass success rate41%#7746%#119UVA
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.54#731.65#106UVA
Yards / pass attempt6.8#908.4#124UVA
Completion %64%#4767%#126UVA
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.8%#781.3%#129UVA
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.19#30+0.10#67UVA
Rush success rate44%#6343%#73·
Rush explosiveness1.06#311.03#100UVA
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.04#532.62#20DUKE
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.16%#3123%#11·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.81%#1173%#84UVA
Yards / rush4.6#494.3#70·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.10#75+0.14#94·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.36#46+0.44#127UVA
Third-down conversion50%#1145%#124UVA
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.56#824.39#128UVA
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.13.5%#4017.2%#36·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.00#341.71#22·

Season

DUKEUVA
1-0Record1-0
17.0Points for / game34.0
3.0Points against / game8.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
1-0Against the spread1-0
0-1Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
WLast 5W

Power ratings

DUKEUVA
1658Elo1701
#32 of 240Rank#24 of 240
+8.2Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+2.8
+5.2Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+13.7
1615Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1590

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

Advanced

DUKEUVA
+5.6SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+8.1
0.248Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.182
0.234Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.061
46% / 44%Success rate (off / def)42% / 37%
1.33 / 1.35Explosiveness (off / def)1.29 / 1.19
668Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.700
17%Returning production10%

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

Head to head

2025DUKE 27 vs UVA 20DUKE · DUKE covered
2025UVA 34 at DUKE 17UVA · UVA covered
2023DUKE 27 at UVA 30UVA · UVA covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
UVA +2.4 pts
Home field
UVA +— pts
Rest
Even
Weather / roof
— pts on the total
Model margin
Model total

Market

Spread
UVA -6.5
Total
53.5
Moneyline
DUKE +225 · UVA -278

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.