Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
at
Sat, Oct 24, 5:00 PM ET
Mackay Stadium
Nevada Wolf Pack
1-0 · #217 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone San José State Spartans are 2.3 points better (#197 vs #217 of 240), and NEV add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the rushing game: SJSU rushing ranks #65, NEV defends it at #125; the other way NEV #91 into SJSU's #69.

Who has the edge

Rating
Slight edge
SJSU
SJSU rated 2.3 points better on Elo (#217 vs #197).
Home & rest
Even
NEV gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Even
NEV passing ranks #134, SJSU defends it at #108; the other way SJSU #80 into NEV's #38.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
SJSU
SJSU rushing ranks #65, NEV defends it at #125; the other way NEV #91 into SJSU's #69.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Slight edge
SJSU
SJSU third-down conversion ranks #40, NEV defends it at #55; the other way NEV #126 into SJSU's #48.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
NEV
NEV +35.0 per game over the last five, SJSU −5.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

San José State SpartansNevada Wolf Pack
1358 Elo · #197
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
SJSU +2.3 pts
1316 Elo · #217
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−4.5 pts vs NEV 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.
NEV +3.2 pts
−1.2 pts vs SJSU D
W L · −5.0
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.
NEV +20.0 pts
W · +35.0
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

  • NEV defense (#2 pass explosiveness allowed) against a SJSU offense ranked #105
  • SJSU defense (#4 interceptions forced) against a NEV offense ranked #106
  • SJSU defense (#48 third-down conversion allowed) against a NEV offense ranked #126
  • NEV defense (#70 takeaways / game) against a SJSU offense ranked #134
  • SJSU rushing ppa / play (#65) against a NEV defense ranked #125 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.

San José State Spartans offense vs Nevada Wolf Pack defense

ranks of 135
SJSU offNEV defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced60%48%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).68%68%·
Plays / game6455·
Possession / game27:4829:41·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.22#80+0.18#38NEV
Pass success rate41%#7143%#96·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.47#1051.32#2NEV
Yards / pass attempt7.0#807.4#87·
Completion %56%#12365%#108·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.4%#214.8%#5·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.12#65+0.22#125SJSU
Rush success rate47%#2844%#85SJSU
Rush explosiveness0.94#781.05#108SJSU
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.06#463.08#103SJSU
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.20%#8416%#109·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.71%#7872%#76·
Yards / rush4.6#514.3#69·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.13#59+0.16#109SJSU
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.29#71+0.26#57·
Third-down conversion43%#4038%#55·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.2.77#1294.15#112·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.15.5%#7114.4%#99SJSU
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game2.25#1341.25#70NEV

Nevada Wolf Pack offense vs San José State Spartans defense

ranks of 135
NEV offSJSU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced42%44%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).66%69%·
Plays / game5066·
Possession / game30:2032:12·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).−0.02#134+0.34#108·
Pass success rate36%#11743%#82SJSU
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.40#1221.76#127·
Yards / pass attempt5.7#1288.6#128·
Completion %59%#9866%#113·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.6%#1064.9%#4SJSU
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.07#91+0.11#69·
Rush success rate37%#12242%#67SJSU
Rush explosiveness1.04#360.90#36·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.83#853.02#96·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.19%#7814%#127NEV
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.72%#6980%#120NEV
Yards / rush4.5#604.1#58·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.06#98+0.15#98·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).−0.05#135+0.32#84SJSU
Third-down conversion32%#12637%#48SJSU
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.2.67#1324.04#107·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.17.4%#10612.1%#128·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game2.25#1331.17#83SJSU

Season

SJSUNEV
1-1Record1-0
26.5Points for / game49.0
31.5Points against / game14.0
0-0 / 1-1Home / road1-0 / 0-0
2-0Against the spread1-0
1-1Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.1-0
W LLast 5W

Power ratings

SJSUNEV
1358Elo1316
#197 of 240Rank#217 of 240
−2.1Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.−4.4
−3.1Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+2.4
1523Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.

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

Advanced

SJSUNEV
SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−11.7
0.178Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.022
0.201Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.195
44% / 42%Success rate (off / def)37% / 44%
1.26 / 1.30Explosiveness (off / def)1.20 / 1.20
Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.550
Returning production36%

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

Head to head

2025SJSU 10 at NEV 55NEV · NEV covered
2024NEV 31 at SJSU 35SJSU · NEV covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
SJSU +2.3 pts
Home field
NEV +— 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.