Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Northwestern Wildcats
1-0 · #44 Elo
at
Sat, Oct 31, 12:00 AM ET
Autzen Stadium
Oregon Ducks
1-0 · #3 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Oregon Ducks are 16.2 points better (#3 vs #44 of 240), and ORE add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the rushing game: ORE rushing ranks #16, NU defends it at #107; the other way NU #58 into ORE's #39.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
ORE
ORE rated 16.2 points better on Elo (#3 vs #44).
Home & rest
Even
ORE gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
ORE
ORE passing ranks #16, NU defends it at #65; the other way NU #83 into ORE's #26.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
ORE
ORE rushing ranks #16, NU defends it at #107; the other way NU #58 into ORE's #39.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Slight edge
ORE
ORE third-down conversion ranks #18, NU defends it at #99; the other way NU #37 into ORE's #53.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
NU
ORE +7.0 per game over the last five, NU +16.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Northwestern WildcatsOregon Ducks
1604 Elo · #44
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
ORE +16.2 pts
1896 Elo · #3
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−8.6 pts vs ORE 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.
ORE +13.9 pts
+5.3 pts vs NU D
W · +16.0
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.
NU +4.5 pts
W · +7.0
+5.8
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
ORE +20.1 pts
+25.9
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

  • ORE defense (#6 yards / pass attempt allowed) against a NU offense ranked #110
  • ORE rush success rate (#18) against a NU defense ranked #118 at stopping it
  • ORE completion % (#3) against a NU defense ranked #102 at stopping it
  • ORE defense (#4 completion % allowed) against a NU offense ranked #96
  • ORE rushing ppa / play (#16) against a NU defense ranked #107 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.

Northwestern Wildcats offense vs Oregon Ducks defense

ranks of 135
NU offORE defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced47%48%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).70%64%·
Plays / game6152·
Possession / game32:1929:11·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.21#83+0.15#26ORE
Pass success rate42%#6636%#14ORE
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.50#961.59#89·
Yards / pass attempt6.4#1105.6#6ORE
Completion %59%#9653%#4ORE
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.4%#662.4%#69·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.14#58+0.05#39·
Rush success rate46%#4638%#24·
Rush explosiveness0.91#920.98#78·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.97#632.72#35ORE
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.18%#4717%#99NU
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.76%#4171%#68NU
Yards / rush4.7#453.5#20·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.08#86−0.04#11ORE
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.31#65+0.21#30ORE
Third-down conversion43%#3738%#53·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.21#1153.90#92·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.16.7%#9418.2%#21ORE
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.62#1101.40#50ORE

Oregon Ducks offense vs Northwestern Wildcats defense

ranks of 135
ORE offNU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced46%46%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).74%72%·
Plays / game5554·
Possession / game30:4927:41·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.42#16+0.24#65ORE
Pass success rate49%#1344%#101ORE
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.61#381.36#6NU
Yards / pass attempt8.7#147.3#77ORE
Completion %72%#364%#102ORE
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.4%#1003.7%#14NU
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.23#16+0.18#107ORE
Rush success rate48%#1847%#118ORE
Rush explosiveness1.04#420.99#84ORE
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.08#453.16#112ORE
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.16%#3015%#117ORE
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.71%#7371%#63·
Yards / rush5.4#134.3#72ORE
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.27#4+0.11#77ORE
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.39#36+0.32#82ORE
Third-down conversion47%#1842%#99ORE
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.10#363.37#41·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.10.9%#415.0%#83ORE
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.00#321.54#36·

Season

NUORE
1-0Record1-0
34.0Points for / game34.0
18.0Points against / game27.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
1-0Against the spread0-1
1-0Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.1-0
WLast 5W

Power ratings

NUORE
1604Elo1896
#44 of 240Rank#3 of 240
+2.3Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+13.1
+7.8Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+10.9
1482Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1554

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

Advanced

NUORE
+5.1SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+29.2
0.151Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.305
0.171Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.049
43% / 45%Success rate (off / def)48% / 36%
1.18 / 1.15Explosiveness (off / def)1.32 / 1.28
688Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.984
89%Returning production75%

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

Head to head

2025ORE 34 at NU 14ORE · NU covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
ORE +16.2 pts
Home field
ORE +— 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.