Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Michigan Wolverines
1-0 · #28 Elo
at
Sat, Oct 31, 12:00 AM ET
SHI Stadium
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Michigan Wolverines are 16.6 points better (#28 vs #174 of 240), and RUTG add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the rushing game: MICH rushing ranks #17, RUTG defends it at #133; the other way RUTG #80 into MICH's #49.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
MICH
MICH rated 16.6 points better on Elo (#174 vs #28).
Home & rest
Even
RUTG gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Even
MICH passing ranks #95, RUTG defends it at #133; the other way RUTG #39 into MICH's #58.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
MICH
MICH rushing ranks #17, RUTG defends it at #133; the other way RUTG #80 into MICH's #49.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Slight edge
MICH
MICH third-down conversion ranks #32, RUTG defends it at #84; the other way RUTG #41 into MICH's #52.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
MICH
RUTG −16.0 per game over the last five, MICH +1.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Michigan WolverinesRutgers Scarlet Knights
1688 Elo · #28
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
MICH +16.6 pts
1390 Elo · #174
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
+5.2 pts vs RUTG 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.
MICH +12.8 pts
−7.7 pts vs MICH D
W · +1.0
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.
MICH +8.5 pts
L · −16.0
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

  • MICH yards / rush (#11) against a RUTG defense ranked #135 at stopping it
  • MICH rushing ppa / play (#17) against a RUTG defense ranked #133 at stopping it
  • MICH havoc rate faced (#13) against a RUTG defense ranked #124 at stopping it
  • MICH rush success rate (#13) against a RUTG defense ranked #112 at stopping it
  • MICH standard-down ppa (#37) against a RUTG defense ranked #134 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.

Michigan Wolverines offense vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights defense

ranks of 135
MICH offRUTG defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced44%49%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).70%70%·
Plays / game6254·
Possession / game29:4727:28·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.20#95+0.44#133MICH
Pass success rate40%#8749%#131MICH
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.46#1061.55#65RUTG
Yards / pass attempt7.1#708.6#129MICH
Completion %59%#9465%#111·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.8%#1132.2%#82RUTG
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.23#17+0.26#133MICH
Rush success rate49%#1347%#112MICH
Rush explosiveness0.98#621.13#130MICH
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.29#163.15#109MICH
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.14%#919%#62MICH
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.77%#3366%#28·
Yards / rush5.5#116.9#135MICH
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.17#37+0.29#134MICH
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.25#90+0.36#100·
Third-down conversion44%#3240%#84MICH
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.64#744.45#130MICH
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.12.1%#1312.4%#124MICH
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.31#750.92#112MICH

Rutgers Scarlet Knights offense vs Michigan Wolverines defense

ranks of 135
RUTG offMICH defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced50%52%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).71%70%·
Plays / game6564·
Possession / game32:3230:13·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.34#39+0.22#58·
Pass success rate47%#1844%#105RUTG
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.51#881.34#3MICH
Yards / pass attempt8.4#196.5#32·
Completion %62%#6964%#92·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.3%#182.3%#71RUTG
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.09#80+0.07#49MICH
Rush success rate46%#4241%#58·
Rush explosiveness0.86#1170.88#22MICH
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.03#552.68#28MICH
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.15%#2118%#85RUTG
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.75%#4659%#11MICH
Yards / rush3.7#1123.4#19MICH
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.16#41+0.00#20·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.33#57+0.40#114RUTG
Third-down conversion43%#4137%#52·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.38#1013.79#81·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.15.9%#7916.7%#48MICH
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game0.92#171.46#42·

Season

MICHRUTG
1-0Record0-1
13.0Points for / game21.0
12.0Points against / game37.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road0-1 / 0-0
0-1Against the spread0-1
0-1Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.1-0
WLast 5L

Power ratings

MICHRUTG
1688Elo1390
#28 of 240Rank#174 of 240
+3.2Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+1.6
+9.3Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.−2.0
1512Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.978

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

Advanced

MICHRUTG
+17.0SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.
0.190Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.214
0.122Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.314
44% / 42%Success rate (off / def)47% / 47%
1.17 / 1.13Explosiveness (off / def)1.22 / 1.33
890Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.
69%Returning production

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

Head to head

2023RUTG 7 at MICH 31MICH · push

How the margin was built

Rating gap
MICH +16.6 pts
Home field
RUTG +— 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.