Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Purdue Boilermakers
1-0 · #122 Elo
at
Sat, Oct 31, 12:00 AM ET
Beaver Stadium
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Penn State Nittany Lions are 18.7 points better (#14 vs #122 of 240), and PSU add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the passing game: PSU passing ranks #53, PUR defends it at #123; the other way PUR #116 into PSU's #40.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
PSU
PSU rated 18.7 points better on Elo (#14 vs #122).
Home & rest
Even
PSU gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
PSU
PSU passing ranks #53, PUR defends it at #123; the other way PUR #116 into PSU's #40.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
PSU
PSU rushing ranks #25, PUR defends it at #112; the other way PUR #53 into PSU's #74.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
PSU
PSU third-down conversion ranks #33, PUR defends it at #113; the other way PUR #86 into PSU's #93.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
PSU
PSU +45.0 per game over the last five, PUR +25.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Purdue BoilermakersPenn State Nittany Lions
1442 Elo · #122
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
PSU +18.7 pts
1780 Elo · #14
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−13.6 pts vs PSU 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.
PSU +22.4 pts
+8.8 pts vs PUR D
W · +25.0
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.
PSU +10.0 pts
W · +45.0
−6.1
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
PSU +24.2 pts
+18.1
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

  • PSU turnovers / game (#7) against a PUR defense ranked #125 at stopping it
  • PSU standard-down ppa (#29) against a PUR defense ranked #132 at stopping it
  • PSU pass success rate (#32) against a PUR defense ranked #127 at stopping it
  • PSU rush success rate (#33) against a PUR defense ranked #127 at stopping it
  • PSU defense (#26 pass explosiveness allowed) against a PUR offense ranked #117

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.

Purdue Boilermakers offense vs Penn State Nittany Lions defense

ranks of 135
PUR offPSU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced52%48%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).68%70%·
Plays / game5654·
Possession / game28:0230:30·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.14#116+0.18#40PSU
Pass success rate43%#5338%#36·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.42#1171.46#26PSU
Yards / pass attempt6.5#1086.5#38PSU
Completion %59%#10263%#80·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.0%#91.9%#95PUR
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.15#53+0.11#74·
Rush success rate43%#7044%#94·
Rush explosiveness1.04#410.93#54·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.94#662.97#83·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.19%#7618%#77·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.56%#13569%#54PSU
Yards / rush4.0#934.1#60PSU
Situational
Standard-down PPA−0.00#119+0.07#57PSU
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.36#50+0.23#49·
Third-down conversion38%#8641%#93·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.06#1193.33#37PSU
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.16.0%#8315.9%#63·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.75#1191.00#107·

Penn State Nittany Lions offense vs Purdue Boilermakers defense

ranks of 135
PSU offPUR defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced43%43%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).74%72%·
Plays / game5857·
Possession / game29:3031:58·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.28#53+0.40#123PSU
Pass success rate45%#3248%#127PSU
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.44#1101.62#101·
Yards / pass attempt7.2#679.3#133PSU
Completion %67%#2265%#109PSU
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.8%#374.2%#8PUR
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.21#25+0.18#112PSU
Rush success rate47%#3349%#127PSU
Rush explosiveness1.00#520.86#17PUR
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.12#383.25#121PSU
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.16%#3418%#78PSU
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.76%#4378%#112PSU
Yards / rush4.8#364.8#109PSU
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.19#29+0.27#132PSU
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.35#52+0.26#58·
Third-down conversion44%#3343%#113PSU
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.32#254.03#106PSU
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.13.5%#4115.2%#77PSU
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game0.77#70.75#125PSU

Season

PURPSU
1-0Record1-0
44.0Points for / game45.0
19.0Points against / game0.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
0-1Against the spread1-0
1-0Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
WLast 5W

Power ratings

PURPSU
1442Elo1780
#122 of 240Rank#14 of 240
−0.2Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+9.3
+0.5Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+13.4
1409Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1442

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

Advanced

PURPSU
−2.2SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+16.2
0.114Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.230
0.266Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.118
43% / 48%Success rate (off / def)46% / 41%
1.24 / 1.21Explosiveness (off / def)1.20 / 1.17
698Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.774
48%Returning production8%

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

Head to head

2024PSU 49 at PUR 10PSU · PSU covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
PSU +18.7 pts
Home field
PSU +— 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.