Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Utah Utes
1-0 · #9 Elo
at
Sat, Oct 31, 12:00 AM ET
Nippert Stadium
Cincinnati Bearcats
1-0 · #55 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Utah Utes are 14.4 points better (#9 vs #55 of 240), and CIN add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: UTAH third-down conversion ranks #2, CIN defends it at #94; the other way CIN #81 into UTAH's #31.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
UTAH
UTAH rated 14.4 points better on Elo (#55 vs #9).
Home & rest
Even
CIN gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Slight edge
UTAH
UTAH passing ranks #30, CIN defends it at #79; the other way CIN #14 into UTAH's #4.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Even
UTAH rushing ranks #2, CIN defends it at #105; the other way CIN #14 into UTAH's #114.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
UTAH
UTAH third-down conversion ranks #2, CIN defends it at #94; the other way CIN #81 into UTAH's #31.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
UTAH
CIN +19.0 per game over the last five, UTAH +52.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Utah UtesCincinnati Bearcats
1838 Elo · #9
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
UTAH +14.4 pts
1579 Elo · #55
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
+13.3 pts vs CIN 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.
UTAH +19.0 pts
−5.7 pts vs UTAH D
W · +52.0
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.
UTAH +16.5 pts
W · +19.0
+22.2
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
UTAH +17.7 pts
+4.5
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

  • CIN interception rate (#2) against a UTAH defense ranked #128 at stopping it
  • UTAH line yards / rush (#2) against a CIN defense ranked #125 at stopping it
  • UTAH stuff rate (#3) against a CIN defense ranked #123 at stopping it
  • UTAH rush success rate (#5) against a CIN defense ranked #119 at stopping it
  • UTAH power success (#6) against a CIN defense ranked #116 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.

Utah Utes offense vs Cincinnati Bearcats defense

ranks of 135
UTAH offCIN defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced44%45%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).72%72%·
Plays / game6368·
Possession / game30:4835:43·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.38#30+0.27#79UTAH
Pass success rate47%#2343%#85UTAH
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.52#831.50#45CIN
Yards / pass attempt7.5#547.4#84UTAH
Completion %63%#6167%#124UTAH
Interception rate / Interceptions forced4.0%#1221.5%#116·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.35#2+0.17#105UTAH
Rush success rate51%#547%#119UTAH
Rush explosiveness1.10#180.91#42·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.55#23.30#125UTAH
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.13%#315%#123UTAH
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.82%#679%#116UTAH
Yards / rush6.0#14.3#76UTAH
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.24#10+0.16#102UTAH
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.65#2+0.35#98UTAH
Third-down conversion53%#241%#94UTAH
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.5.01#23.93#96UTAH
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.12.4%#1812.2%#127UTAH
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game0.92#180.77#120UTAH

Cincinnati Bearcats offense vs Utah Utes defense

ranks of 135
CIN offUTAH defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced48%47%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).71%67%·
Plays / game5654·
Possession / game24:1729:12·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.42#14+0.01#4·
Pass success rate46%#3033%#8·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.60#411.70#117CIN
Yards / pass attempt8.2#256.0#12·
Completion %62%#7149%#1UTAH
Interception rate / Interceptions forced0.6%#21.3%#128CIN
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.24#14+0.18#114CIN
Rush success rate48%#1443%#79CIN
Rush explosiveness1.05#351.11#125CIN
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.47#42.87#63CIN
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.16%#3720%#51·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.76%#3773%#81CIN
Yards / rush5.8#44.8#110CIN
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.23#14+0.06#49CIN
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.43#24+0.10#6·
Third-down conversion39%#8135%#31UTAH
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.60#112.93#16·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.12.0%#1216.9%#43CIN
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.08#391.38#55·

Season

UTAHCIN
1-0Record1-0
66.0Points for / game34.0
14.0Points against / game15.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
1-0Against the spread1-0
1-0Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
WLast 5W

Power ratings

UTAHCIN
1838Elo1579
#9 of 240Rank#55 of 240
+18.0Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+2.9
+8.6Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+4.6
1484Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1386

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

Advanced

UTAHCIN
+9.8SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+3.0
0.356Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.289
0.074Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.212
49% / 38%Success rate (off / def)46% / 45%
1.27 / 1.34Explosiveness (off / def)1.31 / 1.17
696Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.634
68%Returning production8%

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

Head to head

2025CIN 14 at UTAH 45UTAH · UTAH covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
UTAH +14.4 pts
Home field
CIN +— 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.