Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Kansas Jayhawks
1-0 · #51 Elo
at
Sat, Oct 31, 12:00 AM ET
Amon G. Carter Stadium
TCU Horned Frogs
0-1 · #52 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Kansas Jayhawks are 0.1 points better (#51 vs #52 of 240), and TCU add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: TCU third-down conversion ranks #14, KU defends it at #88; the other way KU #79 into TCU's #75.

Who has the edge

Rating
Even
KU rated 0.1 points better on Elo (#52 vs #51).
Home & rest
Even
TCU gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Slight edge
TCU
TCU passing ranks #20, KU defends it at #121; the other way KU #45 into TCU's #92.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Slight edge
KU
KU rushing ranks #19, TCU defends it at #44; the other way TCU #108 into KU's #86.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
TCU
TCU third-down conversion ranks #14, KU defends it at #88; the other way KU #79 into TCU's #75.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
KU
TCU −5.0 per game over the last five, KU +45.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Kansas JayhawksTCU Horned Frogs
1586 Elo · #51
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
KU +0.1 pts
1585 Elo · #52
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−2.7 pts vs TCU 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.
KU +1.9 pts
−4.6 pts vs KU D
W · +45.0
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.
KU +25.0 pts
L · −5.0
+4.1
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
TCU +4.2 pts
+8.3
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

  • TCU passing-down ppa (#20) against a KU defense ranked #123 at stopping it
  • TCU passing ppa / play (#20) against a KU defense ranked #121 at stopping it
  • TCU pass explosiveness (#35) against a KU defense ranked #125 at stopping it
  • TCU defense (#25 rush explosiveness allowed) against a KU offense ranked #111
  • KU stuff rate (#8) against a TCU defense ranked #94 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.

Kansas Jayhawks offense vs TCU Horned Frogs defense

ranks of 135
KU offTCU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced47%50%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).72%68%·
Plays / game5865·
Possession / game30:4031:08·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.32#45+0.30#92KU
Pass success rate46%#3143%#86KU
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.54#761.65#110KU
Yards / pass attempt7.7#497.5#95KU
Completion %61%#7862%#64·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.2%#123.5%#23·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.22#19+0.06#44·
Rush success rate51%#638%#23·
Rush explosiveness0.87#1110.88#25TCU
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.53#32.84#58KU
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.13%#817%#94KU
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.84%#368%#48KU
Yards / rush4.8#353.8#40·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.24#12+0.05#46KU
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.27#80+0.35#96·
Third-down conversion39%#7940%#75·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.94#463.49#54·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.14.4%#5214.9%#88KU
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.08#471.62#32·

TCU Horned Frogs offense vs Kansas Jayhawks defense

ranks of 135
TCU offKU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced53%48%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).67%66%·
Plays / game6760·
Possession / game28:5229:20·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.41#20+0.39#121TCU
Pass success rate47%#2442%#71TCU
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.63#351.74#125TCU
Yards / pass attempt8.2#277.3#78TCU
Completion %67%#2364%#98TCU
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.0%#852.3%#81·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.04#108+0.13#86·
Rush success rate43%#7841%#62·
Rush explosiveness0.83#1211.10#124·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.70#1122.84#57KU
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.22%#11322%#32KU
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.77%#3577%#109TCU
Yards / rush4.0#954.7#104·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.10#74+0.16#106TCU
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.45#20+0.43#123TCU
Third-down conversion47%#1441%#88TCU
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.14#344.24#120TCU
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.15.3%#6517.7%#28KU
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.54#1030.83#119·

Season

KUTCU
1-0Record0-1
51.0Points for / game10.0
6.0Points against / game15.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road0-1 / 0-0
1-0Against the spread0-1
0-1Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
WLast 5L

Power ratings

KUTCU
1586Elo1585
#51 of 240Rank#52 of 240
+4.6Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+1.8
+6.4Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+7.3
1450Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1412

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

Advanced

KUTCU
+3.3SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+9.4
0.247Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.215
0.252Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.147
48% / 42%Success rate (off / def)44% / 40%
1.18 / 1.43Explosiveness (off / def)1.28 / 1.29
685Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.731
18%Returning production22%

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

Head to head

2024TCU 38 at KU 27TCU · TCU covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
KU +0.1 pts
Home field
TCU +— 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.