Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
at
Sat, Oct 31, 12:00 AM ET
Hancock Whitney Stadium
South Alabama Jaguars
1-0 · #97 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Louisiana Tech Bulldogs are 3.5 points better (#70 vs #97 of 240), and USA add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the rushing game: LT rushing ranks #56, USA defends it at #108; the other way USA #60 into LT's #26.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
LT
LT rated 3.5 points better on Elo (#97 vs #70).
Home & rest
Even
USA gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
LT
LT passing ranks #99, USA defends it at #112; the other way USA #78 into LT's #22.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
LT
LT rushing ranks #56, USA defends it at #108; the other way USA #60 into LT's #26.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Even
USA third-down conversion ranks #39, LT defends it at #64; the other way LT #55 into USA's #57.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
LT
USA +25.0 per game over the last five, LT +74.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Louisiana Tech BulldogsSouth Alabama Jaguars
1525 Elo · #70
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
LT +3.5 pts
1462 Elo · #97
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
+5.6 pts vs USA 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.
LT +10.3 pts
−4.8 pts vs LT D
W · +74.0
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.
LT +24.5 pts
W · +25.0
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

  • LT pass explosiveness (#45) against a USA defense ranked #128 at stopping it
  • LT power success (#53) against a USA defense ranked #135 at stopping it
  • LT yards / rush (#39) against a USA defense ranked #108 at stopping it
  • USA rush explosiveness (#49) against a LT defense ranked #118 at stopping it
  • LT defense (#24 pass success rate allowed) against a USA offense ranked #92

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.

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs offense vs South Alabama Jaguars defense

ranks of 135
LT offUSA defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced39%44%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).69%67%·
Plays / game6365·
Possession / game30:0327:57·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.19#99+0.34#112·
Pass success rate37%#11340%#48USA
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.59#451.77#128LT
Yards / pass attempt6.8#877.2#71·
Completion %63%#6261%#56·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced7.0%#1351.8%#104USA
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.14#56+0.18#108LT
Rush success rate42%#9047%#113·
Rush explosiveness1.04#370.92#49·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.95#653.15#108LT
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.18%#4917%#102LT
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.75%#5391%#135LT
Yards / rush4.8#394.8#108LT
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.10#77+0.17#114LT
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.23#97+0.37#103·
Third-down conversion41%#5538%#57·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.32#1084.35#126·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.14.7%#5814.6%#93LT
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.31#741.25#71·

South Alabama Jaguars offense vs Louisiana Tech Bulldogs defense

ranks of 135
USA offLT defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced38%54%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).69%65%·
Plays / game7066·
Possession / game31:0929:57·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.23#78+0.14#22LT
Pass success rate40%#9237%#24LT
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.53#811.58#84·
Yards / pass attempt7.0#776.4#30LT
Completion %68%#1255%#9·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.9%#452.1%#92USA
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.14#60+0.02#26LT
Rush success rate43%#7539%#37LT
Rush explosiveness1.02#491.08#118USA
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.03#562.69#29LT
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.16%#2623%#12·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.76%#4068%#46·
Yards / rush4.5#574.2#68·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.10#70−0.04#13LT
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.28#72+0.26#55·
Third-down conversion43%#3939%#64·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.01#403.07#23·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.13.0%#3119.5%#10·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.00#331.92#9·

Season

LTUSA
1-0Record1-0
80.0Points for / game39.0
6.0Points against / game14.0
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

LTUSA
1525Elo1462
#70 of 240Rank#97 of 240
+4.7Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+0.1
+4.8Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.−0.8
1364Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1358

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

Advanced

LTUSA
−9.1SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.
0.139Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.159
0.067Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.238
40% / 38%Success rate (off / def)42% / 43%
1.25 / 1.34Explosiveness (off / def)1.21 / 1.27
543Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.
64%Returning production

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

Head to head

No meetings in our history.

How the margin was built

Rating gap
LT +3.5 pts
Home field
USA +— 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.