Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Vanderbilt Commodores
1-0 · #11 Elo
at
Sat, Nov 7, 12:00 AM ET
Davis Wade Stadium
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Vanderbilt Commodores are 14.2 points better (#11 vs #63 of 240), and MSST add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the rushing game: VAN rushing ranks #1, MSST defends it at #96; the other way MSST #71 into VAN's #32.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
VAN
VAN rated 14.2 points better on Elo (#63 vs #11).
Home & rest
Even
MSST gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
VAN
VAN passing ranks #1, MSST defends it at #91; the other way MSST #92 into VAN's #114.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
VAN
VAN rushing ranks #1, MSST defends it at #96; the other way MSST #71 into VAN's #32.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Even
VAN third-down conversion ranks #6, MSST defends it at #96; the other way MSST #38 into VAN's #111.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
MSST
MSST +49.0 per game over the last five, VAN +19.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Vanderbilt CommodoresMississippi State Bulldogs
1807 Elo · #11
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
VAN +14.2 pts
1552 Elo · #63
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
+10.5 pts vs MSST 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.
VAN +9.2 pts
+1.3 pts vs VAN D
W · +19.0
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.
MSST +15.0 pts
W · +49.0
+20.3
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
VAN +16.2 pts
+4.1
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

  • VAN line yards / rush (#9) against a MSST defense ranked #134 at stopping it
  • VAN rush success rate (#8) against a MSST defense ranked #123 at stopping it
  • VAN yards / rush (#7) against a MSST defense ranked #118 at stopping it
  • VAN passing-down ppa (#1) against a MSST defense ranked #109 at stopping it
  • VAN stuff rate (#25) against a MSST defense ranked #125 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.

Vanderbilt Commodores offense vs Mississippi State Bulldogs defense

ranks of 135
VAN offMSST defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced52%46%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).74%70%·
Plays / game5765·
Possession / game31:1830:56·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.55#1+0.30#91VAN
Pass success rate54%#340%#56VAN
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.54#741.73#123VAN
Yards / pass attempt9.3#47.3#81VAN
Completion %70%#760%#49VAN
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.0%#482.3%#78VAN
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.35#1+0.16#96VAN
Rush success rate50%#848%#123VAN
Rush explosiveness1.21#20.89#30VAN
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.37#93.41#134VAN
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.16%#2514%#125VAN
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.76%#3877%#107VAN
Yards / rush5.7#74.9#118VAN
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.32#2+0.15#101VAN
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.78#1+0.38#109VAN
Third-down conversion51%#641%#96VAN
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.5.00#33.68#69VAN
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.12.9%#2813.5%#110VAN
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game0.92#191.38#53VAN

Mississippi State Bulldogs offense vs Vanderbilt Commodores defense

ranks of 135
MSST offVAN defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced46%54%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).66%66%·
Plays / game6756·
Possession / game28:4128:42·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.21#92+0.35#114·
Pass success rate39%#10143%#91·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.71#181.56#75MSST
Yards / pass attempt8.0#337.1#66MSST
Completion %62%#6567%#123MSST
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.3%#971.7%#105·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.11#71+0.04#32VAN
Rush success rate44%#6240%#47·
Rush explosiveness0.96#680.93#53·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.81#942.66#24VAN
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.19%#8322%#31VAN
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.72%#7272%#74·
Yards / rush3.7#1073.7#30VAN
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.05#103+0.11#78·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.30#70+0.38#108MSST
Third-down conversion43%#3843%#111MSST
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.41#223.90#90MSST
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.18.2%#11717.1%#39VAN
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.15#521.15#89MSST

Season

VANMSST
1-0Record1-0
28.0Points for / game62.0
9.0Points against / game13.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
0-1Against the spread1-0
0-1Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.1-0
WLast 5W

Power ratings

VANMSST
1807Elo1552
#11 of 240Rank#63 of 240
+11.3Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+10.1
+8.8Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+0.8
1477Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1196

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

Advanced

VANMSST
+9.8SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+4.8
0.440Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.138
0.203Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.221
52% / 42%Success rate (off / def)42% / 44%
1.39 / 1.31Explosiveness (off / def)1.29 / 1.27
727Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.805
35%Returning production34%

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
VAN +14.2 pts
Home field
MSST +— 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.