Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Duke Blue Devils
1-0 · #32 Elo
at
Sat, Nov 7, 12:00 AM ET
Carter-Finley Stadium
NC State Wolfpack
0-1 · #62 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Duke Blue Devils are 5.8 points better (#32 vs #62 of 240), and NCSU add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: NCSU third-down conversion ranks #51, DUKE defends it at #124; the other way DUKE #78 into NCSU's #127.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
DUKE
DUKE rated 5.8 points better on Elo (#62 vs #32).
Home & rest
Even
NCSU gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Slight edge
NCSU
NCSU passing ranks #25, DUKE defends it at #124; the other way DUKE #24 into NCSU's #90.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Slight edge
NCSU
NCSU rushing ranks #33, DUKE defends it at #67; the other way DUKE #84 into NCSU's #79.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Slight edge
NCSU
NCSU third-down conversion ranks #51, DUKE defends it at #124; the other way DUKE #78 into NCSU's #127.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
DUKE
NCSU −26.0 per game over the last five, DUKE +14.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Duke Blue DevilsNC State Wolfpack
1658 Elo · #32
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
DUKE +5.8 pts
1554 Elo · #62
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
+3.7 pts vs NCSU 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.
DUKE +5.1 pts
−1.3 pts vs DUKE D
W · +14.0
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.
DUKE +20.0 pts
L · −26.0
+6.6
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
DUKE +1.8 pts
+4.8
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

  • NCSU points / scoring opportunity (#8) against a DUKE defense ranked #128 at stopping it
  • NCSU completion % (#15) against a DUKE defense ranked #126 at stopping it
  • DUKE defense (#11 stuff rate forced) against a NCSU offense ranked #111
  • NCSU passing ppa / play (#25) against a DUKE defense ranked #124 at stopping it
  • NCSU passing-down ppa (#32) against a DUKE defense ranked #127 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.

Duke Blue Devils offense vs NC State Wolfpack defense

ranks of 135
DUKE offNCSU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced55%56%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).70%65%·
Plays / game6662·
Possession / game29:4430:03·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.39#24+0.30#90DUKE
Pass success rate47%#2040%#55DUKE
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.59#441.70#116DUKE
Yards / pass attempt7.9#397.6#101DUKE
Completion %66%#2563%#82DUKE
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.8%#752.1%#88·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.08#84+0.12#79·
Rush success rate45%#5138%#19NCSU
Rush explosiveness0.97#651.09#123DUKE
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.80#982.87#62NCSU
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.22%#11419%#65NCSU
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.69%#8565%#25NCSU
Yards / rush4.3#804.4#80·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.18#30+0.12#81DUKE
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.40#30+0.38#111DUKE
Third-down conversion39%#7846%#127DUKE
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.32#263.70#73DUKE
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.15.4%#6714.9%#85·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.00#281.15#86DUKE

NC State Wolfpack offense vs Duke Blue Devils defense

ranks of 135
NCSU offDUKE defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced51%50%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).69%68%·
Plays / game5867·
Possession / game29:5730:16·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.39#25+0.41#124NCSU
Pass success rate44%#4446%#119NCSU
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.64#331.65#106NCSU
Yards / pass attempt7.7#428.4#124NCSU
Completion %68%#1567%#126NCSU
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.2%#591.3%#129NCSU
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.19#33+0.10#67NCSU
Rush success rate44%#6443%#73·
Rush explosiveness1.10#191.03#100NCSU
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.94#672.62#20DUKE
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.21%#11123%#11DUKE
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.73%#6473%#84·
Yards / rush4.5#594.3#70·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.22#18+0.14#94NCSU
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.40#32+0.44#127NCSU
Third-down conversion41%#5145%#124NCSU
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.69#84.39#128NCSU
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.15.8%#7517.2%#36DUKE
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.00#301.71#22·

Season

DUKENCSU
1-0Record0-1
17.0Points for / game8.0
3.0Points against / game34.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road0-0 / 0-1
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

DUKENCSU
1658Elo1554
#32 of 240Rank#62 of 240
+8.2Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+3.8
+5.2Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+4.5
1615Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1665

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

Advanced

DUKENCSU
+5.6SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+5.7
0.248Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.279
0.234Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.208
46% / 44%Success rate (off / def)44% / 39%
1.33 / 1.35Explosiveness (off / def)1.38 / 1.44
668Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.757
17%Returning production60%

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

Head to head

2025NCSU 33 at DUKE 45DUKE · DUKE covered
2024DUKE 29 at NCSU 19DUKE · DUKE covered
2023NCSU 3 at DUKE 24DUKE · DUKE covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
DUKE +5.8 pts
Home field
NCSU +— 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.