Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Clemson Tigers
0-1 · #35 Elo
at
Fri, Nov 20, 7:30 PM ET
Wallace Wade Stadium
Duke Blue Devils
1-0 · #32 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Duke Blue Devils are 0.7 points better (#32 vs #35 of 240), and DUKE add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: CLEM third-down conversion ranks #114, DUKE defends it at #124; the other way DUKE #78 into CLEM's #13.

Who has the edge

Rating
Even
DUKE rated 0.7 points better on Elo (#32 vs #35).
Home & rest
Even
DUKE gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Slight edge
CLEM
CLEM passing ranks #58, DUKE defends it at #124; the other way DUKE #24 into CLEM's #48.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Slight edge
CLEM
CLEM rushing ranks #75, DUKE defends it at #67; the other way DUKE #84 into CLEM's #29.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
CLEM
CLEM third-down conversion ranks #114, DUKE defends it at #124; the other way DUKE #78 into CLEM's #13.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
DUKE
DUKE +14.0 per game over the last five, CLEM −41.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Clemson TigersDuke Blue Devils
1646 Elo · #35
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
DUKE +0.7 pts
1658 Elo · #32
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−0.8 pts vs DUKE 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.
CLEM +1.5 pts
−2.4 pts vs CLEM D
L · −41.0
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 +27.5 pts
W · +14.0
+9.5
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
CLEM +2.9 pts
+6.6
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

  • CLEM defense (#17 stuff rate forced) against a DUKE offense ranked #114
  • CLEM completion % (#36) against a DUKE defense ranked #126 at stopping it
  • CLEM interception rate (#44) against a DUKE defense ranked #129 at stopping it
  • DUKE pass explosiveness (#44) against a CLEM defense ranked #118 at stopping it
  • CLEM defense (#27 line yards / rush allowed) against a DUKE offense ranked #98

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.

Clemson Tigers offense vs Duke Blue Devils defense

ranks of 135
CLEM offDUKE defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced56%50%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).71%68%·
Plays / game6467·
Possession / game31:0230:16·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.28#58+0.41#124CLEM
Pass success rate43%#5646%#119CLEM
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.50#971.65#106·
Yards / pass attempt7.3#628.4#124CLEM
Completion %65%#3667%#126CLEM
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.9%#441.3%#129CLEM
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.10#75+0.10#67·
Rush success rate43%#8043%#73·
Rush explosiveness0.91#901.03#100·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.99#592.62#20DUKE
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.18%#4823%#11DUKE
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.72%#7173%#84·
Yards / rush3.9#974.3#70DUKE
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.18#31+0.14#94CLEM
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.21#101+0.44#127·
Third-down conversion34%#11445%#124·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.80#594.39#128CLEM
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.15.1%#5917.2%#36·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.15#501.71#22DUKE

Duke Blue Devils offense vs Clemson Tigers defense

ranks of 135
DUKE offCLEM defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced55%57%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).70%63%·
Plays / game6663·
Possession / game29:4429:07·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.39#24+0.19#48·
Pass success rate47%#2036%#15·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.59#441.70#118DUKE
Yards / pass attempt7.9#396.8#50·
Completion %66%#2561%#54DUKE
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.8%#751.4%#122DUKE
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.08#84+0.03#29CLEM
Rush success rate45%#5139%#41·
Rush explosiveness0.97#650.94#59·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.80#982.68#27CLEM
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.22%#11423%#17CLEM
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.69%#8583%#127DUKE
Yards / rush4.3#803.6#24CLEM
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.18#30+0.03#33·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.40#30+0.23#48·
Third-down conversion39%#7832%#13CLEM
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.32#262.68#9·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.15.4%#6719.6%#9CLEM
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.00#281.31#61DUKE

Season

CLEMDUKE
0-1Record1-0
10.0Points for / game17.0
51.0Points against / game3.0
0-0 / 0-1Home / road1-0 / 0-0
0-1Against the spread1-0
1-0Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
LLast 5W

Power ratings

CLEMDUKE
1646Elo1658
#35 of 240Rank#32 of 240
+4.3Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+8.2
+10.6Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+5.2
Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1615

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

Advanced

CLEMDUKE
+13.1SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+5.6
0.190Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.248
0.107Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.234
42% / 37%Success rate (off / def)46% / 44%
1.24 / 1.36Explosiveness (off / def)1.33 / 1.35
863Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.668
41%Returning production17%

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

Head to head

2025DUKE 46 at CLEM 45DUKE · DUKE covered
2023CLEM 7 at DUKE 28DUKE · DUKE covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
DUKE +0.7 pts
Home field
DUKE +— 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.