Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Utah Utes
1-0 · #9 Elo
at
Sat, Nov 21, 12:00 AM ET
Amon G. Carter Stadium
TCU Horned Frogs
0-1 · #52 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Utah Utes are 14.0 points better (#9 vs #52 of 240), and TCU add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the passing game: UTAH passing ranks #30, TCU defends it at #92; the other way TCU #20 into UTAH's #4.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
UTAH
UTAH rated 14.0 points better on Elo (#52 vs #9).
Home & rest
Even
TCU gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
UTAH
UTAH passing ranks #30, TCU defends it at #92; the other way TCU #20 into UTAH's #4.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Slight edge
UTAH
UTAH rushing ranks #2, TCU defends it at #44; the other way TCU #108 into UTAH's #114.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
UTAH
UTAH third-down conversion ranks #2, TCU defends it at #75; the other way TCU #14 into UTAH's #31.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
UTAH
TCU −5.0 per game over the last five, UTAH +52.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Utah UtesTCU Horned Frogs
1838 Elo · #9
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
UTAH +14.0 pts
1585 Elo · #52
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
+10.6 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.
UTAH +17.4 pts
−6.8 pts vs UTAH D
W · +52.0
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.
UTAH +28.5 pts
L · −5.0
+22.2
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
UTAH +13.9 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 defense (#23 interceptions forced) against a UTAH offense ranked #122
  • UTAH passing-down ppa (#2) against a TCU defense ranked #96 at stopping it
  • UTAH stuff rate (#3) against a TCU defense ranked #94 at stopping it
  • TCU pass explosiveness (#35) against a UTAH defense ranked #117 at stopping it
  • UTAH third-down conversion (#2) against a TCU defense ranked #75 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.

Utah Utes offense vs TCU Horned Frogs defense

ranks of 135
UTAH offTCU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced44%50%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).72%68%·
Plays / game6365·
Possession / game30:4831:08·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.38#30+0.30#92UTAH
Pass success rate47%#2343%#86UTAH
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.52#831.65#110UTAH
Yards / pass attempt7.5#547.5#95UTAH
Completion %63%#6162%#64·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced4.0%#1223.5%#23TCU
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.35#2+0.06#44UTAH
Rush success rate51%#538%#23·
Rush explosiveness1.10#180.88#25·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.55#22.84#58UTAH
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.13%#317%#94UTAH
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.82%#668%#48UTAH
Yards / rush6.0#13.8#40UTAH
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.24#10+0.05#46UTAH
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.65#2+0.35#96UTAH
Third-down conversion53%#240%#75UTAH
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.5.01#23.49#54UTAH
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.12.4%#1814.9%#88UTAH
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game0.92#181.62#32·

TCU Horned Frogs offense vs Utah Utes defense

ranks of 135
TCU offUTAH defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced53%47%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).67%67%·
Plays / game6754·
Possession / game28:5229:12·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.41#20+0.01#4·
Pass success rate47%#2433%#8·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.63#351.70#117TCU
Yards / pass attempt8.2#276.0#12·
Completion %67%#2349%#1·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.0%#851.3%#128TCU
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.04#108+0.18#114·
Rush success rate43%#7843%#79·
Rush explosiveness0.83#1211.11#125·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.70#1122.87#63UTAH
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.22%#11320%#51UTAH
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.77%#3573%#81TCU
Yards / rush4.0#954.8#110·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.10#74+0.06#49·
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.45#20+0.10#6·
Third-down conversion47%#1435%#31·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.14#342.93#16·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.15.3%#6516.9%#43·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.54#1031.38#55UTAH

Season

UTAHTCU
1-0Record0-1
66.0Points for / game10.0
14.0Points against / game15.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road0-1 / 0-0
1-0Against the spread0-1
1-0Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
WLast 5L

Power ratings

UTAHTCU
1838Elo1585
#9 of 240Rank#52 of 240
+18.0Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+1.8
+8.6Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+7.3
1484Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1412

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

Advanced

UTAHTCU
+9.8SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+9.4
0.356Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.215
0.074Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.147
49% / 38%Success rate (off / def)44% / 40%
1.27 / 1.34Explosiveness (off / def)1.28 / 1.29
696Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.731
68%Returning production22%

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

Head to head

2024TCU 13 at UTAH 7TCU · TCU covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
UTAH +14.0 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.