Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
UNLV Rebels
1-1 · #68 Elo
at
Sat, Nov 21, 7:00 PM ET
CEFCU Stadium
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone UNLV Rebels are 9.5 points better (#68 vs #197 of 240), and SJSU add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: UNLV third-down conversion ranks #28, SJSU defends it at #48; the other way SJSU #40 into UNLV's #17.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
UNLV
UNLV rated 9.5 points better on Elo (#197 vs #68).
Home & rest
Even
SJSU gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
UNLV
UNLV passing ranks #33, SJSU defends it at #108; the other way SJSU #80 into UNLV's #71.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Even
SJSU rushing ranks #65, UNLV defends it at #129; the other way UNLV #8 into SJSU's #69.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
UNLV
UNLV third-down conversion ranks #28, SJSU defends it at #48; the other way SJSU #40 into UNLV's #17.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
UNLV
SJSU −5.0 per game over the last five, UNLV +4.5.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

UNLV RebelsSan José State Spartans
1529 Elo · #68
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
UNLV +9.5 pts
1358 Elo · #197
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
+5.8 pts vs SJSU 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.
UNLV +10.8 pts
−5.0 pts vs UNLV D
W L · +4.5
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.
UNLV +4.8 pts
W L · −5.0
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

  • UNLV defense (#24 takeaways / game) against a SJSU offense ranked #134
  • UNLV yards / pass attempt (#22) against a SJSU defense ranked #128 at stopping it
  • SJSU defense (#4 interceptions forced) against a UNLV offense ranked #96
  • UNLV points / scoring opportunity (#18) against a SJSU defense ranked #107 at stopping it
  • UNLV completion % (#29) against a SJSU defense ranked #113 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.

UNLV Rebels offense vs San José State Spartans defense

ranks of 135
UNLV offSJSU defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced49%44%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).70%69%·
Plays / game6266·
Possession / game30:4332:12·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.37#33+0.34#108UNLV
Pass success rate46%#2643%#82UNLV
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.58#501.76#127UNLV
Yards / pass attempt8.3#228.6#128UNLV
Completion %66%#2966%#113UNLV
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.3%#964.9%#4SJSU
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.26#8+0.11#69UNLV
Rush success rate48%#1942%#67UNLV
Rush explosiveness1.09#220.90#36·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.19#213.02#96UNLV
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.18%#6314%#127UNLV
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.71%#7780%#120UNLV
Yards / rush5.6#104.1#58UNLV
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.22#17+0.15#98UNLV
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.47#15+0.32#84UNLV
Third-down conversion45%#2837%#48·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.45#184.04#107UNLV
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.16.0%#8612.1%#128UNLV
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.21#621.17#83·

San José State Spartans offense vs UNLV Rebels defense

ranks of 135
SJSU offUNLV defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced60%50%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).68%69%·
Plays / game6463·
Possession / game27:4829:17·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.22#80+0.25#71·
Pass success rate41%#7143%#95·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.47#1051.56#68UNLV
Yards / pass attempt7.0#807.7#104·
Completion %56%#12360%#43UNLV
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.4%#212.0%#93SJSU
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.12#65+0.23#129SJSU
Rush success rate47%#2845%#102SJSU
Rush explosiveness0.94#781.11#126SJSU
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.06#463.15#111SJSU
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.20%#8417%#101·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.71%#7862%#14UNLV
Yards / rush4.6#515.2#127SJSU
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.13#59+0.22#126SJSU
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.29#71+0.20#27UNLV
Third-down conversion43%#4033%#17·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.2.77#1293.78#79UNLV
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.15.5%#7114.9%#89·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game2.25#1341.71#24UNLV

Season

UNLVSJSU
1-1Record1-1
21.0Points for / game26.5
16.5Points against / game31.5
0-1 / 1-0Home / road0-0 / 1-1
1-1Against the spread2-0
0-2Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.1-1
W LLast 5W L

Power ratings

UNLVSJSU
1529Elo1358
#68 of 240Rank#197 of 240
+2.7Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.−2.1
+3.0Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.−3.1
1593Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1523

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

Advanced

UNLVSJSU
+3.6SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.
0.298Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.178
0.214Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.201
47% / 44%Success rate (off / def)44% / 42%
1.34 / 1.33Explosiveness (off / def)1.26 / 1.30
696Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.
15%Returning production

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

Head to head

2024UNLV 27 at SJSU 16UNLV · UNLV covered
2023SJSU 37 at UNLV 31SJSU · SJSU covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
UNLV +9.5 pts
Home field
SJSU +— 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.