Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Nebraska Cornhuskers
1-0 · #41 Elo
at
Fri, Nov 27, 12:00 PM ET
Kinnick Stadium
Iowa Hawkeyes
1-0 · #12 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Iowa Hawkeyes are 10.1 points better (#12 vs #41 of 240), and IOWA add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the rushing game: IOWA rushing ranks #34, NEB defends it at #131; the other way NEB #63 into IOWA's #53.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
IOWA
IOWA rated 10.1 points better on Elo (#12 vs #41).
Home & rest
Even
IOWA gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Slight edge
IOWA
IOWA passing ranks #70, NEB defends it at #44; the other way NEB #81 into IOWA's #30.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
IOWA
IOWA rushing ranks #34, NEB defends it at #131; the other way NEB #63 into IOWA's #53.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
IOWA
IOWA third-down conversion ranks #34, NEB defends it at #67; the other way NEB #27 into IOWA's #23.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
IOWA
IOWA +40.0 per game over the last five, NEB +28.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Nebraska CornhuskersIowa Hawkeyes
1613 Elo · #41
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
IOWA +10.1 pts
1795 Elo · #12
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−8.4 pts vs IOWA 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.
IOWA +11.6 pts
+3.2 pts vs NEB D
W · +28.0
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.
IOWA +6.0 pts
W · +40.0
+6.2
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
IOWA +13.5 pts
+19.7
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

  • IOWA defense (#8 pass explosiveness allowed) against a NEB offense ranked #127
  • IOWA power success (#10) against a NEB defense ranked #118 at stopping it
  • IOWA points / scoring opportunity (#20) against a NEB defense ranked #127 at stopping it
  • IOWA line yards / rush (#15) against a NEB defense ranked #120 at stopping it
  • IOWA stuff rate (#15) against a NEB defense ranked #116 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.

Nebraska Cornhuskers offense vs Iowa Hawkeyes defense

ranks of 135
NEB offIOWA defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced49%50%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).75%71%·
Plays / game5653·
Possession / game30:3528:32·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.22#81+0.16#30IOWA
Pass success rate45%#3637%#25·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.39#1271.38#8IOWA
Yards / pass attempt7.7#436.0#14IOWA
Completion %69%#1158%#24·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.6%#262.2%#86NEB
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.13#63+0.08#53·
Rush success rate48%#2241%#54NEB
Rush explosiveness0.81#1250.89#32IOWA
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.16#302.92#74NEB
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.15%#1919%#71NEB
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.76%#4469%#51·
Yards / rush4.3#723.6#27IOWA
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.08#87+0.02#24IOWA
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.39#35+0.22#41·
Third-down conversion46%#2734%#23·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.93#493.34#38·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.12.8%#2416.9%#44·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game0.85#131.08#95NEB

Iowa Hawkeyes offense vs Nebraska Cornhuskers defense

ranks of 135
IOWA offNEB defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced38%43%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).73%69%·
Plays / game5555·
Possession / game31:2829:25·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.24#70+0.19#44·
Pass success rate39%#9539%#38NEB
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.55#681.46#25NEB
Yards / pass attempt6.5#1056.4#26NEB
Completion %63%#5858%#26NEB
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.8%#1172.2%#83NEB
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.19#34+0.25#131IOWA
Rush success rate48%#1647%#116IOWA
Rush explosiveness0.90#981.12#127IOWA
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.29#153.25#120IOWA
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.14%#1516%#116IOWA
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.81%#1079%#118IOWA
Yards / rush4.6#554.9#115IOWA
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.16#45+0.10#72IOWA
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.20#109+0.44#126·
Third-down conversion43%#3439%#67IOWA
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.44#204.37#127IOWA
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.11.2%#714.4%#102IOWA
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.00#351.00#104IOWA

Season

NEBIOWA
1-0Record1-0
49.0Points for / game40.0
21.0Points against / game0.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
1-0Against the spread1-0
1-0Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
WLast 5W

Power ratings

NEBIOWA
1613Elo1795
#41 of 240Rank#12 of 240
+6.8Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+7.6
+4.4Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+15.1
1478Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1262

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

Advanced

NEBIOWA
+9.3SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+14.6
0.160Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.170
0.207Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.080
46% / 43%Success rate (off / def)44% / 39%
1.09 / 1.27Explosiveness (off / def)1.12 / 1.13
787Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.723
46%Returning production34%

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

Head to head

2025IOWA 40 at NEB 16IOWA · IOWA covered
2024NEB 10 at IOWA 13IOWA · push
2023IOWA 13 at NEB 10IOWA · IOWA covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
IOWA +10.1 pts
Home field
IOWA +— 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.