Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Buffalo Bulls
1-0 · #155 Elo
at
Fri, Nov 27, 12:00 PM ET
InfoCision Stadium
Akron Zips
0-1 · #224 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Buffalo Bulls are 6.7 points better (#155 vs #224 of 240), and AKR add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the third down & red zone: BUFF third-down conversion ranks #103, AKR defends it at #33; the other way AKR #130 into BUFF's #27.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
BUFF
BUFF rated 6.7 points better on Elo (#224 vs #155).
Home & rest
Even
AKR gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Even
BUFF passing ranks #102, AKR defends it at #62; the other way AKR #106 into BUFF's #63.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Even
AKR rushing ranks #122, BUFF defends it at #38; the other way BUFF #127 into AKR's #27.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Slight edge
BUFF
BUFF third-down conversion ranks #103, AKR defends it at #33; the other way AKR #130 into BUFF's #27.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
BUFF
AKR −22.0 per game over the last five, BUFF +4.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Buffalo BullsAkron Zips
1411 Elo · #155
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
BUFF +6.7 pts
1290 Elo · #224
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−0.8 pts vs AKR 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.
BUFF +3.8 pts
−4.6 pts vs BUFF D
W · +4.0
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.
BUFF +13.0 pts
L · −22.0
−7.5
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
BUFF +6.4 pts
−13.9
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

  • BUFF defense (#13 completion % allowed) against a AKR offense ranked #134
  • BUFF defense (#27 third-down conversion allowed) against a AKR offense ranked #130
  • AKR defense (#27 rushing ppa / play allowed) against a BUFF offense ranked #127
  • AKR defense (#26 takeaways / game) against a BUFF offense ranked #125
  • BUFF defense (#18 passing-down ppa allowed) against a AKR offense ranked #113

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.

Buffalo Bulls offense vs Akron Zips defense

ranks of 135
BUFF offAKR defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced53%48%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).66%70%·
Plays / game6658·
Possession / game28:0430:08·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.19#102+0.23#62AKR
Pass success rate39%#10338%#31AKR
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.48#1001.71#120·
Yards / pass attempt6.7#967.7#109·
Completion %57%#11760%#45AKR
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.7%#322.5%#58·
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play−0.03#127+0.03#27AKR
Rush success rate39%#10741%#60AKR
Rush explosiveness0.88#1080.92#48AKR
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.68#1142.75#45AKR
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.19%#6723%#20AKR
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.69%#9258%#7AKR
Yards / rush3.9#1004.3#77·
Situational
Standard-down PPA−0.03#127+0.06#52AKR
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.28#75+0.22#36AKR
Third-down conversion36%#10335%#33AKR
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.50#913.68#70·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.16.1%#8717.3%#33AKR
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.83#1251.67#26AKR

Akron Zips offense vs Buffalo Bulls defense

ranks of 135
AKR offBUFF defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced52%43%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).65%68%·
Plays / game6267·
Possession / game29:5231:56·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.18#106+0.23#63BUFF
Pass success rate37%#11240%#47BUFF
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.63#341.61#97AKR
Yards / pass attempt6.5#1066.5#35BUFF
Completion %52%#13456%#13BUFF
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.0%#824.1%#9BUFF
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.00#122+0.05#38BUFF
Rush success rate40%#9739%#27BUFF
Rush explosiveness0.82#1230.89#33BUFF
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.80#972.96#78·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.20%#10117%#93·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.72%#7066%#30BUFF
Yards / rush3.8#1023.8#45BUFF
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.01#114+0.09#70BUFF
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.19#113+0.17#18BUFF
Third-down conversion31%#13034%#27BUFF
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.3.25#1113.07#22BUFF
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.17.9%#11215.3%#74BUFF
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.42#861.25#67·

Season

BUFFAKR
1-0Record0-1
21.0Points for / game16.0
17.0Points against / game38.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road0-0 / 0-1
0-1Against the spread1-0
0-1Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.1-0
WLast 5L

Power ratings

BUFFAKR
1411Elo1290
#155 of 240Rank#224 of 240
−3.6Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.−3.9
+0.7Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.−2.7
1445Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1586

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

Advanced

BUFFAKR
−12.7SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−22.9
0.074Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.073
0.118Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.110
39% / 39%Success rate (off / def)38% / 39%
1.20 / 1.23Explosiveness (off / def)1.25 / 1.29
549Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.547
-1%Returning production92%

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

Head to head

2025AKR 24 at BUFF 16AKR · AKR covered
2024BUFF 41 at AKR 30BUFF · BUFF covered
2023BUFF 13 at AKR 10BUFF · BUFF covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
BUFF +6.7 pts
Home field
AKR +— 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.