Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
10-2 last yr · #6 Elo
at
Sat, Nov 28, 12:00 AM ET
JMA Wireless Dome · Indoors
Syracuse Orange
1-0 · #158 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 25.7 points better (#6 vs #158 of 240), and SYR add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the passing game: ND passing ranks #10, SYR defends it at #130; the other way SYR #123 into ND's #8.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
ND
ND rated 25.7 points better on Elo (#158 vs #6).
Home & rest
Even
SYR gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
ND
ND passing ranks #10, SYR defends it at #130; the other way SYR #123 into ND's #8.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
ND
ND rushing ranks #11, SYR defends it at #77; the other way SYR #121 into ND's #37.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
ND
ND third-down conversion ranks #13, SYR defends it at #86; the other way SYR #107 into ND's #39.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
SYR
SYR +63.0 per game over the last five, ND +33.6.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Notre Dame Fighting IrishSyracuse Orange
1869 Elo · #6
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
ND +25.7 pts
1406 Elo · #158
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
+13.2 pts vs SYR 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.
ND +23.4 pts
−10.2 pts vs ND D
W W W W W · +33.6
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.
SYR +14.7 pts
W · +63.0
+24.4
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
ND +37.5 pts
−13.1
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

  • ND yards / rush (#2) against a SYR defense ranked #131 at stopping it
  • ND passing-down ppa (#3) against a SYR defense ranked #131 at stopping it
  • SYR defense (#12 interceptions forced) against a ND offense ranked #134
  • ND passing ppa / play (#10) against a SYR defense ranked #130 at stopping it
  • ND turnovers / game (#9) against a SYR defense ranked #126 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.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish offense vs Syracuse Orange defense

ranks of 135
ND offSYR defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced45%52%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).71%71%·
Plays / game5257·
Possession / game29:1829:32·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.45#10+0.44#130ND
Pass success rate51%#646%#120ND
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.69#251.54#59ND
Yards / pass attempt9.5#27.8#112ND
Completion %67%#1866%#121ND
Interception rate / Interceptions forced6.5%#1343.8%#12SYR
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.25#11+0.11#77ND
Rush success rate47%#2545%#98ND
Rush explosiveness1.16#81.04#106ND
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.05#502.92#76·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.20%#9921%#42SYR
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.62%#12164%#24SYR
Yards / rush5.9#25.3#131ND
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.23#13+0.19#119ND
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.65#3+0.48#131ND
Third-down conversion48%#1341%#86ND
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.79#64.15#113ND
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.13.4%#3813.4%#114ND
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game0.83#90.75#126ND

Syracuse Orange offense vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish defense

ranks of 135
SYR offND defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced52%56%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).67%64%·
Plays / game5653·
Possession / game30:2830:42·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.10#123+0.09#8ND
Pass success rate35%#12436%#16ND
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.58#511.60#92SYR
Yards / pass attempt6.4#1126.2#20ND
Completion %56%#12156%#15ND
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.2%#141.5%#121SYR
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.00#121+0.04#37ND
Rush success rate41%#9438%#20ND
Rush explosiveness0.87#1150.89#31ND
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.61#1222.74#39ND
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.19%#6818%#74·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.70%#8371%#65·
Yards / rush3.4#1243.0#10ND
Situational
Standard-down PPA−0.01#123−0.03#16ND
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.12#127+0.17#17ND
Third-down conversion35%#10735%#39ND
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.2.98#1222.58#6ND
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.18.8%#12618.4%#20ND
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.92#1291.92#12ND

Season

NDSYR
10-2Record1-0
42.0Points for / game66.0
17.6Points against / game3.0
6-1 / 4-1Home / road1-0 / 0-0
6-6Against the spread1-0
6-6Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.1-0
W W W W WLast 5W

Season numbers are from 2025 until this season has games.

Power ratings

NDSYR
1869Elo1406
#6 of 240Rank#158 of 240
+15.1Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+2.7
+12.8Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+1.9
Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1422

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

Advanced

NDSYR
+26.5SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.−1.9
0.356Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.034
0.042Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.276
49% / 36%Success rate (off / def)38% / 45%
1.44 / 1.28Explosiveness (off / def)1.21 / 1.32
953Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.746
51%Returning production35%

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

Head to head

2025SYR 7 at ND 70ND · ND covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
ND +25.7 pts
Home field
SYR +— 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.