Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Tennessee Volunteers
1-0 · #19 Elo
at
Sat, Nov 28, 12:00 AM ET
FirstBank Stadium
Vanderbilt Commodores
1-0 · #11 Elo
Spread TENN -3Total 57.5Moneyline TENN -162 · VAN +136

The read

On rating alone Vanderbilt Commodores are 4.2 points better (#11 vs #19 of 240), and VAN add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the rushing game: VAN rushing ranks #1, TENN defends it at #78; the other way TENN #9 into VAN's #32.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
VAN
VAN rated 4.2 points better on Elo (#11 vs #19).
Home & rest
Even
VAN gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Slight edge
TENN
TENN passing ranks #19, VAN defends it at #114; the other way VAN #1 into TENN's #59.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Slight edge
VAN
VAN rushing ranks #1, TENN defends it at #78; the other way TENN #9 into VAN's #32.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Even
TENN third-down conversion ranks #10, VAN defends it at #111; the other way VAN #6 into TENN's #89.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
TENN
VAN +19.0 per game over the last five, TENN +47.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
Slight edge
TENN
Consensus has TENN by 3.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Tennessee VolunteersVanderbilt Commodores
1731 Elo · #19
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
VAN +4.2 pts
1807 Elo · #11
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
+3.1 pts vs VAN 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.
VAN +2.0 pts
+5.1 pts vs TENN D
W · +47.0
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.
TENN +14.0 pts
W · +19.0
+15.0
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
VAN +5.3 pts
+20.3
TENN -3
MarketThe consensus spread, read as points. Compare with the model margin above it.
TENN +3.0 pts
VAN +3

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

  • VAN rush success rate (#8) against a TENN defense ranked #122 at stopping it
  • VAN completion % (#7) against a TENN defense ranked #118 at stopping it
  • VAN points / scoring opportunity (#3) against a TENN defense ranked #109 at stopping it
  • TENN completion % (#19) against a VAN defense ranked #123 at stopping it
  • TENN third-down conversion (#10) against a VAN defense ranked #111 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.

Tennessee Volunteers offense vs Vanderbilt Commodores defense

ranks of 135
TENN offVAN defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced48%54%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).74%66%·
Plays / game6556·
Possession / game27:2228:42·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.41#19+0.35#114TENN
Pass success rate50%#943%#91TENN
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.57#561.56#75·
Yards / pass attempt8.7#137.1#66TENN
Completion %67%#1967%#123TENN
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.3%#641.7%#105TENN
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.26#9+0.04#32·
Rush success rate52%#340%#47TENN
Rush explosiveness0.96#720.93#53·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.10#402.66#24·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.14%#1122%#31·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.85%#272%#74TENN
Yards / rush4.7#443.7#30·
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.28#3+0.11#78TENN
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.47#16+0.38#108TENN
Third-down conversion50%#1043%#111TENN
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.69#93.90#90TENN
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.12.4%#1917.1%#39·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.15#551.15#89TENN

Vanderbilt Commodores offense vs Tennessee Volunteers defense

ranks of 135
VAN offTENN defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced52%49%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).74%69%·
Plays / game5761·
Possession / game31:1832:38·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.55#1+0.22#59VAN
Pass success rate54%#341%#67VAN
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.54#741.53#53·
Yards / pass attempt9.3#47.2#70VAN
Completion %70%#766%#118VAN
Interception rate / Interceptions forced2.0%#482.3%#79VAN
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.35#1+0.12#78VAN
Rush success rate50%#848%#122VAN
Rush explosiveness1.21#20.85#14·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.37#92.89#71VAN
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.16%#2520%#47·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.76%#3882%#125VAN
Yards / rush5.7#74.1#56VAN
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.32#2+0.12#84VAN
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.78#1+0.26#59VAN
Third-down conversion51%#641%#89VAN
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.5.00#34.09#109VAN
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.12.9%#2818.4%#19·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game0.92#191.54#37·

Season

TENNVAN
1-0Record1-0
56.0Points for / game28.0
9.0Points against / game9.0
1-0 / 0-0Home / road1-0 / 0-0
0-1Against the spread0-1
0-1Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
WLast 5W

Power ratings

TENNVAN
1731Elo1807
#19 of 240Rank#11 of 240
+11.9Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+11.3
+6.3Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+8.8
1452Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1477

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

Advanced

TENNVAN
+17.3SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+9.8
0.332Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.440
0.164Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.203
51% / 44%Success rate (off / def)52% / 42%
1.27 / 1.16Explosiveness (off / def)1.39 / 1.31
886Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.727
35%Returning production35%

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

Head to head

2025VAN 45 at TENN 24VAN · VAN covered
2024TENN 36 at VAN 23TENN · TENN covered
2023VAN 24 at TENN 48TENN · VAN covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
VAN +4.2 pts
Home field
VAN +— pts
Rest
Even
Weather / roof
— pts on the total
Model margin
Model total

Market

Spread
TENN -3
Total
57.5
Moneyline
TENN -162 · VAN +136

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.