Daily Blog • October 15, 2014

Every year I am adding to new features and articles to my College Football Preview and PhilSteele.com and for all 128 teams I have added a couple extra columns to the Game-by-Game Stats that you will find on for every team. A lot of people have been asking me what those columns stand for and I thought I would explain it further in today’s blog.

A couple years during the season I was wondering how certain offensive and defensive performances that a team had vs a particular opponent stacked up on how the other opponents fared against that team. Not every performance as far as yards gained and given up is created equal due to the quality of opponent played. Let’s face it gaining 300 yards of offense this year vs Stanford’s defense would be far more impressive than gaining 300 yards vs Bowling Green’s D. So to the right of the net yards and points columns, you will see an offensive vs foe and defensive vs foe numbers. The first # is what that performance ranked compared to every other team their opponent allowed throughout the year (#1 being the best, with #12 being the worst since most teams played 12 games) while the second column contains the number of yards positive or negative against their opponent’s average.

If you need further explanation feel free to check out this past blog.

I have broke down the offensive and defensive averages and in today’s blog I took all those averages (both offense and defense) and combined them to come up with the most impressive teams in the country compared to how they fared against their opponent. First, here is a ranking of all 126 teams and how they did.

Notes:

The two schools from the state of Alabama dominate this list as the Crimson Tide have the #11 offense and #2 defense while Auburn is the only team in the country to have a Top 10 unit in both. Baylor is the #1 offense to no surprise and Stanford has the #1 D.

Ole Miss is 34 ypg better than Mississippi St overall in this area but both schools fare well in the Top 10 overall.

Stanford has the biggest discrepancy as while they rank #1 on defense, their offense is #94 at -37.79 ypg.

Nebraska surprises me that they have an overall rank of #4 while Arkansas and Boston College also surprise me that they have Top 15 overall units.

Offensive and Defensive YPG Averages
Compared to Opponent Average

  Offensive   Defensive      
  Average Rank Average Rank Total Rank
Alabama 123.73 11 173.98 2 297.70 1
Auburn 160.38 6 126.04 8 286.43 2
Baylor 212.63 1 71.84 30 284.48 3
Nebraska 163.67 4 85.75 24 249.42 4
Mississippi 73.76 34 158.38 5 232.14 5
Marshall 157.36 7 61.38 37 218.74 6
Mississippi St 169.66 3 28.69 54 198.35 7
Ohio St 95.51 24 93.80 21 189.31 8
Stanford -37.79 94 213.46 1 175.67 9
USC 98.69 20 71.43 32 170.12 10
Michigan St 64.11 39 103.37 14 167.47 11
Wisconsin 69.92 35 94.81 19 164.73 12
Louisville -6.55 75 170.06 3 163.51 13
Arkansas 45.74 49 115.57 11 161.31 14
Boston College 25.77 53 134.35 7 160.12 15
Texas A&M 160.48 5 -0.50 72 159.98 16
Georgia 75.50 33 81.19 25 156.69 17
Virginia 59.51 40 95.55 18 155.06 18
Virginia Tech -4.20 73 158.95 4 154.75 19
Miami Fla 56.40 43 96.12 17 152.52 20
West Virginia 169.72 2 -17.72 84 152.00 21
Clemson 35.27 51 105.45 13 140.71 22
Boise St 102.38 19 34.85 49 137.23 23
Pittsburgh 65.61 38 70.23 33 135.84 24
Florida St 113.49 17 19.33 60 132.81 25
Kansas St 10.35 62 121.55 10 131.90 26
Colorado 53.91 45 77.36 26 131.27 27
Notre Dame 77.48 31 50.81 41 128.29 28
Oklahoma 81.25 27 43.48 45 124.73 29
Syracuse 96.51 23 22.77 57 119.29 30
Arizona 115.88 14 1.35 71 117.23 31
LSU 15.38 58 98.68 16 114.06 32
Penn St 5.24 66 106.59 12 111.83 33
Texas -44.87 100 150.30 6 105.43 34
Northwestern 14.92 60 90.40 23 105.32 35
Washington St 115.59 15 -10.81 77 104.78 36
Rutgers 78.79 29 24.65 55 103.43 37
Georgia Tech 69.48 36 33.60 50 103.08 38
Navy 55.22 44 44.06 44 99.28 39
UAB 84.28 26 14.77 62 99.05 40
Tennessee -7.16 76 102.29 15 95.13 41
UCLA 97.83 22 -5.00 73 92.83 42
TCU 118.61 13 -28.85 88 89.76 43
Arizona St 141.30 8 -52.05 103 89.25 44
East Carolina 136.56 9 -48.17 101 88.39 45
Oregon 98.29 21 -13.75 79 84.54 46
Michigan -40.21 96 123.49 9 83.27 47
South Carolina 79.54 28 1.93 70 81.47 48
Florida 33.03 52 46.47 42 79.50 49
Arkansas St 76.81 32 -5.63 74 71.18 50
Iowa -22.23 83 91.74 22 69.51 51
BYU 113.96 16 -49.13 102 64.83 52
WKU 126.78 10 -68.68 105 58.10 53
Oregon St -18.00 81 71.50 31 53.50 54
NC State 45.97 48 7.21 68 53.18 55
Utah St 20.04 55 31.68 52 51.72 56
Minnesota -43.14 98 94.41 20 51.27 57
Iowa St 0.13 71 51.02 40 51.16 58
Colorado St 57.92 42 -15.72 83 42.20 59
San Jose St -36.64 93 75.73 28 39.08 60
Texas Tech 89.68 25 -60.63 104 29.05 61
Louisiana Tech -24.33 87 52.12 39 27.79 62
Kentucky 5.74 65 21.23 58 26.97 63
Utah -45.80 101 69.03 34 23.23 64
Akron 10.73 61 11.41 64 22.13 65
Memphis -22.37 84 44.40 43 22.03 66
Missouri -46.36 102 63.80 36 17.44 67
Rice 6.67 64 9.89 66 16.56 68
South Alabama -51.53 104 67.77 35 16.25 69
Oklahoma St -0.88 72 10.24 65 9.36 70
Duke 19.80 56 -14.00 80 5.80 71
North Carolina 112.40 18 -107.28 121 5.12 72
California 119.30 12 -119.02 123 0.28 73
Nevada -21.46 82 14.30 63 -7.16 74
Indiana 77.51 30 -87.38 115 -9.87 75
Central Michigan -48.54 103 36.56 48 -11.98 76
Hawaii -32.37 90 19.74 59 -12.63 77
Houston -53.94 105 38.14 47 -15.80 78
Illinois 21.01 54 -37.39 93 -16.38 79
Middle Tennessee 59.20 41 -75.79 109 -16.59 80
Washington -94.84 116 77.11 27 -17.73 81
Air Force -11.77 78 -15.14 82 -26.91 82
Maryland 2.10 69 -29.75 89 -27.65 83
Kansas -70.85 111 39.61 46 -31.23 84
Toledo 51.69 46 -82.98 113 -31.29 85
Buffalo 40.83 50 -73.95 108 -33.11 86
Western Michigan 3.53 67 -41.61 97 -38.07 87
Army -4.89 74 -34.63 92 -39.53 88
San Diego St -98.51 117 56.62 38 -41.89 89
Miami, Oh -34.53 91 -10.16 75 -44.69 90
Old Dominion -12.28 79 -39.87 96 -52.15 91
Purdue -34.78 92 -19.19 85 -53.97 92
ULM -78.29 113 23.93 56 -54.36 93
UCF -62.45 109 7.60 67 -54.85 94
Tulane -38.28 95 -20.96 86 -59.24 95
Troy -27.28 88 -32.77 91 -60.05 96
Connecticut -135.88 123 74.73 29 -61.15 97
Georgia St 15.19 59 -79.35 110 -64.16 98
FIU -82.91 115 15.95 61 -66.97 99
Cincinnati 67.49 37 -143.16 124 -75.67 100
Ohio -62.22 108 -13.66 78 -75.88 101
UTSA -106.67 118 28.87 53 -77.80 102
Idaho 0.20 70 -80.83 111 -80.63 103
Temple -41.90 97 -41.61 98 -83.51 104
UTEP -61.51 107 -25.91 87 -87.42 105
Tulsa 19.03 57 -110.62 122 -91.59 106
Northern Illinois -12.51 80 -82.01 112 -94.52 107
USF -128.15 121 33.07 51 -95.09 108
Fresno St -23.54 85 -71.94 107 -95.48 109
Bowling Green 51.43 47 -147.89 125 -96.47 110
Massachusetts 2.37 68 -102.23 119 -99.86 111
Texas St -31.96 89 -69.74 106 -101.70 112
Wyoming -73.00 112 -32.20 90 -105.20 113
Louisiana -23.90 86 -83.30 114 -107.20 114
Southern Miss -69.53 110 -38.42 94 -107.95 115
New Mexico St -11.59 77 -99.52 118 -111.11 116
Vanderbilt -120.73 119 5.77 69 -114.95 117
Ball St -78.48 114 -45.51 99 -123.98 118
New Mexico -43.97 99 -96.43 117 -140.40 119
North Texas -126.60 120 -15.01 81 -141.61 120
Florida Atlantic -58.71 106 -93.85 116 -152.56 121
UNLV 10.14 63 -167.92 126 -157.78 122
Kent St -129.81 122 -48.10 100 -177.91 123
SMU -145.62 124 -39.86 95 -185.48 124
Wake Forest -205.73 126 -10.77 76 -216.50 125
Eastern Michigan -168.62 125 -105.93 120 -274.55 126

Offensive

  Offensive  
  Average Rank
Baylor 212.63 1
West Virginia 169.72 2
Mississippi St 169.66 3
Nebraska 163.67 4
Texas A&M 160.48 5
Auburn 160.38 6
Marshall 157.36 7
Arizona St 141.30 8
East Carolina 136.56 9
WKU 126.78 10
Alabama 123.73 11
California 119.30 12
TCU 118.61 13
Arizona 115.88 14
Washington St 115.59 15
BYU 113.96 16
Florida St 113.49 17
North Carolina 112.40 18
Boise St 102.38 19
USC 98.69 20
Oregon 98.29 21
UCLA 97.83 22
Syracuse 96.51 23
Ohio St 95.51 24
Texas Tech 89.68 25
UAB 84.28 26
Oklahoma 81.25 27
South Carolina 79.54 28
Rutgers 78.79 29
Indiana 77.51 30
Notre Dame 77.48 31
Arkansas St 76.81 32
Georgia 75.50 33
Mississippi 73.76 34
Wisconsin 69.92 35
Georgia Tech 69.48 36
Cincinnati 67.49 37
Pittsburgh 65.61 38
Michigan St 64.11 39
Virginia 59.51 40
Middle Tennessee 59.20 41
Colorado St 57.92 42
Miami Fla 56.40 43
Navy 55.22 44
Colorado 53.91 45
Toledo 51.69 46
Bowling Green 51.43 47
NC State 45.97 48
Arkansas 45.74 49
Buffalo 40.83 50
Clemson 35.27 51
Florida 33.03 52
Boston Coll 25.77 53
Illinois 21.01 54
Utah St 20.04 55
Duke 19.80 56
Tulsa 19.03 57
LSU 15.38 58
Georgia St 15.19 59
Northwestern 14.92 60
Akron 10.73 61
Kansas St 10.35 62
UNLV 10.14 63
Rice 6.67 64
Kentucky 5.74 65
Penn St 5.24 66
Western Michigan 3.53 67
Massachusetts 2.37 68
Maryland 2.10 69
Idaho 0.20 70
Iowa St 0.13 71
Oklahoma St -0.88 72
Virginia Tech -4.20 73
Army -4.89 74
Louisville -6.55 75
Tennessee -7.16 76
New Mexico St -11.59 77
Air Force -11.77 78
Old Dominion -12.28 79
Northern Illinois -12.51 80
Oregon St -18.00 81
Nevada -21.46 82
Iowa -22.23 83
Memphis -22.37 84
Fresno St -23.54 85
Louisiana -23.90 86
Louisiana Tech -24.33 87
Troy -27.28 88
Texas St -31.96 89
Hawaii -32.37 90
Miami, Oh -34.53 91
Purdue -34.78 92
San Jose St -36.64 93
Stanford -37.79 94
Tulane -38.28 95
Michigan -40.21 96
Temple -41.90 97
Minnesota -43.14 98
New Mexico -43.97 99
Texas -44.87 100
Utah -45.80 101
Missouri -46.36 102
Central Michigan -48.54 103
South Alabama -51.53 104
Houston -53.94 105
Florida Atlantic -58.71 106
UTEP -61.51 107
Ohio -62.22 108
UCF -62.45 109
Southern Miss -69.53 110
Kansas -70.85 111
Wyoming -73.00 112
ULM -78.29 113
Ball St -78.48 114
FIU -82.91 115
Washington -94.84 116
San Diego St -98.51 117
UTSA -106.67 118
Vanderbilt -120.73 119
North Texas -126.60 120
USF -128.15 121
Kent St -129.81 122
Connecticut -135.88 123
SMU -145.62 124
Eastern Michigan -168.62 125
Wake Forest -205.73 126

Defensive

  Defensive  
  Average Rank
Stanford 213.46 1
Alabama 173.98 2
Louisville 170.06 3
Virginia Tech 158.95 4
Mississippi 158.38 5
Texas 150.30 6
Boston Coll 134.35 7
Auburn 126.04 8
Michigan 123.49 9
Kansas St 121.55 10
Arkansas 115.57 11
Penn St 106.59 12
Clemson 105.45 13
Michigan St 103.37 14
Tennessee 102.29 15
LSU 98.68 16
Miami Fla 96.12 17
Virginia 95.55 18
Wisconsin 94.81 19
Minnesota 94.41 20
Ohio St 93.80 21
Iowa 91.74 22
Northwestern 90.40 23
Nebraska 85.75 24
Georgia 81.19 25
Colorado 77.36 26
Washington 77.11 27
San Jose St 75.73 28
Connecticut 74.73 29
Baylor 71.84 30
Oregon St 71.50 31
USC 71.43 32
Pittsburgh 70.23 33
Utah 69.03 34
South Alabama 67.77 35
Missouri 63.80 36
Marshall 61.38 37
San Diego St 56.62 38
Louisiana Tech 52.12 39
Iowa St 51.02 40
Notre Dame 50.81 41
Florida 46.47 42
Memphis 44.40 43
Navy 44.06 44
Oklahoma 43.48 45
Kansas 39.61 46
Houston 38.14 47
Central Michigan 36.56 48
Boise St 34.85 49
Georgia Tech 33.60 50
USF 33.07 51
Utah St 31.68 52
UTSA 28.87 53
Mississippi St 28.69 54
Rutgers 24.65 55
ULM 23.93 56
Syracuse 22.77 57
Kentucky 21.23 58
Hawaii 19.74 59
Florida St 19.33 60
FIU 15.95 61
UAB 14.77 62
Nevada 14.30 63
Akron 11.41 64
Oklahoma St 10.24 65
Rice 9.89 66
UCF 7.60 67
NC State 7.21 68
Vanderbilt 5.77 69
South Carolina 1.93 70
Arizona 1.35 71
Texas A&M -0.50 72
UCLA -5.00 73
Arkansas St -5.63 74
Miami, Oh -10.16 75
Wake Forest -10.77 76
Washington St -10.81 77
Ohio -13.66 78
Oregon -13.75 79
Duke -14.00 80
North Texas -15.01 81
Air Force -15.14 82
Colorado St -15.72 83
West Virginia -17.72 84
Purdue -19.19 85
Tulane -20.96 86
UTEP -25.91 87
TCU -28.85 88
Maryland -29.75 89
Wyoming -32.20 90
Troy -32.77 91
Army -34.63 92
Illinois -37.39 93
Southern Miss -38.42 94
SMU -39.86 95
Old Dominion -39.87 96
Western Michigan -41.61 97
Temple -41.61 98
Ball St -45.51 99
Kent St -48.10 100
East Carolina -48.17 101
BYU -49.13 102
Arizona St -52.05 103
Texas Tech -60.63 104
WKU -68.68 105
Texas St -69.74 106
Fresno St -71.94 107
Buffalo -73.95 108
Middle Tennessee -75.79 109
Georgia St -79.35 110
Idaho -80.83 111
Northern Illinois -82.01 112
Toledo -82.98 113
Louisiana -83.30 114
Indiana -87.38 115
Florida Atlantic -93.85 116
New Mexico -96.43 117
New Mexico St -99.52 118
Massachusetts -102.23 119
Eastern Michigan -105.93 120
North Carolina -107.28 121
Tulsa -110.62 122
California -119.02 123
Cincinnati -143.16 124
Bowling Green -147.89 125
UNLV -167.92 126