God is my Judge

Yards Per Play College Football Rankings 11/18/09

Methodology

This is a new system for ranking college teams, as far as I know. The basic system is to use the yards per play of the offense and given up by the defense as the metric. I am assuming that most of the time, the offense's objective is to get as many yards as possible, and the defense's objective is to give up as few yards as possible.

With that in mind, I compiled the yards gained and given up per play by all of the college football teams this year. Then, I ran an algorithm to adjust for the opponents--the system of adjusting is known as the simple rating system. The final rating is the yards/play, with the average of the opponents faced added on.

For example: Florida's raw yards per play on offense is 6.46. The average FBS team's offense gains 5.58 yards per play on offense, so Florida's yards per play above average is 0.87. The defenses Florida has faced thus far this season have avereaged giving up 0.47 yards per play less than average, so Florida's adjusted yards per play above average for their offense is 1.35. The same system is used for all teams.

The pace is calculated as the average number of plays per game divided by the average team's number of plays per game.

Yards Per Play College Football Rankings

Next Week >

Rank
Team
 Offense Rank SOS Rank Defense Rank SOS Rank Total Rank SOS Rank Pace
1
Florida
 1.35 4 0.47 6 -1.53 5 0.09 37 2.88 1 0.56 14 93%
2
Alabama
 1.14 8 0.53 3 -1.69 3 0.18 26 2.83 2 0.70 7 96%
3
Texas
 0.57 30 0.42 10 -1.89 1 0.01 55 2.47 3 0.43 21 104%
4
Cincinnati
 1.87 1 0.01 63 -0.59 31 -0.07 73 2.46 4 -0.06 59 100%
5
TCU
 1.10 9 0.14 38 -1.07 11 -0.23 99 2.17 5 -0.10 65 97%
6
Oklahoma
 0.39 39 0.31 18 -1.77 2 0.31 15 2.17 6 0.62 11 106%
7
Oregon
 0.72 24 0.19 33 -1.38 7 0.32 14 2.11 7 0.52 15 104%
8
Nebraska
 0.27 43 0.24 23 -1.61 4 0.28 18 1.88 8 0.52 16 98%
9
Virginia Tech
 0.97 14 0.48 4 -0.82 17 0.02 53 1.78 9 0.50 17 95%
10
Southern California
 0.94 16 0.10 43 -0.70 24 0.17 27 1.64 10 0.28 36 99%
11
Ohio St.
 0.18 52 0.13 40 -1.41 6 0.07 42 1.60 11 0.20 42 96%
12
Tennessee
 0.55 32 0.39 12 -1.03 12 0.44 5 1.57 12 0.83 4 99%
13
Penn St.
 0.63 27 0.07 51 -0.82 18 -0.32 113 1.45 13 -0.25 84 96%
14
Texas Tech
 0.76 23 0.08 49 -0.67 26 -0.01 65 1.43 14 0.06 54 110%
15
Pittsburgh
 0.94 15 -0.08 73 -0.39 34 -0.06 71 1.33 15 -0.13 72 93%
16
Georgia
 0.99 13 0.77 1 -0.35 38 0.07 43 1.33 16 0.83 2 92%
17
Mississippi
 0.55 31 0.17 35 -0.75 22 0.04 48 1.30 17 0.20 41 100%
18
Boise St.
 0.65 26 -0.31 100 -0.63 28 -0.01 63 1.28 18 -0.32 93 96%
19
Auburn
 1.05 11 0.43 9 -0.21 47 0.00 61 1.26 19 0.43 22 104%
20
Clemson
 0.00 62 -0.02 66 -1.25 9 0.29 16 1.25 20 0.26 37 99%
Rank
Team
 Offense Rank SOS Rank Defense Rank SOS Rank Total Rank SOS Rank Pace
21
Miami (FL)
 0.85 18 0.39 13 -0.34 40 0.00 62 1.19 21 0.38 27 98%
22
LSU
 -0.02 65 0.35 17 -1.15 10 0.26 20 1.13 22 0.61 12 95%
23
South Carolina
 0.26 44 0.47 7 -0.86 16 0.35 12 1.12 23 0.82 5 96%
24
BYU
 0.85 19 -0.10 80 -0.14 51 -0.01 64 0.99 24 -0.11 68 98%
25
Missouri
 0.25 46 0.21 29 -0.72 23 0.11 33 0.97 25 0.32 33 104%
26
Michigan St.
 0.69 25 -0.04 70 -0.26 45 -0.07 74 0.95 26 -0.11 66 100%
27
Oklahoma St.
 0.16 54 0.06 53 -0.76 21 0.25 21 0.92 27 0.32 34 103%
28
Utah
 0.44 36 0.09 45 -0.36 37 -0.25 102 0.80 28 -0.16 74 100%
29
Stanford
 1.37 3 0.24 24 0.58 92 -0.05 69 0.79 29 0.20 43 97%
30
Iowa
 -0.15 71 0.14 37 -0.88 15 0.02 54 0.74 30 0.16 45 96%
31
Nevada
 1.49 2 -0.39 109 0.78 101 0.21 23 0.71 31 -0.18 75 100%
32
Georgia Tech
 1.26 6 0.36 14 0.56 90 -0.11 83 0.70 32 0.25 40 95%
33
California
 0.80 20 0.22 28 0.12 66 -0.16 92 0.69 33 0.07 53 100%
34
West Virginia
 0.40 38 0.01 60 -0.28 44 -0.03 68 0.67 34 -0.02 57 99%
35
Wisconsin
 0.22 50 0.07 52 -0.44 33 0.08 40 0.66 35 0.15 47 98%
36
Baylor
 0.46 35 0.60 2 -0.20 48 0.08 39 0.66 36 0.68 8 103%
37
Arizona
 0.27 42 -0.13 81 -0.37 36 0.08 38 0.64 37 -0.04 58 97%
38
Purdue
 0.25 45 0.20 31 -0.37 35 0.26 19 0.63 38 0.47 19 104%
39
South Fla.
 0.00 60 -0.35 105 -0.63 29 0.11 34 0.63 39 -0.25 83 93%
40
Boston College
 -0.18 72 0.09 46 -0.76 20 0.05 45 0.58 40 0.14 51 98%
Rank
Team
 Offense Rank SOS Rank Defense Rank SOS Rank Total Rank SOS Rank Pace
41
Mississippi St.
 0.23 49 0.41 11 -0.34 39 0.42 6 0.57 41 0.83 3 99%
42
Arizona St.
 -0.40 85 0.21 30 -0.94 13 0.44 4 0.54 42 0.65 9 96%
43
Oregon St.
 0.20 51 0.02 59 -0.23 46 0.33 13 0.44 43 0.36 29 100%
44
Kansas
 0.30 41 0.23 27 -0.12 52 -0.08 78 0.42 44 0.14 49 105%
45
Notre Dame
 0.77 21 0.01 62 0.42 86 0.40 8 0.35 45 0.41 24 99%
46
UCLA
 -0.22 75 0.09 44 -0.56 32 0.37 10 0.35 46 0.46 20 97%
47
Kentucky
 0.00 61 0.48 5 -0.30 42 0.16 29 0.30 47 0.63 10 99%
48
Connecticut
 0.54 33 0.35 15 0.28 77 0.03 50 0.26 48 0.38 26 100%
49
Idaho
 1.04 12 -0.29 97 0.86 104 0.03 51 0.18 49 -0.26 87 96%
50
Houston
 1.09 10 -0.04 69 0.94 108 -0.08 79 0.15 50 -0.12 71 117%
51
Hawaii
 0.77 22 -0.57 119 0.64 94 -0.06 72 0.13 51 -0.63 113 100%
52
Central Mich.
 -0.03 66 -0.39 110 -0.15 50 -0.21 96 0.12 52 -0.59 109 100%
53
Fresno St.
 0.86 17 -0.30 98 0.80 102 0.21 22 0.06 53 -0.09 63 95%
54
Tulsa
 0.13 55 -0.25 95 0.07 64 -0.21 97 0.06 54 -0.47 102 104%
55
Rutgers
 -0.57 89 -0.38 108 -0.62 30 0.11 32 0.05 55 -0.27 88 94%
56
North Carolina St.
 0.17 53 -0.01 64 0.14 67 -0.08 75 0.03 56 -0.09 64 100%
57
Air Force
 -0.87 102 -0.23 93 -0.90 14 -0.08 77 0.02 57 -0.31 91 99%
58
Wake Forest
 -0.07 70 -0.10 78 -0.09 54 0.35 11 0.02 58 0.25 39 101%
59
North Carolina
 -1.28 115 -0.23 92 -1.29 8 0.05 46 0.01 59 -0.18 76 97%
60
La.-Monroe
 -0.07 69 -0.38 107 -0.06 56 -0.24 100 -0.01 60 -0.62 112 102%
Rank
Team
 Offense Rank SOS Rank Defense Rank SOS Rank Total Rank SOS Rank Pace
61
Southern Miss.
 -0.02 64 -0.37 106 0.01 60 -0.30 112 -0.03 61 -0.68 115 104%
62
Florida St.
 1.19 7 0.35 16 1.25 116 0.13 30 -0.06 62 0.47 18 98%
63
Arkansas
 1.32 5 -0.09 77 1.40 117 -0.78 120 -0.08 63 -0.88 120 98%
64
Vanderbilt
 -0.80 100 0.18 34 -0.69 25 0.40 7 -0.11 64 0.58 13 101%
65
Troy
 0.40 37 -0.21 88 0.58 91 -0.08 76 -0.18 65 -0.29 90 106%
66
Middle Tenn.
 -0.49 87 -0.61 120 -0.30 43 -0.19 93 -0.20 66 -0.80 118 111%
67
Minnesota
 -0.28 77 0.30 21 -0.07 55 0.04 47 -0.20 67 0.35 30 98%
68
Colorado St.
 -0.05 68 -0.07 71 0.15 70 0.20 25 -0.21 68 0.12 52 97%
69
Texas A&M
 0.25 47 0.25 22 0.53 89 0.00 59 -0.28 69 0.25 38 114%
70
Michigan
 0.01 59 -0.15 83 0.32 80 0.03 52 -0.31 70 -0.12 70 102%
71
Illinois
 0.08 57 0.23 26 0.40 83 0.06 44 -0.31 71 0.28 35 101%
72
Army
 -1.12 111 -0.02 65 -0.80 19 0.38 9 -0.32 72 0.37 28 91%
73
Buffalo
 0.09 56 -0.18 85 0.44 87 -0.35 116 -0.35 73 -0.53 105 101%
74
Louisville
 -0.39 84 0.11 42 -0.02 58 0.28 17 -0.37 74 0.39 25 96%
75
Toledo
 0.60 28 0.05 54 0.99 109 -0.51 119 -0.39 75 -0.45 100 107%
76
San Diego St.
 -0.19 73 0.03 58 0.21 73 -0.29 110 -0.41 76 -0.26 86 100%
77
Washington
 0.33 40 0.45 8 0.76 99 0.47 3 -0.43 77 0.92 1 96%
78
UAB
 0.58 29 -0.48 115 1.02 110 0.00 60 -0.43 78 -0.49 104 100%
79
SMU
 -0.31 78 -0.53 117 0.14 68 -0.05 70 -0.45 79 -0.58 107 103%
80
Iowa St.
 -0.22 76 0.11 41 0.26 75 0.04 49 -0.48 80 0.14 48 103%
Rank
Team
 Offense Rank SOS Rank Defense Rank SOS Rank Total Rank SOS Rank Pace
81
Kansas St.
 -0.20 74 0.08 48 0.31 78 -0.20 95 -0.50 81 -0.12 69 96%
82
Syracuse
 -0.47 86 0.23 25 0.06 63 0.11 35 -0.53 82 0.34 31 93%
83
Ohio
 -0.70 96 -0.20 87 -0.16 49 -0.34 115 -0.54 83 -0.54 106 99%
84
Temple
 -0.90 105 -0.52 116 -0.31 41 -0.25 101 -0.59 84 -0.76 116 96%
85
Northern Ill.
 -0.35 80 -0.47 114 0.27 76 -0.33 114 -0.62 85 -0.80 117 89%
86
UCF
 -0.79 99 -0.25 94 -0.10 53 -0.09 82 -0.69 86 -0.34 94 99%
87
Louisiana Tech
 -0.67 94 -0.22 91 0.02 61 0.20 24 -0.70 87 -0.02 56 101%
88
UTEP
 0.23 48 -0.21 89 0.93 107 0.01 57 -0.70 88 -0.21 79 106%
89
Arkansas St.
 -0.51 88 -0.22 90 0.20 72 -0.25 103 -0.71 89 -0.47 103 95%
90
Duke
 -0.66 93 -0.13 82 0.06 62 -0.09 81 -0.72 90 -0.22 81 100%
91
Indiana
 -0.05 67 0.20 32 0.68 96 -0.28 107 -0.72 91 -0.08 61 102%
92
Virginia
 -1.37 119 0.14 39 -0.65 27 0.01 58 -0.73 92 0.14 50 102%
93
Kent St.
 -0.74 97 -0.33 102 -0.01 59 -0.50 118 -0.74 93 -0.83 119 103%
94
Utah St.
 -0.01 63 -0.39 112 0.75 98 0.01 56 -0.75 94 -0.38 97 107%
95
North Texas
 0.01 58 -0.32 101 0.77 100 -0.26 104 -0.76 95 -0.58 108 105%
96
Navy
 -0.36 81 -0.08 75 0.41 85 -0.28 108 -0.77 96 -0.36 95 95%
97
Northwestern
 -0.76 98 -0.10 79 0.15 69 -0.15 89 -0.91 97 -0.25 82 105%
98
Colorado
 -1.03 109 0.16 36 -0.04 57 0.16 28 -0.99 98 0.32 32 103%
99
Bowling Green
 -0.33 79 0.08 50 0.67 95 -0.22 98 -0.99 99 -0.14 73 105%
100
East Carolina
 -0.67 95 -0.07 72 0.32 81 -0.37 117 -1.00 100 -0.45 98 101%
Rank
Team
 Offense Rank SOS Rank Defense Rank SOS Rank Total Rank SOS Rank Pace
101
Akron
 -0.97 108 -0.03 67 0.11 65 -0.28 109 -1.08 101 -0.31 92 97%
102
Maryland
 -0.62 90 0.31 19 0.51 88 -0.16 91 -1.14 102 0.15 46 101%
103
Miami (OH)
 -0.86 101 0.01 61 0.31 79 -0.02 67 -1.17 103 -0.01 55 102%
104
Fla. Atlantic
 0.48 34 0.09 47 1.71 118 -0.15 88 -1.23 104 -0.06 60 102%
105
Marshall
 -0.89 104 -0.31 99 0.40 84 -0.14 86 -1.29 105 -0.45 99 98%
106
New Mexico
 -0.95 106 0.04 57 0.37 82 -0.14 87 -1.32 106 -0.11 67 106%
107
Wyoming
 -1.17 112 -0.04 68 0.22 74 -0.15 90 -1.39 107 -0.19 77 105%
108
Memphis
 -0.37 82 -0.08 76 1.12 111 -0.13 85 -1.49 108 -0.21 80 104%
109
Ball St.
 -1.35 118 -0.56 118 0.17 71 -0.09 80 -1.52 109 -0.64 114 97%
110
Western Mich.
 -0.65 92 -0.42 113 0.91 106 -0.19 94 -1.56 110 -0.61 110 106%
111
UNLV
 -0.38 83 0.05 56 1.21 114 0.13 31 -1.59 111 0.17 44 100%
112
Tulane
 -0.88 103 -0.39 111 0.81 103 0.11 36 -1.70 112 -0.29 89 97%
113
La.-Lafayette
 -1.07 110 -0.34 104 0.74 97 -0.27 106 -1.81 113 -0.62 111 104%
114
Washington St.
 -0.97 107 0.31 20 1.23 115 0.48 2 -2.19 114 0.79 6 99%
115
San Jose St.
 -1.29 116 -0.26 96 0.91 105 0.68 1 -2.20 115 0.43 23 96%
116
FIU
 -1.31 117 -0.17 84 1.13 112 -0.02 66 -2.44 116 -0.19 78 110%
117
Rice
 -1.27 114 0.05 55 1.17 113 -0.12 84 -2.44 117 -0.08 62 105%
118
New Mexico St.
 -2.09 120 -0.33 103 0.60 93 0.08 41 -2.69 118 -0.25 85 94%
119
Western Ky.
 -0.64 91 -0.19 86 2.07 120 -0.27 105 -2.71 119 -0.46 101 99%
120
Eastern Mich.
 -1.25 113 -0.08 74 1.88 119 -0.29 111 -3.12 120 -0.37 96 92%

 

 
© Daniel M., 2009