Writers of Pro Football Prospectus 2008

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2005 NCAA S&P+ RATINGS, DEFENSE

through games of 1/4/06

The S&P+ Ratings are a college football ratings system derived from the play-by-play data of all 800+ of a season's FBS college football games (and 140,000+ plays). There are three key components to the S&P+:

  • Success Rate: A common Football Outsiders tool used to measure efficiency by determining whether every play of a given game was successful or not. The terms of success in college football: 50 percent of necessary yardage on first down, 70 percent on second down, and 100 percent on third and fourth down.
  • EqPts Per Play (PPP): An explosiveness measure derived from determining the point value of every yard line (based on the expected number of points an offense could expect to score from that yard line) and, therefore, every play of a given game.
  • Drive Efficiency: As of February 2013, S&P+ also includes a drive-based aspect based on the field position a team creates and its average success at preventing the points expected based on that field position.
  • Opponent adjustments: Success Rate and PPP combine to form S&P, an OPS-like measure for football. Then each team's S&P output for a given category (Rushing/Passing on either Standard Downs or Passing Downs) is compared to the expected output based upon their opponents and their opponents' opponents. This is a schedule-based adjustment designed to reward tougher schedules and punish weaker ones.

The S&P+ figures used in the tables below only look at the plays that took place while a game was deemed competitive. Garbage-time plays and possessions have been filtered out of the calculations. The criteria for "garbage time" are as follows: a game is not within 28 points in the first quarter, 24 points in the second quarter, 21 points in the third quarter, or 16 points in the fourth quarter.

Passing Downs are defined as:

  • second down with 8 or more yards to go
  • third or fourth down with 5 or more yards to go

All other downs are Standard Downs.

Please note that in the split of rushing and passing S&P+, sacks are counted as passes, as in NFL data, and not runs as in official NCAA totals.

DNP stands for Difference in Net Points. This is a raw average of the points an defense allows on a given drive compared to the points it would be expected to score based on starting field position.

Use the menu above for pages that give more details on total and defensive S&P+, or our other college football ratings, the drive-based FEI.

Rk Offense Def.
S&P+		 Play
Eff.		 Rk Std.
Downs
S&P+
 Rk Pass.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk Rushing
S&P+		 Rk Passing
S&P+		 Rk Drive
Eff.		 Rk DNP
 Rk
1 Texas 164.2 123.5 9 117.1 14 146.9 3 121.2 15 132.1 6 260.4 1 -1.014 26
2 Ohio State 145.4 140.4 2 148.3 1 140.8 4 152.3 2 147.8 1 150.7 3 -1.739 6
3 Penn State 142.2 141.4 1 134.3 3 158.0 1 147.6 3 140.6 2 145.0 4 -0.728 45
4 USC 140.6 120.2 11 122.0 10 137.0 5 123.6 14 127.2 10 190.8 2 -1.454 12
5 Alabama 137.6 125.5 7 127.6 7 120.5 19 124.1 12 127.9 9 129.9 11 -0.524 60
6 Virginia Tech 135.1 129.3 4 136.7 2 120.1 21 126.5 11 135.4 3 131.6 8 -1.344 13
7 Boston College 128.8 118.8 14 114.5 18 126.6 12 133.6 6 111.2 30 130.6 10 -1.084 21
8 Tennessee 126.0 122.1 10 128.3 6 120.3 20 128.9 8 123.9 12 131.4 9 -0.988 27
9 Miami 125.9 127.0 6 126.0 8 119.4 23 116.4 20 131.8 7 120.0 21 -0.731 44
10 Michigan 125.8 119.2 13 114.1 19 154.7 2 119.3 17 131.3 8 132.8 6 -0.835 37
11 LSU 125.1 124.0 8 121.0 11 130.6 8 114.9 23 132.2 5 126.0 14 -2.150 1
12 TCU 124.0 115.0 17 116.8 16 105.6 36 106.7 32 123.3 13 128.2 12 -1.767 5
13 Auburn 122.3 111.8 22 110.8 24 105.2 37 101.6 47 117.1 17 124.1 16 -0.782 41
14 Georgia 121.8 110.8 24 105.4 37 123.7 14 106.2 35 116.4 18 134.0 5 -0.919 33
15 Kansas 121.0 127.4 5 131.4 4 121.8 17 157.0 1 113.7 23 116.0 26 -0.532 59
16 Oregon 120.4 117.1 15 113.4 21 127.0 11 113.2 26 125.0 11 132.5 7 -0.979 29
17 Oklahoma 119.7 129.9 3 131.2 5 134.6 6 135.4 5 133.2 4 123.7 18 -1.227 14
18 Florida State 119.5 119.9 12 110.3 26 133.0 7 127.0 10 114.1 22 121.8 19 -1.115 19
19 Florida 118.5 112.8 20 117.4 12 105.1 38 114.0 25 111.6 26 124.8 15 -1.524 11
20 West Virginia 118.2 111.3 23 108.7 28 110.6 31 116.2 21 104.2 46 127.0 13 -1.611 10
Rk Offense Def.
S&P+		 Play
Eff.		 Rk Std.
Downs
S&P+
 Rk Pass.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk Rushing
S&P+		 Rk Passing
S&P+		 Rk Drive
Eff.		 Rk DNP
 Rk
21 N.C. State 116.1 117.1 16 123.9 9 104.7 40 111.6 28 123.0 14 116.4 25 -0.166 86
22 South Florida 115.6 109.3 25 102.7 49 123.7 15 100.2 56 121.7 15 117.7 22 -0.929 31
23 Georgia Tech 115.0 113.9 19 112.0 23 121.8 18 127.8 9 111.4 29 120.8 20 -0.832 38
24 Iowa 113.4 105.1 41 105.6 36 104.9 39 117.2 19 96.8 67 117.5 23 -0.622 53
25 Notre Dame 111.9 105.7 40 103.3 45 116.2 24 119.0 18 102.3 53 123.9 17 -0.864 34
26 Clemson 110.0 106.5 38 107.7 32 99.0 61 104.7 39 103.1 48 112.1 33 -1.660 8
27 Connecticut 110.0 108.2 27 103.1 46 101.9 51 102.6 42 103.9 47 109.3 36 -0.103 88
28 Nebraska 109.8 107.5 32 103.6 43 106.9 34 99.4 58 112.4 24 105.5 50 -1.072 22
29 Louisville 109.8 98.9 62 97.4 65 90.2 91 99.4 59 91.5 88 117.3 24 -1.957 3
30 Fresno State 109.1 101.6 56 101.6 52 99.6 59 92.4 88 108.8 35 112.8 32 +0.069 100
31 Tulsa 108.2 104.5 42 96.2 71 123.6 16 98.3 64 108.8 36 115.3 27 -0.962 30
32 California 108.0 112.8 21 110.8 25 112.2 29 115.4 22 108.9 34 105.0 51 -1.054 23
33 Wisconsin 107.8 102.3 49 108.0 30 98.0 64 98.3 63 111.5 28 114.9 28 -1.713 7
34 Colorado 107.8 115.0 18 117.3 13 123.8 13 139.1 4 110.6 31 109.1 37 +0.008 95
35 Pittsburgh 107.1 106.7 37 117.0 15 86.0 101 101.6 48 106.2 42 106.6 42 -0.837 36
36 Iowa State 107.1 102.3 50 103.0 47 92.7 82 119.9 16 87.7 98 108.0 39 +0.556 113
37 Arkansas 106.2 107.0 36 113.4 22 100.6 57 108.7 30 108.4 37 109.0 38 -1.025 25
38 South Carolina 106.0 104.5 43 107.3 34 102.9 47 95.9 73 119.5 16 114.0 29 -1.152 18
39 Boise State 105.9 108.0 29 107.2 35 104.2 41 105.9 37 108.1 39 102.5 57 -1.923 4
40 Texas Tech 105.2 98.4 66 96.3 68 91.0 89 98.8 60 89.7 94 113.1 31 -1.099 20
Rk Offense Def.
S&P+		 Play
Eff.		 Rk Std.
Downs
S&P+
 Rk Pass.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk Rushing
S&P+		 Rk Passing
S&P+		 Rk Drive
Eff.		 Rk DNP
 Rk
41 Maryland 105.0 102.2 51 103.7 42 101.7 53 102.4 43 102.4 51 106.6 43 -0.336 74
42 Purdue 104.9 104.0 44 107.7 33 102.9 46 114.3 24 102.3 52 107.0 41 -0.286 77
43 Toledo 104.9 107.1 33 103.3 44 96.1 72 87.0 100 114.3 21 96.4 77 -0.558 58
44 Southern Miss 104.6 100.0 61 101.6 53 92.8 81 100.6 55 95.7 71 101.4 63 -0.716 47
45 Stanford 103.9 106.5 39 108.9 27 115.1 27 106.1 36 115.8 19 106.4 45 +0.794 116
46 Wyoming 103.8 107.6 30 105.0 38 109.7 33 101.3 49 111.6 27 100.5 64 -0.791 40
47 Washington 103.7 107.5 31 116.4 17 103.5 43 123.7 13 106.0 43 106.4 45 -0.066 89
48 SMU 103.6 101.4 57 96.2 72 110.2 32 100.9 51 95.2 72 105.5 49 -0.315 76
49 Oregon State 103.1 107.0 35 113.8 20 101.0 56 133.0 7 98.1 60 96.9 75 -0.734 43
50 Minnesota 103.0 96.7 71 100.8 56 95.2 76 102.3 45 97.7 61 110.0 34 -0.257 80
51 Akron 102.8 107.1 34 101.3 54 112.5 28 100.2 57 108.2 38 98.0 71 -0.634 52
52 San Diego State 102.6 103.6 45 107.9 31 100.0 58 96.6 71 115.3 20 105.6 48 +0.203 104
53 North Carolina 102.6 101.9 54 97.0 66 129.4 9 100.7 52 109.4 33 109.5 35 +0.718 115
54 Northwestern 102.6 96.8 70 101.3 55 103.0 45 100.7 53 101.3 54 113.6 30 +0.002 94
55 Kansas State 102.1 101.6 55 96.1 73 110.8 30 112.2 27 93.1 77 104.5 52 -0.351 71
56 Utah 102.1 101.1 58 102.9 48 90.2 92 101.0 50 98.4 59 101.5 62 -0.366 70
57 Arizona 101.5 102.1 53 95.8 76 128.0 10 98.2 65 107.1 40 103.0 55 -0.333 75
58 Central Michigan 101.4 102.1 52 100.2 57 101.8 52 109.1 29 97.0 65 102.0 59 -0.685 49
59 Baylor 101.2 108.1 28 104.9 39 115.8 26 107.5 31 110.4 32 98.7 69 +0.018 97
60 New Mexico 101.2 102.7 46 103.8 41 101.5 54 106.5 33 102.5 50 100.5 66 -0.257 81
Rk Offense Def.
S&P+		 Play
Eff.		 Rk Std.
Downs
S&P+
 Rk Pass.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk Rushing
S&P+		 Rk Passing
S&P+		 Rk Drive
Eff.		 Rk DNP
 Rk
61 Northern Illinois 100.5 94.0 84 90.9 97 83.7 105 83.1 109 90.3 93 105.8 47 -0.673 50
62 Syracuse 100.4 102.7 47 104.8 40 104.1 42 97.0 70 111.8 25 106.5 44 +0.169 103
63 Troy 100.2 109.1 26 108.0 29 103.1 44 106.5 34 105.1 44 90.1 92 -0.489 62
64 Arizona State 100.1 96.5 75 95.8 75 106.2 35 97.6 66 97.0 66 107.7 40 -0.465 63
65 Michigan State 99.9 97.0 69 99.6 59 99.1 60 100.6 54 98.8 58 104.5 53 -0.268 79
66 Washington State 99.6 101.0 59 96.0 74 115.9 25 97.3 67 102.8 49 100.5 64 -0.415 68
67 UTEP 99.4 98.8 64 91.7 94 101.3 55 94.4 76 91.7 85 98.4 70 -0.347 72
68 Ole Miss 99.1 102.4 48 102.0 51 98.8 62 105.2 38 95.0 73 100.4 67 +0.255 107
69 Louisiana Tech 99.0 98.9 63 98.4 64 90.5 90 95.0 75 96.1 69 93.1 83 +0.948 117
70 Rutgers 99.0 100.2 60 98.6 62 95.4 75 102.7 41 92.2 81 99.5 68 -1.189 16
71 Houston 97.9 95.6 78 91.9 92 91.3 88 85.5 103 96.7 68 101.9 60 -1.153 17
72 Missouri 97.1 96.7 73 93.2 84 97.4 67 89.8 96 97.5 63 102.7 56 -1.031 24
73 Memphis 96.1 95.3 79 91.9 93 97.9 65 93.3 80 94.3 76 94.1 81 -0.104 87
74 BYU 96.0 90.9 98 94.2 80 84.5 104 93.2 83 91.5 87 101.6 61 -1.643 9
75 Virginia 95.3 93.9 85 91.6 95 91.9 83 90.9 92 92.7 79 94.5 80 -0.378 69
76 UCLA 95.0 95.6 77 94.9 79 102.6 48 86.3 102 105.1 45 97.8 74 -0.583 56
77 Wake Forest 94.4 93.1 90 92.6 89 97.2 68 97.1 69 91.5 86 97.9 72 -0.688 48
78 Texas A&M 94.3 89.3 105 92.8 86 86.3 100 103.3 40 81.9 111 104.1 54 -0.803 39
79 Middle Tennessee 94.2 94.7 81 95.1 78 83.2 106 93.3 81 86.3 101 91.7 86 -0.426 66
80 Oklahoma State 94.1 94.9 80 96.3 70 97.6 66 98.3 62 94.9 74 102.4 58 -0.839 35
Rk Offense Def.
S&P+		 Play
Eff.		 Rk Std.
Downs
S&P+
 Rk Pass.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk Rushing
S&P+		 Rk Passing
S&P+		 Rk Drive
Eff.		 Rk DNP
 Rk
81 East Carolina 93.9 94.1 83 99.2 61 82.1 109 90.4 94 94.8 75 94.0 82 -0.582 57
82 UAB 93.9 93.8 87 90.9 96 87.1 97 93.9 79 82.5 107 89.7 94 +0.023 98
83 Miami (Ohio) 93.7 93.2 89 87.9 105 91.8 85 83.8 106 91.3 89 92.4 84 -0.252 82
84 Indiana 93.7 96.7 74 98.6 63 96.2 71 92.2 89 106.7 41 97.9 72 +0.207 105
85 Mississippi State 93.6 97.8 68 102.0 50 86.6 99 95.8 74 95.8 70 95.3 78 -0.028 93
86 Nevada 93.3 96.7 72 92.8 87 98.4 63 89.4 97 100.1 56 87.8 102 -1.211 15
87 Army 93.2 95.7 76 93.1 85 94.5 78 90.8 93 97.4 64 91.6 87 +0.135 101
88 Marshall 93.0 98.3 67 88.9 101 120.0 22 90.3 95 100.2 55 89.2 95 -0.273 78
89 Colorado State 92.8 92.4 91 94.0 81 95.1 77 91.6 90 97.6 62 95.3 78 +0.051 99
90 Central Florida 92.3 89.0 106 83.8 112 102.4 49 84.4 105 92.1 83 92.4 84 +0.403 110
91 Kent State 92.1 98.5 65 96.4 67 95.8 73 96.2 72 92.6 80 89.1 96 -0.429 65
92 Bowling Green 91.1 90.1 102 84.1 110 87.5 96 83.0 110 82.8 106 90.1 93 -0.187 83
93 Air Force 91.1 89.7 104 93.9 82 81.1 111 98.7 61 79.3 117 91.6 88 +0.154 102
94 Hawaii 90.6 91.1 97 96.3 69 82.9 108 92.7 86 90.7 91 89.0 98 -1.968 2
95 Eastern Michigan 89.2 90.1 100 83.8 111 96.9 69 79.2 115 91.7 84 84.5 107 +0.495 112
96 Tulane 88.8 93.8 86 99.6 58 78.5 116 93.1 84 88.9 95 87.5 104 -0.040 92
97 Vanderbilt 88.8 85.0 113 89.6 100 73.6 119 87.0 101 79.5 116 96.6 76 -0.643 51
98 Ball State 88.8 90.3 99 92.7 88 92.8 80 92.8 85 90.3 92 90.4 91 -0.449 64
99 UNLV 88.3 94.2 82 99.5 60 83.0 107 102.4 44 86.9 99 86.2 105 +0.212 106
100 Idaho 88.1 91.6 95 88.0 103 96.6 70 93.2 82 87.9 97 82.1 111 +0.482 111
Rk Offense Def.
S&P+		 Play
Eff.		 Rk Std.
Downs
S&P+
 Rk Pass.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk Rushing
S&P+		 Rk Passing
S&P+		 Rk Drive
Eff.		 Rk DNP
 Rk
101 Navy 88.1 85.8 108 78.7 119 85.2 103 79.1 116 79.9 114 88.2 101 -0.980 28
102 Arkansas State 87.7 89.9 103 86.2 106 81.3 110 84.9 104 82.3 108 80.7 115 -0.171 85
103 Ohio 87.6 90.1 101 86.1 107 95.8 74 94.2 77 82.1 109 91.6 88 -0.497 61
104 San Jose State 86.9 93.6 88 92.1 91 88.8 95 102.1 46 82.1 110 77.8 116 -0.744 42
105 Cincinnati 86.8 91.6 96 87.9 104 102.0 50 92.5 87 91.3 90 91.1 90 -0.418 67
106 Utah State 86.6 92.1 93 92.3 90 91.7 86 97.1 68 84.1 104 84.1 108 +1.399 119
107 Western Michigan 86.6 85.2 112 79.5 117 86.7 98 81.5 113 81.3 112 83.3 109 -0.926 32
108 Kentucky 86.3 85.5 109 84.2 109 91.6 87 80.9 114 88.5 96 88.8 99 -0.175 84
109 Illinois 85.4 88.5 107 93.3 83 88.9 94 91.1 91 92.7 78 87.6 103 -0.727 46
110 Florida Atlantic 84.4 91.7 94 95.4 77 80.9 112 88.4 98 92.1 82 81.8 113 -0.043 91
111 Buffalo 84.1 92.3 92 90.5 98 85.8 102 77.5 119 99.1 57 83.2 110 +0.300 109
112 UL-Lafayette 83.2 84.3 115 78.8 118 91.8 84 78.5 117 83.6 105 81.9 112 -0.341 73
113 Florida International 83.0 84.3 116 80.5 115 80.1 114 87.4 99 71.2 119 77.6 118 +0.009 96
114 Rice 82.0 82.1 117 88.7 102 78.0 117 83.1 108 86.8 100 88.7 100 -0.046 90
115 UL-Monroe 81.8 85.3 110 79.7 116 93.0 79 82.0 111 80.4 113 76.5 119 -0.585 55
116 Duke 81.5 81.7 119 83.8 113 80.4 113 78.5 118 85.8 102 89.0 97 +0.674 114
117 North Texas 81.0 84.9 114 85.4 108 77.8 118 83.5 107 79.9 115 81.8 114 +0.290 108
118 Temple 80.5 85.3 111 89.7 99 89.7 93 94.0 78 85.7 103 85.1 106 +1.035 118
119 New Mexico State 77.7 81.9 118 83.0 114 79.3 115 81.8 112 79.1 118 77.6 117 -0.602 54