Writers of Pro Football Prospectus 2008

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2009 NCAA S&P+ RATINGS, DEFENSE

through games of 1/7/10

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.
  • 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 "close," or competitive. The criteria for being "close" are as follows: a game within 24 points in the first quarter, with 21 points in the second quarter, and within 16 points in the second half.

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.

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

Defense Def. S&P+
 Rk Success
Rate+		 Rk PPP+ Rk Rushing
S&P+		 Rk Passing
S&P+		 Rk Std.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk Pass.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk
Alabama 151.5 1 137.9 2 179.9 3 141.0 4 164.9 2 150.2 1 155.1 9
TCU 150.7 2 141.3 1 159.7 8 147.8 1 149.6 6 143.3 3 140.8 10
Florida 148.1 3 129.0 5 193.3 1 137.9 5 162.6 4 132.1 9 187.4 3
Nebraska 147.4 4 129.9 4 186.9 2 131.9 10 164.9 3 136.4 5 194.4 1
Oklahoma 146.0 5 137.1 3 172.4 6 137.0 7 161.2 5 145.3 2 173.6 5
Iowa 140.8 6 126.1 7 175.5 5 125.0 14 166.7 1 142.8 4 133.2 14
Ohio State 138.4 7 121.8 8 179.5 4 135.4 9 148.1 7 133.8 7 180.8 4
Penn State 134.0 8 120.5 10 147.9 11 123.1 18 137.6 13 115.5 20 138.6 12
Texas 133.3 9 119.8 12 160.5 7 137.2 6 133.2 16 127.9 12 192.9 2
Boise State 130.4 10 127.7 6 137.7 15 123.3 16 140.0 9 111.8 32 171.9 7
LSU 127.7 11 118.4 16 153.7 10 130.7 11 132.6 17 135.6 6 120.6 21
Clemson 127.7 12 121.1 9 144.3 12 128.8 13 128.7 18 131.3 10 128.5 16
North Carolina 127.5 13 114.6 21 154.0 9 124.4 15 134.1 15 125.2 13 168.2 8
Virginia Tech 125.4 14 120.4 11 131.9 20 113.6 29 138.7 11 133.0 8 124.2 19
Utah 124.6 15 119.4 13 133.3 17 113.8 27 138.9 10 114.8 22 134.7 13
Air Force 124.3 16 115.5 19 136.2 16 118.9 21 126.6 20 113.1 28 131.8 15
South Carolina 123.1 17 116.9 17 142.3 13 114.6 26 143.1 8 118.6 16 172.1 6
Ole Miss 121.5 18 115.7 18 127.6 22 108.2 43 137.8 12 120.6 15 115.4 30
Oregon 121.4 19 118.9 14 132.3 19 130.6 12 118.8 25 129.2 11 115.6 28
Middle Tennessee 119.1 20 118.6 15 118.1 35 117.0 23 118.2 27 114.8 23 114.3 33
Defense Def. S&P+
 Rk Success
Rate+		 Rk PPP+ Rk Rushing
S&P+		 Rk Passing
S&P+		 Rk Std.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk Pass.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk
Boston College 118.5 21 111.6 26 130.8 21 135.6 8 109.4 35 111.8 31 139.7 11
Arizona State 118.0 22 114.1 22 118.5 34 113.3 33 118.8 24 121.2 14 116.4 26
West Virginia 117.1 23 112.3 25 127.4 23 120.9 20 117.0 28 114.5 24 119.2 22
Oklahoma State 117.0 24 107.8 31 138.1 14 114.8 25 121.3 23 116.4 19 124.6 18
Wisconsin 116.2 25 114.7 20 121.9 29 143.2 2 106.2 41 118.5 17 112.3 39
Tennessee 114.4 26 103.5 44 132.8 18 107.9 44 124.9 21 110.4 35 124.8 17
Texas Tech 113.7 27 105.7 35 127.2 24 100.4 56 126.8 19 108.2 38 119.2 23
Miami-FL 113.4 28 110.2 28 121.3 32 123.2 17 107.6 38 117.0 18 104.0 53
Central Florida 111.1 29 110.1 29 113.6 38 141.4 3 97.4 63 111.4 33 108.7 40
BYU 111.1 30 111.1 27 111.8 39 109.6 39 114.2 30 110.4 34 113.2 37
Virginia 111.1 31 105.3 36 121.7 30 102.4 55 122.0 22 110.2 37 118.7 25
Purdue 110.7 32 113.6 23 116.7 36 97.2 69 137.2 14 113.1 26 113.7 36
Pittsburgh 109.9 33 103.0 46 121.5 31 106.6 48 114.5 29 105.5 46 122.0 20
South Florida 109.7 34 104.6 39 122.7 27 112.5 35 111.0 33 115.0 21 114.2 35
UCLA 109.2 35 102.0 49 123.8 25 110.8 37 109.8 34 112.4 29 118.9 24
Rutgers 109.0 36 100.3 56 108.6 44 109.5 40 99.4 58 100.3 58 116.1 27
USC 108.8 37 99.8 59 122.9 26 99.0 62 118.3 26 105.8 44 108.0 43
Ohio 107.3 38 103.2 45 108.6 45 109.2 42 101.4 54 108.0 39 114.7 32
East Carolina 106.6 39 99.6 60 122.1 28 110.1 38 108.6 36 106.9 40 108.1 41
Troy 106.4 40 109.9 30 108.2 46 113.3 32 105.6 43 100.0 60 105.6 49
Defense Def. S&P+
 Rk Success
Rate+		 Rk PPP+ Rk Rushing
S&P+		 Rk Passing
S&P+		 Rk Std.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk Pass.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk
Arizona 106.1 41 105.0 38 107.8 47 97.4 67 113.9 31 111.8 30 90.7 85
Colorado 105.9 42 113.4 24 101.7 54 113.6 30 101.5 53 113.5 25 100.6 61
Mississippi State 105.8 43 104.5 41 119.0 33 115.9 24 103.5 46 110.3 36 114.2 34
Minnesota 105.5 44 102.1 48 113.8 37 107.2 45 106.9 40 113.1 27 87.7 93
Arkansas 104.6 45 105.2 37 109.9 41 113.7 28 101.6 52 101.6 55 115.5 29
Auburn 104.4 46 101.9 50 110.4 40 98.9 64 111.1 32 100.4 57 115.3 31
Louisiana Tech 103.2 47 101.7 51 109.8 42 103.6 52 107.9 37 106.8 41 105.5 50
Central Michigan 102.8 48 96.1 75 105.5 50 95.7 73 102.8 49 93.2 84 106.3 48
Connecticut 102.1 49 98.0 65 107.7 48 105.0 49 99.8 55 99.6 62 103.6 54
Georgia 102.0 50 102.2 47 104.4 52 113.5 31 93.8 71 105.8 45 107.8 45
Michigan State 101.2 51 107.6 32 100.3 57 117.3 22 97.5 62 106.2 43 101.5 59
Vanderbilt 100.6 52 96.7 72 98.8 60 97.0 70 99.2 59 101.4 56 101.3 60
Cincinnati 100.1 53 94.0 87 108.9 43 106.7 47 94.1 69 103.7 51 93.8 75
Navy 100.0 54 94.6 84 107.5 49 104.9 50 95.0 67 98.4 70 95.0 73
Syracuse 99.4 55 104.5 40 94.9 67 122.1 19 86.0 94 102.6 52 108.1 42
Oregon State 98.8 56 97.0 68 105.0 51 102.7 53 99.2 60 103.7 50 90.7 84
Army 98.6 57 96.1 74 84.0 100 95.9 72 80.3 110 98.7 68 74.1 115
Kent State 98.5 58 96.9 69 86.5 93 93.3 82 91.3 79 97.4 72 92.6 78
Tulsa 98.5 59 106.5 34 89.7 81 107.0 46 90.2 80 104.3 49 97.8 69
Wake Forest 98.2 60 100.8 55 102.6 53 98.5 65 106.2 42 102.0 53 99.8 63
Defense Def. S&P+
 Rk Success
Rate+		 Rk PPP+ Rk Rushing
S&P+		 Rk Passing
S&P+		 Rk Std.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk Pass.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk
Notre Dame 97.5 61 101.4 52 101.3 55 109.4 41 93.9 70 104.6 48 106.7 47
Kentucky 97.4 62 100.9 54 92.5 70 99.3 60 94.1 68 105.0 47 103.2 56
California 97.4 63 101.0 53 88.8 84 111.2 36 86.7 89 99.6 63 98.9 65
Texas A&M 97.3 64 97.2 67 99.3 59 93.3 83 102.6 50 92.8 88 107.8 44
Northwestern 97.2 65 98.1 64 92.2 71 94.4 80 97.0 64 94.1 81 101.6 58
Missouri 97.0 66 95.6 80 100.5 56 102.7 54 92.7 75 106.7 42 88.7 91
Michigan 96.8 67 104.1 42 90.9 77 91.2 92 104.6 44 99.6 64 95.6 71
Baylor 96.7 68 96.0 78 100.1 58 91.6 91 103.4 47 98.0 71 104.6 52
Bowling Green 96.6 69 99.8 58 92.9 68 88.0 100 103.8 45 89.3 101 112.3 38
Marshall 96.6 70 96.8 71 97.2 61 94.9 76 99.6 56 98.5 69 95.8 70
Temple 95.9 71 88.6 105 91.5 74 99.2 61 81.5 105 94.3 80 86.9 95
New Mexico State 95.2 72 99.2 62 92.7 69 92.8 86 99.1 61 97.3 74 90.0 88
SMU 95.2 73 94.8 82 91.5 73 93.8 81 92.9 74 100.0 61 90.7 83
Wyoming 95.0 74 96.1 76 96.6 63 93.2 85 99.5 57 95.1 78 99.0 64
Kansas 94.7 75 96.2 73 88.3 88 81.4 112 102.8 48 92.3 91 102.6 57
Southern Miss 94.3 76 93.4 88 91.4 75 99.0 63 86.8 88 93.5 82 90.2 87
Washington 93.9 77 94.3 86 97.1 62 99.9 58 92.5 76 100.3 59 95.4 72
Maryland 93.8 78 95.9 79 91.7 72 100.3 57 88.3 85 99.2 66 86.1 99
Nevada 93.6 79 106.7 33 86.0 94 113.3 34 88.5 83 101.8 54 85.0 104
Buffalo 93.3 80 87.9 107 95.5 66 83.9 108 96.1 66 90.8 96 93.4 77
Defense Def. S&P+
 Rk Success
Rate+		 Rk PPP+ Rk Rushing
S&P+		 Rk Passing
S&P+		 Rk Std.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk Pass.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk
San Diego State 93.2 81 100.2 57 79.4 106 95.1 75 84.6 101 99.4 65 77.6 111
UL-Monroe 93.1 82 91.1 93 88.9 83 92.6 87 86.5 91 88.6 103 97.8 68
Northern Illinois 92.9 83 96.9 70 83.8 101 96.9 71 86.3 92 97.4 73 98.5 66
Kansas State 92.6 84 89.1 102 85.3 96 94.5 79 81.9 104 87.8 104 97.9 67
Georgia Tech 92.5 85 97.5 66 86.7 91 93.3 84 89.7 82 96.4 76 81.1 107
Indiana 92.4 86 95.3 81 88.6 85 95.1 74 88.3 84 91.3 94 92.3 79
Illinois 91.9 87 92.2 91 95.8 65 88.9 97 96.1 65 92.7 89 88.0 92
Louisville 91.4 88 91.0 94 91.4 76 94.7 77 86.6 90 99.0 67 85.6 102
Fresno State 91.2 89 103.9 43 80.6 105 94.5 78 89.8 81 96.7 75 84.1 105
Utah State 90.9 90 99.5 61 85.9 95 92.1 89 93.4 73 96.2 77 86.9 97
UAB 90.8 91 94.4 85 89.9 79 103.8 51 84.8 100 92.8 87 79.7 109
Miami-OH 90.8 92 94.7 83 90.4 78 82.9 111 101.9 51 88.7 102 105.3 51
Arkansas State 90.7 93 90.1 97 83.3 104 97.4 68 78.1 114 85.4 110 107.3 46
Florida State 90.7 94 98.5 63 86.5 92 90.5 94 93.7 72 89.5 100 103.2 55
Duke 90.6 95 90.1 96 84.0 99 86.8 102 87.0 87 90.2 97 77.0 112
Ball State 90.4 96 89.7 99 88.4 86 99.5 59 79.3 113 89.7 99 86.1 100
Memphis 90.4 97 96.0 77 89.7 80 97.4 66 88.0 86 91.9 92 91.3 82
Colorado State 89.5 98 91.2 92 88.0 89 87.5 101 91.9 78 89.8 98 94.8 74
San Jose State 88.7 99 89.7 98 96.0 64 84.1 106 107.5 39 90.9 95 99.8 62
Stanford 88.5 100 87.1 109 89.6 82 92.6 88 83.7 102 93.5 83 86.3 98
Defense Def. S&P+
 Rk Success
Rate+		 Rk PPP+ Rk Rushing
S&P+		 Rk Passing
S&P+		 Rk Std.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk Pass.
Downs
S&P+		 Rk
Akron 88.5 101 88.7 103 83.4 102 85.1 105 85.5 96 95.1 79 73.3 116
Florida International 88.2 102 93.2 89 87.7 90 89.0 96 92.0 77 91.9 93 85.8 101
Iowa State 87.7 103 80.6 120 88.4 87 91.8 90 75.5 117 86.5 106 86.9 96
New Mexico 87.4 104 92.7 90 83.4 103 90.4 95 86.2 93 93.0 86 83.7 106
UL-Lafayette 86.9 105 89.6 100 78.7 108 88.3 99 79.5 112 93.1 85 66.4 119
Western Michigan 85.9 106 88.6 104 74.1 115 83.1 110 81.2 107 84.8 112 85.5 103
UTEP 85.6 107 90.2 95 78.5 109 83.3 109 85.0 98 92.3 90 72.6 117
Houston 85.5 108 89.4 101 78.9 107 84.0 107 84.9 99 86.0 108 90.3 86
UNLV 83.9 109 87.2 108 84.4 97 86.3 103 85.1 97 85.1 111 93.5 76
Hawaii 83.6 110 83.3 115 84.1 98 85.9 104 79.7 111 84.2 113 92.1 81
Toledo 81.7 111 86.4 110 69.4 117 76.9 115 78.1 115 80.7 115 77.6 110
North Texas 81.5 112 83.3 116 73.8 116 76.7 116 80.4 109 78.4 117 92.3 80
Idaho 81.3 113 86.1 111 77.2 110 90.8 93 74.8 118 85.7 109 76.1 113
Rice 81.1 114 88.2 106 75.8 112 88.4 98 76.5 116 83.3 114 81.0 108
Tulane 81.0 115 83.8 113 76.7 111 78.7 113 80.9 108 86.6 105 62.3 120
NC State 80.8 116 83.7 114 74.7 114 76.2 118 83.0 103 78.6 116 89.0 89
Washington State 76.4 117 82.8 117 75.8 113 77.2 114 81.2 106 86.1 107 88.8 90
Eastern Michigan 76.1 118 84.2 112 63.8 119 68.8 120 86.0 95 74.3 119 87.1 94
Western Kentucky 75.1 119 80.9 119 69.4 118 76.6 117 72.7 120 77.8 118 68.2 118
Florida Atlantic 74.9 120 81.6 118 63.7 120 72.3 119 72.9 119 73.9 120 75.4 114