Innovative Statistics

Football Outsiders exclusive statistics

2017 FEI RATINGS, DEFENSE

Final Ratings

FEI is a college football rating system based on opponent-adjusted drive efficiency. Approximately 20,000 possessions are contested annually in FBS vs. FBS games. First-half clock-kills and end-of-game garbage drives and scores are filtered out. Defensive Efficiency (DE) is the value generated per drive a team's opponent offenses adjusted for starting field position. DFEI is defensive efficiency adjusted for the strength of opponent offenses faced.

Defensive Drive Success rate (DDS) is the percentage of opponent offensive drives that generate value greater than the starting field position value of the drive. Available Yards Percentage (DAY) is the total number of yards surrendered by the defense divided by the number of yards available to be earned based on starting field position. First Down Rate (DFD) is the percentage of opponent offensive drives that result in a touchdown or at least one first down. Touchdown Rate (DTD) is the percentage of opponent offensive drives that result in a touchdown. Touchdown Rate After First Down (DTF) is the percentage touchdowns surrendered on opponent offensive drives that earn at least one first down. Turnover Rate (DTO) is the percentage of opponent offensive drives that result in a fumble or interception.

Note that DFEI ratings formula and formatting have been updated for the 2017 season. Archived ratings for other seasons will be updated in the off-season.

DFEI
Rk
Team FBS
Rec		 DFEI DE DE
Rk		 DDS DDS
Rk		 DAY DAY
Rk		 DFD DFD
Rk		 DTD DTD
Rk		 DTF DTF
Rk		 DTO DTO
Rk
1 Clemson 11-2 .83 1.10 1 .177 1 .280 1 .585 2 .109 2 .186 2 .116 65
2 Alabama 12-1 .88 1.15 3 .179 2 .304 3 .627 15 .097 1 .155 1 .119 61
3 Wisconsin 13-1 .93 1.12 2 .207 8 .304 4 .587 4 .113 3 .193 3 .167 7
4 Auburn 9-4 .95 1.44 7 .200 4 .340 9 .607 7 .136 5 .224 5 .093 98
5 Georgia 12-2 .98 1.42 5 .205 7 .337 7 .603 6 .132 4 .220 4 .126 51
6 Texas 7-6 1.17 1.40 4 .240 13 .347 10 .626 13 .168 11 .268 13 .128 47
7 Ohio State 12-2 1.24 1.47 8 .200 5 .324 6 .600 5 .166 10 .276 17 .138 33
8 Mississippi State 8-4 1.37 1.64 15 .269 26 .373 17 .649 25 .209 31 .322 36 .157 14
9 Michigan 8-5 1.37 1.48 9 .194 3 .292 2 .523 1 .161 9 .309 29 .084 107
10 Washington 9-3 1.37 1.55 12 .231 11 .353 12 .632 17 .154 6 .243 6 .154 19
11 Virginia Tech 8-4 1.41 1.56 13 .217 9 .350 11 .623 12 .159 8 .256 9 .116 64
12 Penn State 11-2 1.44 1.50 10 .200 6 .321 5 .621 10 .159 7 .256 8 .138 32
13 Iowa 8-5 1.45 1.65 16 .262 24 .411 35 .698 57 .181 14 .260 10 .141 29
14 Miami 9-3 1.48 1.72 21 .259 23 .385 22 .687 47 .184 15 .267 12 .156 15
15 Central Florida 12-0 1.50 1.89 33 .274 28 .423 46 .719 71 .212 34 .295 22 .185 2
DFEI
Rk
Team FBS
Rec		 DFEI DE DE
Rk		 DDS DDS
Rk		 DAY DAY
Rk		 DFD DFD
Rk		 DTD DTD
Rk		 DTF DTF
Rk		 DTO DTO
Rk
16 Boston College 7-6 1.51 1.74 22 .274 30 .382 20 .622 11 .195 22 .314 34 .134 37
17 Washington State 8-4 1.55 1.72 20 .253 21 .372 16 .658 28 .226 40 .344 45 .151 20
18 TCU 10-3 1.56 2.00 43 .284 34 .399 30 .716 69 .203 26 .283 18 .095 94
19 Wyoming 7-5 1.56 1.43 6 .230 10 .378 19 .698 56 .187 18 .268 14 .230 1
20 Notre Dame 10-3 1.57 1.82 30 .308 46 .414 37 .657 27 .196 23 .298 24 .126 50
21 Florida State 6-6 1.60 1.84 32 .273 27 .412 36 .719 72 .216 36 .300 26 .094 97
22 Purdue 7-6 1.62 1.76 25 .253 20 .400 31 .665 35 .190 19 .286 19 .114 68
23 Appalachian State 8-4 1.62 1.75 23 .287 35 .409 33 .640 21 .199 25 .310 31 .162 10
24 Houston 7-5 1.63 1.94 35 .322 56 .456 62 .726 77 .192 20 .264 11 .144 26
25 Michigan State 10-3 1.64 1.67 18 .252 18 .353 13 .647 24 .187 17 .289 20 .144 25
26 Northern Illinois 7-5 1.65 1.51 11 .256 22 .338 8 .585 3 .171 12 .292 21 .110 72
27 Northwestern 10-3 1.65 1.67 17 .241 14 .388 25 .658 29 .196 24 .298 25 .146 23
28 Troy 10-2 1.71 1.58 14 .234 12 .396 28 .693 49 .175 13 .253 7 .175 5
29 Utah 6-6 1.72 1.89 34 .303 42 .424 47 .634 18 .204 28 .322 38 .155 17
30 South Florida 9-2 1.74 1.68 19 .246 15 .366 15 .662 32 .204 29 .309 28 .148 21
DFEI
Rk
Team FBS
Rec		 DFEI DE DE
Rk		 DDS DDS
Rk		 DAY DAY
Rk		 DFD DFD
Rk		 DTD DTD
Rk		 DTF DTF
Rk		 DTO DTO
Rk
31 Temple 6-6 1.77 2.09 49 .331 59 .439 57 .712 64 .245 51 .343 44 .115 66
32 Iowa State 7-5 1.82 1.99 42 .291 37 .421 45 .672 40 .224 39 .333 41 .112 71
33 South Carolina 8-4 1.82 1.98 39 .308 48 .446 59 .744 89 .203 27 .273 15 .128 48
34 Duke 6-6 1.84 1.76 24 .250 17 .390 26 .664 34 .207 30 .312 32 .114 67
35 LSU 8-4 1.84 1.97 38 .279 31 .382 21 .636 19 .194 21 .305 27 .085 106
36 Boise State 11-3 1.87 1.77 27 .248 16 .377 18 .701 59 .217 37 .309 30 .166 8
37 Fresno State 9-4 1.89 1.77 26 .267 25 .402 32 .674 41 .185 16 .275 16 .104 80
38 Utah State 5-7 1.91 1.84 31 .295 38 .419 43 .671 39 .219 38 .327 39 .158 12
39 Eastern Michigan 5-7 1.94 1.80 29 .282 33 .387 24 .667 36 .212 33 .317 35 .103 82
40 Indiana 4-7 1.95 1.98 40 .282 32 .363 14 .627 14 .232 44 .371 58 .077 109
41 Oregon 6-6 1.96 2.10 51 .321 55 .428 51 .686 45 .271 68 .396 77 .129 46
42 UTSA 5-5 1.98 1.79 28 .252 19 .396 29 .631 16 .214 35 .338 43 .175 6
43 San Diego State 9-3 2.00 2.04 45 .288 36 .396 27 .616 9 .232 42 .377 64 .112 70
44 Memphis 9-3 2.00 2.51 79 .344 68 .478 72 .709 63 .318 93 .449 103 .179 4
45 Florida 4-7 2.01 2.08 47 .306 43 .419 42 .669 37 .240 46 .358 52 .124 53
DFEI
Rk
Team FBS
Rec		 DFEI DE DE
Rk		 DDS DDS
Rk		 DAY DAY
Rk		 DFD DFD
Rk		 DTD DTD
Rk		 DTF DTF
Rk		 DTO DTO
Rk
46 Marshall 8-5 2.01 1.99 41 .301 41 .424 48 .706 62 .210 32 .297 23 .077 110
47 Texas A&M 6-6 2.02 2.29 63 .341 64 .417 38 .610 8 .274 70 .450 105 .122 56
48 USC 11-3 2.03 2.22 58 .341 63 .461 64 .744 88 .250 53 .336 42 .134 38
49 Wake Forest 7-5 2.04 2.31 67 .357 73 .480 74 .745 91 .268 66 .359 53 .127 49
50 Kansas State 7-5 2.05 2.33 68 .367 78 .472 67 .712 65 .273 69 .384 68 .129 45
51 Virginia 5-7 2.09 2.19 57 .311 51 .426 49 .696 52 .267 65 .383 67 .119 62
52 North Carolina State 8-4 2.09 2.30 65 .341 62 .451 61 .696 50 .261 61 .375 63 .109 74
53 Oklahoma 12-2 2.13 2.42 74 .365 77 .474 70 .699 58 .288 76 .413 84 .096 90
54 Middle Tennessee 7-6 2.14 2.04 46 .316 53 .434 56 .697 55 .230 41 .330 40 .066 120
55 Central Michigan 7-5 2.16 1.94 36 .297 39 .410 34 .671 38 .232 43 .346 46 .135 36
56 California 4-7 2.17 2.44 75 .398 90 .487 79 .789 111 .293 80 .371 59 .146 22
57 Oklahoma State 10-3 2.19 2.22 59 .335 60 .430 52 .639 20 .252 54 .394 75 .123 55
58 Ohio 8-4 2.19 1.96 37 .307 45 .417 39 .650 26 .243 48 .374 61 .100 85
59 Arkansas State 6-5 2.19 2.03 44 .274 29 .386 23 .644 22 .240 47 .372 60 .110 73
60 Louisiana Tech 6-6 2.22 2.19 55 .344 67 .495 84 .728 79 .264 64 .363 55 .184 3
DFEI
Rk
Team FBS
Rec		 DFEI DE DE
Rk		 DDS DDS
Rk		 DAY DAY
Rk		 DFD DFD
Rk		 DTD DTD
Rk		 DTF DTF
Rk		 DTO DTO
Rk
61 Georgia State 7-4 2.23 2.12 52 .312 52 .434 55 .664 33 .256 56 .386 69 .120 59
62 Stanford 9-5 2.24 2.39 72 .354 71 .472 68 .715 67 .257 58 .359 54 .160 11
63 Georgia Tech 4-6 2.25 2.24 62 .336 61 .427 50 .646 23 .257 57 .397 79 .062 125
64 Arizona State 7-6 2.25 2.68 91 .385 85 .502 87 .731 81 .308 87 .421 91 .096 91
65 Navy 7-6 2.28 2.78 99 .398 92 .512 93 .719 70 .320 94 .446 101 .094 96
66 Southern Mississippi 7-5 2.28 2.09 48 .298 40 .431 53 .702 60 .248 52 .354 50 .092 100
67 Minnesota 5-7 2.28 2.15 54 .326 58 .421 44 .659 30 .264 63 .400 80 .140 30
68 Akron 6-7 2.28 2.48 77 .395 89 .536 104 .803 117 .293 79 .364 56 .163 9
69 Tulane 4-7 2.29 2.82 101 .369 79 .555 110 .802 116 .342 103 .427 92 .144 24
70 BYU 3-9 2.30 2.24 61 .342 65 .477 71 .725 76 .233 45 .322 37 .108 75
71 Toledo 10-3 2.30 2.24 60 .308 47 .434 54 .678 43 .253 55 .374 62 .116 63
72 Miami (OH) 4-7 2.30 2.19 56 .317 54 .472 69 .780 108 .244 49 .313 33 .098 87
73 Florida Atlantic 10-3 2.34 2.36 71 .357 74 .480 73 .729 80 .257 59 .353 49 .157 13
74 West Virginia 6-6 2.36 2.52 81 .403 98 .495 83 .714 66 .299 83 .418 89 .097 88
75 UAB 7-5 2.37 2.10 50 .311 50 .447 60 .704 61 .244 50 .347 47 .133 41
DFEI
Rk
Team FBS
Rec		 DFEI DE DE
Rk		 DDS DDS
Rk		 DAY DAY
Rk		 DFD DFD
Rk		 DTD DTD
Rk		 DTF DTF
Rk		 DTO DTO
Rk
76 Idaho 3-8 2.38 2.33 69 .358 75 .488 80 .772 104 .268 67 .347 48 .130 44
77 Texas Tech 5-7 2.38 2.57 85 .392 88 .529 101 .770 103 .318 92 .412 83 .155 16
78 Buffalo 5-6 2.38 2.45 76 .356 72 .469 65 .697 53 .288 75 .413 85 .106 76
79 Rutgers 3-8 2.39 2.52 80 .402 96 .508 91 .744 87 .291 78 .391 72 .085 104
80 Tennessee 3-8 2.39 2.57 84 .374 81 .489 81 .675 42 .317 91 .470 107 .114 69
81 Pittsburgh 4-7 2.41 2.54 82 .358 76 .483 75 .724 75 .285 73 .393 74 .106 77
82 Missouri 6-6 2.43 2.49 78 .402 93 .459 63 .689 48 .288 74 .418 88 .076 111
83 Western Michigan 5-6 2.44 2.30 64 .343 66 .417 41 .686 46 .307 86 .447 102 .139 31
84 Louisville 7-5 2.44 2.41 73 .306 44 .484 76 .769 100 .284 72 .369 57 .142 28
85 Massachusetts 3-8 2.47 2.30 66 .384 84 .471 66 .696 51 .290 77 .417 87 .123 54
86 South Alabama 3-8 2.47 2.55 83 .417 105 .563 113 .800 115 .283 71 .354 51 .125 52
87 Syracuse 3-8 2.51 2.76 95 .372 80 .496 85 .723 74 .321 95 .444 100 .058 126
88 Kentucky 6-6 2.55 2.59 86 .383 82 .506 90 .744 90 .293 81 .394 76 .105 78
89 New Mexico State 7-6 2.55 2.15 53 .309 49 .417 40 .697 54 .263 62 .377 65 .143 27
90 North Carolina 2-9 2.56 2.62 87 .354 70 .520 98 .715 68 .300 84 .419 90 .100 86
DFEI
Rk
Team FBS
Rec		 DFEI DE DE
Rk		 DDS DDS
Rk		 DAY DAY
Rk		 DFD DFD
Rk		 DTD DTD
Rk		 DTF DTF
Rk		 DTO DTO
Rk
91 Baylor 1-10 2.57 2.85 102 .402 95 .522 100 .748 93 .323 96 .432 95 .063 124
92 Colorado 4-7 2.60 2.80 100 .443 112 .537 105 .779 107 .295 82 .379 66 .090 102
93 UCLA 6-7 2.61 2.96 109 .447 114 .557 112 .787 110 .340 102 .432 96 .073 114
94 Mississippi 5-6 2.61 2.77 97 .405 99 .515 96 .738 85 .302 85 .409 81 .095 93
95 Texas State 1-10 2.64 2.77 98 .398 91 .534 102 .780 109 .309 89 .396 78 .057 128
96 Old Dominion 4-7 2.66 2.65 88 .352 69 .489 82 .766 98 .328 98 .429 93 .102 84
97 Western Kentucky 5-7 2.66 2.34 70 .324 57 .445 58 .662 31 .257 60 .389 71 .103 81
98 Florida International 7-5 2.68 2.66 90 .402 94 .537 106 .811 121 .315 90 .388 70 .134 39
99 Vanderbilt 4-7 2.68 2.90 106 .407 100 .514 94 .735 83 .345 105 .470 108 .044 130
100 Kent State 1-10 2.69 2.77 96 .402 97 .504 88 .684 44 .350 106 .513 121 .120 60
101 Illinois 2-10 2.69 2.65 89 .386 87 .514 95 .742 86 .333 99 .449 104 .136 35
102 Coastal Carolina 3-8 2.74 2.76 94 .410 101 .486 78 .752 95 .333 100 .443 99 .085 105
103 Georgia Southern 2-9 2.76 2.74 93 .385 86 .505 89 .738 84 .352 108 .478 110 .131 43
104 Nevada 3-8 2.80 2.94 108 .442 111 .590 123 .833 126 .358 111 .430 94 .133 42
105 SMU 6-6 2.84 3.10 116 .460 116 .577 119 .770 102 .388 116 .505 118 .137 34
DFEI
Rk
Team FBS
Rec		 DFEI DE DE
Rk		 DDS DDS
Rk		 DAY DAY
Rk		 DFD DFD
Rk		 DTD DTD
Rk		 DTF DTF
Rk		 DTO DTO
Rk
106 Maryland 3-8 2.84 3.00 113 .444 113 .535 103 .769 101 .368 113 .478 111 .094 95
107 Army 9-3 2.85 2.92 107 .414 103 .557 111 .828 124 .343 104 .415 86 .121 57
108 Colorado State 6-6 2.85 2.73 92 .383 83 .499 86 .752 94 .308 88 .410 82 .105 79
109 North Texas 8-5 2.85 2.97 110 .425 108 .509 92 .733 82 .356 110 .486 112 .075 112
110 New Mexico 2-9 2.86 2.97 111 .424 106 .485 77 .720 73 .364 112 .506 120 .068 118
111 Nebraska 4-8 2.87 2.89 104 .414 102 .518 97 .758 97 .352 107 .464 106 .078 108
112 UNLV 5-6 2.92 2.88 103 .440 110 .572 116 .810 120 .353 109 .436 98 .121 58
113 Arizona 6-6 2.93 2.89 105 .437 109 .522 99 .746 92 .373 114 .500 117 .134 40
114 Cincinnati 3-8 2.99 3.14 117 .464 118 .583 120 .773 105 .336 101 .435 97 .064 122
115 Arkansas 3-8 3.03 3.29 121 .483 122 .590 124 .805 118 .398 118 .495 114 .102 83
116 Louisiana Lafayette 4-7 3.04 3.07 115 .424 107 .551 109 .776 106 .384 115 .495 115 .096 92
117 Charlotte 1-10 3.05 2.97 112 .414 104 .568 114 .829 125 .324 97 .391 73 .063 123
118 Tulsa 2-10 3.06 3.37 123 .508 126 .626 128 .841 127 .402 120 .477 109 .091 101
119 Bowling Green 2-9 3.11 3.06 114 .463 117 .587 122 .789 112 .390 117 .495 116 .154 18
120 Air Force 4-7 3.13 3.24 118 .470 120 .577 118 .809 119 .400 119 .495 113 .070 117
DFEI
Rk
Team FBS
Rec		 DFEI DE DE
Rk		 DDS DDS
Rk		 DAY DAY
Rk		 DFD DFD
Rk		 DTD DTD
Rk		 DTF DTF
Rk		 DTO DTO
Rk
121 UTEP 0-12 3.16 3.41 125 .465 119 .576 117 .789 113 .439 126 .556 125 .088 103
122 Connecticut 2-9 3.17 3.37 122 .484 123 .583 121 .766 99 .419 122 .547 124 .065 121
123 Ball State 1-10 3.31 3.27 120 .491 125 .548 108 .754 96 .430 125 .570 126 .070 116
124 Kansas 0-11 3.38 3.52 128 .516 127 .591 125 .795 114 .459 128 .577 129 .049 129
125 San Jose State 1-11 3.51 3.24 119 .456 115 .546 107 .728 78 .419 121 .576 128 .066 119
126 Louisiana Monroe 4-8 3.51 3.40 124 .476 121 .571 115 .814 122 .428 123 .525 122 .097 89
127 Rice 1-11 3.60 3.52 127 .524 128 .615 126 .848 129 .429 124 .506 119 .057 127
128 Oregon State 0-11 3.64 3.87 129 .570 129 .634 129 .850 130 .486 129 .571 127 .075 113
129 Hawaii 2-9 3.78 3.50 126 .491 124 .617 127 .843 128 .444 127 .527 123 .093 99
130 East Carolina 3-8 3.88 4.02 130 .591 130 .651 130 .818 123 .500 130 .611 130 .073 115