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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 32m

The YAC merchant leaderboard. These are the QBs from the Short Throws / Big YAC quadrant, ranked by YAC per catch. Ksaan Farrar is the extreme outlier, while Gunner Stockton pairs 9.4 YAC/catch with a +10.5 CPOE. Who here actually deserves the label?

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 32m

Who are college football’s biggest YAC merchants? This plots average target depth vs. yards after catch per completion for qualifying FBS QBs through Week 5. Upper left = shorter throws, more YAC Upper right = deeper throws, more YAC Who jumps out?

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 4h

Now the defensive side. Utah jumps out: opponents are throwing relatively deep and completing far fewer passes than expected. On defense, higher is better here. Negative opponent CPOE means you’re limiting completions.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 4h

Who’s pushing the ball downfield and completing more passes than expected? Indiana and Alabama are among the biggest standouts through Week 5. The further right, the deeper the average target. The higher, the better the CPOE. 👇

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 23h

Opponent-adjusted trench play through Week 5: 👑 Trench Kings - strong run blocking + run defense 🛡️ Defensive Maulers - defense leads the way ➡️ One-Way Push - offense doing the heavy lifting 😬 Pushed Around - struggling on both sides Alabama and UCLA sit furthest into Trench King territory.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 05/10/2026

Who has added the most value at kicker through Week 5? 🥇 Drew Klein, North Dakota State - 8.21 PAAR 🥈 Nolan Hauser, Clemson - 8.09 🥉 Liam Boyd, Michigan State - 7.17 PAAR = Points Added Above Replacement. Full top 15 below.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 05/10/2026

And here are the sub-category leaders for Week 5. Congrats to @GFSportAnalytic, @JohnsonCor45927, @AlexRoller95, and @505_Ratings for taking top spots!

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 05/10/2026

CFBD Model Pick'em Week 5 Update Congrats to reddit user u/forescore_regular_v3 for taking the top overall spot this week! Here's the rest of this week's Top Ten.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 05/10/2026

UCLA’s Wayne Knight has been the most efficient RB in the country through Week 5 by opponent-adjusted EPA per Rush. 🥇 Wayne Knight, UCLA - 0.50 🥈 Cole Tabb, Cincinnati - 0.41 🥉 Kam Davis, Liberty - 0.40 4️⃣ Aiden Flora, Iowa State - 0.40 Full top 15 below.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 05/10/2026

Now the run defenses: 🧱 Run Wall 🗜️ Bend, Then Clamp 💣 Stuff, Then Bust 😬 Gashed At Will Upper-right is where you want to be and Alabama has separated itself from the field.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 05/10/2026

Four types of rushing attacks through Week 5: 🚂 Steamrollers & Home Runs 💥 Built on Breakaways 🧱 Push Without Payoff 🫠 Ground Game in Quicksand Opponent-adjusted. UCLA is the clear outlier in the best quadrant.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 04/10/2026

Who has been creating the most value every time they drop back? Through Week 5, Miami’s Darian Mensah leads all QBs in opponent-adjusted EPA per Dropback at 0.43, followed by: 2. Jayden Maiava - USC 3. C.J. Carr - Notre Dame 4. Julian Sayin - Ohio State 5. Marcus Stokes - Memphis Full top 15 below

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 04/10/2026

The most exciting games of Week 5, ranked by the CFBD Game Excitement Index. 🥇 Tulsa 44, North Texas 45 - 9.18 🥈 San Diego State 31, Texas State 29 - 9.09 🥉 Virginia Tech 33, Pitt 35 - 8.59 Five of the top six came down to a field goal or less.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 04/10/2026

Here’s how every FBS team stacks up on CORE offense and defense through Week 5. ➡️ Right = better offense ⬆️ Up = better defense 🎯 Top right = strong on both sides Which teams stand out to you?

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 03/10/2026

Iowa State squeaks out a 45-42 victory in the closing minutes over West Viriginia. This game registered a 7.4 on the CFBD Game Excitement Index and Iowa State had a 63% postgame win expectancy based on advanced stats from the game. buff.ly/WRipSQk

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 03/10/2026

Penn State allowed 64% (!) success rate on standard downs in a 34-13 loss to Northwestern. Northwestern RBs Caleb Komolafe and Joseph Himon III combined for over 20 EPA as the Wildcats thrashed PSU on the ground. More from the advanced box score: buff.ly/jHddhdS

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 02/10/2026

Tonight's matchup between Pitt and Virginia Tech scores in the Top 10 of the CFBD Watchability Index this week. Here's how the teams stack up against each other. Check out the Game Preview page for more details: buff.ly/WMIgGZb

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 01/10/2026

New week, new watch list. According to CFBD’s CORE Watchability Index, these are the 10 FBS matchups worth circling in Week 5. Top of the board: 1. Alabama at Mississippi State — 98.8 2. Florida at Missouri — 92.0 3. Penn State at Northwestern — 87.8 A couple Friday night games made the cut, too.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 29/09/2026

Two teams can have the same scoring margin and still have performed very differently. My latest tutorial walks through opponent adjustment from first principles, then builds an SRS-style rating in Python and applies it to real college football data. buff.ly/jmHsbef

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Raw Stats Lie: Opponent Adjustment Explained

Learn why raw college sports statistics can mistake schedule for skill, then build a simple opponent-adjusted rating you can inspect and improve.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 29/09/2026

Through Week 4, UCLA’s Wayne Knight leads all running backs in opponent-adjusted EPA per rush at 0.49. Memphis’ Jaylin Carter (0.43) and Florida’s Jadan Baugh (0.42) round out the top three. Here are the top 15 most efficient RBs so far:

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 28/09/2026

The most exciting game of Week 4? Nevada 33, Air Force 36 - a 9.92 on the CFBD Game Excitement Index. Marshall–Gardner-Webb came in close behind at 9.18. Here are the full top 10:

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 28/09/2026

Here are the sub-category leaders this week. @Nex_27 took the top spot in SU picks. Reddit user u/CFB_Unaware took the top spot ATS and in MAE. Reddit user u/Ok_Pangolin_2685 took the top spot in MSE. Congrats to all leaders this week!

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 28/09/2026

CFBD Model Pick'em - Week 4 Update Yours truly took the top spot on the overall leaderboard this week. Here's how the rest of the Top 10 shook out.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 28/09/2026

North Dakota State’s Drew Klein sits atop the Week 4 PAAR leaderboard at 7.06 Points Added Above Replacement. Michigan State’s Liam Boyd (6.72) and Wisconsin’s Gavin Lahm (6.66) round out the top three. Top 15 kickers through Week 4:

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 27/09/2026

Note that Old Dominion's offensive value was such an extreme negative outlier that it was breaking this chart. So, they were removed. Run defense is pretty good though!

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 27/09/2026

Who’s controlling the line of scrimmage through Week 4? This plots opponent-adjusted run blocking vs. opponent-adjusted run defense across FBS. ➡️ Better blocking ⬆️ Better run defense ↗️ Strong on both sides A look at the trenches so far in 2026 👇

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 27/09/2026

Yesterday’s 20-19 loss to Iowa checks in at #4 among Michigan’s unlikeliest losses since 2010. Michigan had an 82.8% postgame win expectancy despite coming away with the loss. Here are all 11 games where Michigan lost with a win expectancy above 50%:

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 27/09/2026

Jayden Maiava and Darian Mensah sit atop the Weighted EPA per dropback leaderboard through Week 4, both at 0.38. There’s a four-QB cluster right behind them at 0.32. Here are the top 15 QBs so far in 2026 👇

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 27/09/2026

New to CORE? It stands for Context & Opponent-Relative Efficiency. It uses play-level EPA, adjusted for game situation and opponent strength, to rate offense and defense. How CORE works: buff.ly/lqCId6N

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Introducing CORE Ratings from CFBD

CORE separates what a play produced from what its situation and opponent help explain. Here is how the new CFBD rating works, how to read it, and where it can improve a college football analysis.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 27/09/2026

CORE through Week 4 is here. For the first time this season, the ratings are based entirely on 2026 results, no preseason priors. Offense → higher is better Defense → lower is better Upper-right = above average on both sides Here’s the FBS landscape:

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 27/09/2026

Great effort from Dylan Raiola coming in for the injured Dante Moore in Oregon's 41-27 win over USC. He led all players with 23.1 EPA. I had Oregon with a 78% postgame win expectancy. Check out the advanced box score for more: buff.ly/5vqmKE9

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 27/09/2026

Iowa had a 19% postgame win expectancy in their last-second 20-19 victory over Michigan. Michigan statistically dominated most advanced stats categories, including a 45% to 27% success rate advantage. More from the advanced box score: buff.ly/k92iZt9

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 26/09/2026

Midway through the 3rd, Michigan has had 7 completed offensive drives and has been in scoring position on 6 of them. Only averaging 1.5 points per opportunity. Gotta start finishing drives.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 26/09/2026

Michigan leads Iowa 10-7 at half despite dominating statistically. The Wolverines are currently at 75% "Deserve to Win" based on live, in-game advanced metrics.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 26/09/2026

New schedule and game preview pages are now live! The schedule page shows current week games with direct links to Advanced Box Scores and Game Preview pages: buff.ly/dgrbO7f Game Previews break down advanced stats side by side: buff.ly/94m5IcM

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 26/09/2026

Our first Friday game is in the books with Army's 21-17 victory over Temple. Per the CFBD Advanced Box Score, Army had a postgame win expectancy of 45% based on the game's advanced stats. More on the advanced box score page: buff.ly/D8VjTF1

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 25/09/2026

Only one FBS game Thursday night, which makes Coastal Carolina–Liberty a good chance to dig a little deeper. The revamped CFBD Advanced Box Score includes quarter-by-quarter efficiency splits, scoring and field position, passing-location analysis, havoc breakdowns and much more. 🔗 buff.ly/6n63IY4

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 24/09/2026

Another big CFBD website enhancement has gone live this week! Check out the completely revamped Team Trends page (formerly SP+ trends). Explore historical team trends across various ratings and metrics, such as CORE, SRS, Elo, SP+, and FPI. Let me know what you think! buff.ly/HG5lOvh

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 24/09/2026

Looking for the best games on the Week 4 slate? CFBD’s CORE index ranks the top FBS matchups using 55% team quality + 45% competitiveness. Top 3: Utah at Iowa State - 92.2 Missouri at Mississippi State - 91.9 Ole Miss at Florida - 88.7 Full top 10 below.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 23/09/2026

Who’s sustaining net efficiency and who’s changing after halftime? Net success rate by half through Week 3: ↗️ Stronger than opponents in both halves ↙️ Weaker in both halves ↖️ Slow start, stronger finish ↘️ Stronger start, weaker finish Dashed lines = FBS medians.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 23/09/2026

Boise State has been almost perfectly balanced running left vs. right this season. The production is anything but balanced: ⬅️ Left: 22 carries • 77.3% success • 13.6 YPC ➡️ Right: 26 carries • 42.3% success • 4.0 YPC A pretty striking directional split.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 22/09/2026

And lastly, drill into overall player impact analysis.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 22/09/2026

Drill down into enriched passing and rushing metrics.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 22/09/2026

Seeing how a team stacks up across different efficiency metrics: CORE, SP+, and FPI.

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 22/09/2026

Fan of the revamped advanced box scores? Then check out the completely revamped team profiles on the site! Drill down into ratings, advanced stats, and play location data. Check it out: buff.ly/FoW6oEb Or select a team here: buff.ly/7MTwhMs

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 22/09/2026

Weekly 2026 model training data updates are coming soon for Patreon Tier 3+. Want to get your CFB modeling workflow ready before the weekly drops begin? The Model Training Pack includes pre-compiled data and guided notebooks to get you started. buff.ly/QOzw8mr

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 21/09/2026

Finally, player-level usage + efficiency makes it easier to see who drove the game. This is one of the biggest front-end upgrades I’ve shipped to CFBD in a while. Take a look and let me know what you’d want to see next. buff.ly/dcen7K9

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Bill Radjewski @collegefootballdata.com · 21/09/2026

Rushing gets the same treatment: EPA/play, power success, stuff rate, line yards, second-level yards, open-field yards, plus directional rushing splits. You can quickly see not only how well a team ran, but where the production came from.

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