Record
5-3 wins–losses
No rank assigned
Results earned. Wins and losses do not account for opponent strength or victory margin.
2026, provider Week 9; captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00
SP+ workbook recordWestern Michigan
2026 season
Mid-American
2026 preseason report
Historical preseason snapshot from 2026-07-29, including roster context and illustrative season projections. This is not a live injury feed.
What every system says
Western Michigan's rank in each system (1 = best). Middle rank 72 across 8 systems; best 68, worst 86, so they disagree by 18 places.
- Lab EPA
- #70
- Through week 82026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
- Lab SRS
- #68
- down 22026 · 138 FBS roster teams, including prior-only teams · Through week 8 · built 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
- SP+
- #86
- down 52026 · 138 published SP+ teams · Provider week 9 · captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Published provider ranks; tie handling is not documented in this snapshot.
- Elo
- #71
- down 22026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- FPI
- #81
- no change2026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- CORE
- #79
- up 1 · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:002026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- CFBD SRS
- #73
- up 52026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- WEPA
- #70
- down 22026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
FPI context
ESPN FPI via CFBD · 2026
Résumé and schedule
Results earned and schedule difficulty
- Strength of record
- #75 of 138
- Schedule strength
- #97 of 138
- Remaining schedule strength
- #137 of 138
- Game control
- #79 of 138
Unit efficiency
Performance by unit
- Overall
- #76 of 138
- Offense
- #74 of 138
- Defense
- #86 of 138
- Special teams
- #12 of 138
Ranks calculated among rated FBS teams; ties share rank. #1 means strongest résumé, hardest schedule, best game control or highest efficiency. These are separate measures, not a combined forecast. Captured Oct 30, 2026, 06:02:01 CDT. FPI supplies no results-through week; capture time records when we received it.
Why the ratings disagree
Western Michigan · 2026. Each system answers a different question. The cards show each source's rank (published or computed here) and coverage, so a rank gap can also reflect which teams have data.
Descriptive EPA
-0.007 net EPA/play
#70
2026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
Observed per-play efficiency after opponent adjustment. FBS-vs-FBS plays; no preseason strength prior. Sparse schedules can produce sharp early movement.
2026, through CFBD Week 8; opponent adjusted ridge
Lab EPA from CFBD playsLocal predictive SRS
0.84 points
#68 · Down 2 places since the previous CFBD cutoff
2026 · 138 FBS roster teams, including prior-only teams · Through week 8 · built 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
This season's 8 games, with recent games counting a bit more: average margin +6.72 (with blowouts capped at 35 points and overtime games counted as a 1-point result, then 2.5 points of home field removed) against opponents averaging -5.93, schedule #103 of 138 (#1 = toughest); 1 FCS opponent counts at −25; FBS opponents alone average -3.50. That is worth +0.79 on its own; the preseason prior of +1.03 still carries 22% of the weight, giving +0.84.
How each game enters this SRS rating
Western Michigan · 2026, through CFBD Week 8. Margins are team minus opponent. The fit caps margins and treats overtime as a one-point result before adjusting for venue. Recent games carry more weight; the fit share includes the preseason prior in its denominator.
| Game | Raw margin → transformed | Venue adjustment | Recency weight | Fit share | Opponent rating | Margin term | Opponent term | Total term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 · Michigan away · 2026-09-05 · ID 401858428 | -1.00 → -1.00 | +2.50 | 0.7637 | 8.47% | +6.07 | 0.127 | 0.514 | 0.641 |
| Week 2 · Monmouth home · 2026-09-12 · ID 401866421 | +35.00 → +35.00 | -2.50 | 0.7937 | 8.80% | -25.00 (fixed lower division) | 2.860 | -2.200 | 0.660 |
| Week 3 · Rice away · 2026-09-19 · ID 401862773 | +7.00 → +7.00 | +2.50 | 0.8249 | 9.15% | -9.25 | 0.869 | -0.846 | 0.023 |
| Week 4 · Boise State home · 2026-09-26 · ID 401860897 | -25.00 → -25.00 | -2.50 | 0.8572 | 9.51% | +8.47 | -2.614 | 0.805 | -1.809 |
| Week 5 · Buffalo away · 2026-10-03 · ID 401866432 | +3.00 → +3.00 | +2.50 | 0.8909 | 9.88% | -9.25 | 0.543 | -0.914 | -0.371 |
| Week 6 · Kent State home · 2026-10-10 · ID 401866439 | +31.00 → +31.00 | -2.50 | 0.9259 | 10.27% | -11.95 | 2.926 | -1.226 | 1.700 |
| Week 7 · Central Michigan away · 2026-10-17 · ID 401866443 | +7.00 → +7.00 | +2.50 | 0.9622 | 10.67% | -8.47 | 1.014 | -0.903 | 0.110 |
| Week 8 · Toledo away · 2026-10-24 · ID 401866450 | -7.00 → -7.00 | +2.50 | 1.0000 | 11.09% | +1.38 | -0.499 | 0.153 | -0.346 |
Game terms +0.61 points; prior term +0.23 points. Their unrounded sum is the fitted rating +0.84 points. The preseason prior is +1.03 with 22.18% of the fit weight. Displayed values are rounded; the producer checks the unrounded identity within 0.00000001 points.
These are additive terms of the current fit, not the effect of removing a game. Opponent ratings already reflect the connected schedule. Lower-division opponents use the fixed anchor, not an individually fitted rating. The rating's model-based 95% band is ±8.7 points; this decomposition does not reduce uncertainty or assign causal effects.
Download fitted terms and source hashesEstimated strength from schedule-adjusted scoring margins, margin caps, home-field adjustment and recency weighting. Half of prior-season strength, including postseason, carries forward with two games of weight. SRS includes FCS opponents under a fixed strength assumption. 8 current games; prior available.
2026, through CFBD Week 8; generated 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00
Lab SRS from CFBD scoresExternal SP+
-2.7 SP+ points
#86 · Down 5 places
2026 · 138 published SP+ teams · Provider week 9 · captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Published provider ranks; tie handling is not documented in this snapshot.
Bill Connelly's published predictive strength estimate. Its method and scale differ from local SRS.
2026, provider Week 9; captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00
Bill Connelly SP+ workbookExternal CORE
-3.62 net points per 100 offensive + 100 defensive plays
#79 of 138 by overall (ranked here; CORE publishes no rank)
2026 · 138 rated FBS teams in this CORE board · 2026, through regular Week 8; model core-v1; captured 2026-10-30T11:02:06.855798+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
CFBD's context- and opponent-relative efficiency. Offense is higher-better; defense is points allowed above average, so lower is better; overall is offense minus defense. It counts only pass and rush plays from FBS-vs-FBS games, with no special teams, overtime or garbage time; early-week values are pulled toward average but are still uncertain, and it is not a résumé ranking. Its scale is not comparable to EPA, SRS or SP+. Offense -1.99 on 393 plays; defense 1.63 on 437 plays.
2026, through regular Week 8; model core-v1; captured 2026-10-30T11:02:06.855798+00:00
CFBD CORE ratingCORE board: offense vs defenseEPA ranks Western Michigan 2 places lower than local SRS at the matched cutoff. This identifies a disagreement; it does not isolate its cause. SP+ movement compares provider weeks 8 and 9. Provider weeks may differ from CFBD weeks, so no cross-provider rank gap is calculated. CORE reports its own inclusive cutoff and is shown beside these systems for comparison only; it is an external research rating and is never blended into the lab's opponent-adjusted EPA, local SRS or any pick.
Team ratings and rank gaps are not matchup spreads or win probabilities. Matchup context and a calibrated forecast mapping are required. Do not average EPA, SRS, SP+ and CORE values across their different scales.
Read local SRS assumptions and forecast evidenceProgram context
2026 · CFBD records, polls, recruiting, coaches- Record
- 5-3 · conf 3-1 · home 2-1 · away 3-2 · expected wins 4.7
- Polls (Week 9)
- unranked
- CFP latest
- not published
- CFP final
- not published
- Against the spread
- 2026: 3-5 ATS (+2.1 avg) · 2025: 11-3 ATS (+8.8 avg)
- Head coach
- Lance Taylor · hired 2022-12-08 · 20-19 over 4 captured seasons
- Recruiting classes
- 2024 #71 (172 pts) · 2025 #104 (142 pts) · 2026 #112 (171 pts)
- Returning
- 100% of production · 100% of usage
Passing, receiving and rushing detail
Category Production Usage Passing 100% 100% Receiving 100% 100% Rushing 100% 100% Shares of prior-season PPA and usage returning in each category. Missing values are unavailable.
Provider values from CFBD captures dated 2026-09-22, 2026-10-30. head coach for the season; tenure counts cover only the captured seasons, hire date is the provider's. Returning usage carries no signal beyond returning production in this repo's research; neither is a model input.
Recruiting by position group
2023–2026 classes · High school · CFBD · captured 2026-10-30 UTC
| Position group | Commits | Avg. stars | Avg. rating | Total rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defensive Back | 14 | 2.93 | 0.8336 | 11.67 |
| Defensive Line | 12 | 3.00 | 0.8404 | 10.08 |
| Linebacker | 5 | 2.80 | 0.8041 | 4.02 |
| Offensive Line | 12 | 2.83 | 0.8191 | 9.83 |
| Quarterback | 4 | 3.00 | 0.8320 | 3.33 |
| Receiver | 13 | 3.00 | 0.8441 | 10.97 |
| Running Back | 2 | 3.00 | 0.8343 | 1.67 |
| Special Teams | 11 | 2.82 | 0.8277 | 9.10 |
Recruiting class aggregates, not current roster strength. Commits count recruits across the window; total rating also reflects class size. JUCO, prep-school and transfer ratings are excluded. These values do not enter the prediction model.
Player efficiency and usage
2026 · observed 2026-10-30 UTCPassing and rushing WEPA adjust efficiency for opponents. Kicker PAAR measures points added above replacement. Higher is better within each metric. Metric rows are ordered by sample size, followed by usage-only players. Usage is the share of team plays involving the player within each category; categories overlap and should not be added. CFBD definitions
| Player / history | Metric | Value | Plays / attempts | Overall usage | Usage detail | Recruiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Broc Lowry · QBCFBD athlete 5074245. Indiana (2023–2023); Western Michigan (2024–2026) | Passing WEPA | 0.202 | 168 | 52.0% | Pass 95.3% · Rush 25.2%1st 50.9% · 2nd 43.9% · 3rd 64.4% Standard downs 48.8% · Passing downs 59.6% | 2023: 3★ · 0.8600 |
Jalen Buckley · RBCFBD athlete 5085006. Western Michigan (2022–2026) | Rushing WEPA | 0.264 | 114 | 27.3% | Pass 7.9% · Rush 41.3%1st 29.4% · 2nd 30.6% · 3rd 19.8% Standard downs 28.7% · Passing downs 24.0% | Not linked |
Broc Lowry · QBCFBD athlete 5074245. Indiana (2023–2023); Western Michigan (2024–2026) | Rushing WEPA | 0.219 | 74 | 52.0% | Pass 95.3% · Rush 25.2%1st 50.9% · 2nd 43.9% · 3rd 64.4% Standard downs 48.8% · Passing downs 59.6% | 2023: 3★ · 0.8600 |
Ofa Mataele · RBCFBD athlete 5296166. Western Michigan (2025–2026) | Rushing WEPA | 0.137 | 50 | 12.1% | Pass 3.1% · Rush 18.5%1st 11.2% · 2nd 17.8% · 3rd 6.9% Standard downs 13.2% · Passing downs 9.6% | 2025: stars unavailable |
Dieter Kelly · PKCFBD athlete 5394441. Western Michigan (2026–2026) | Kicker PAAR | 4.390 | 9 | — | Pass — · Rush —1st — · 2nd — · 3rd — Standard downs — · Passing downs — | Not linked |
AJ Green · RBCFBD athlete 4596437. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 1.6% | Pass 0.0% · Rush 2.9%1st 1.6% · 2nd 2.6% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 2.2% · Passing downs 0.0% | Not linked |
Adam Parks · TECFBD athlete 5121636. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 3.2% | Pass 7.7% · Rush 0.0%1st 3.6% · 2nd 2.5% · 3rd 3.9% Standard downs 3.2% · Passing downs 3.3% | Not linked |
Aveion Chenault · WRCFBD athlete 5164351. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 9.2% | Pass 24.8% · Rush 0.0%1st 9.3% · 2nd 7.9% · 3rd 12.2% Standard downs 8.1% · Passing downs 11.6% | Not linked |
Baylin Brooks · WRCFBD athlete 5075962. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 6.7% | Pass 15.9% · Rush 0.0%1st 6.2% · 2nd 5.8% · 3rd 8.0% Standard downs 5.7% · Passing downs 8.9% | Not linked |
Brennan Wooten · TECFBD athlete 4954514. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 1.5% | Pass 3.7% · Rush 0.0%1st 3.4% · 2nd 0.0% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 1.9% · Passing downs 0.0% | Not linked |
Cole Cabana · RBCFBD athlete 4917858. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 4.7% | Pass 3.5% · Rush 5.7%1st 5.0% · 2nd 3.5% · 3rd 6.6% Standard downs 4.7% · Passing downs 4.8% | Not linked |
Donovan Triplett · RBCFBD athlete 5276960. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 1.7% | Pass 0.0% · Rush 3.2%1st 3.1% · 2nd 0.0% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 2.4% · Passing downs 0.0% | Not linked |
Egypt Nelson · WRCFBD athlete 5155273. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 6.5% | Pass 15.4% · Rush 0.0%1st 5.2% · 2nd 5.8% · 3rd 8.0% Standard downs 5.4% · Passing downs 8.9% | Not linked |
Emazon Littlejohn · WRCFBD athlete 5218736. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 3.8% | Pass 5.1% · Rush 3.2%1st 1.9% · 2nd 3.4% · 3rd 9.0% Standard downs 2.7% · Passing downs 6.4% | Not linked |
Harper Hughes · WRCFBD athlete 5282469. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 3.8% | Pass 4.8% · Rush 3.1%1st 2.8% · 2nd 3.8% · 3rd 4.4% Standard downs 4.2% · Passing downs 2.7% | Not linked |
Keivin Boone-Nelson II · WRCFBD athlete 5296172. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 1.7% | Pass 3.7% · Rush 0.0%1st 3.6% · 2nd 0.0% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 2.3% · Passing downs 0.0% | Not linked |
Nathan Levicki · TECFBD athlete 5157528. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 3.5% | Pass 8.9% · Rush 0.0%1st 4.7% · 2nd 3.2% · 3rd 1.0% Standard downs 4.4% · Passing downs 1.4% | Not linked |
Ryan Brotherton · TECFBD athlete 5144956. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 2.9% | Pass 6.1% · Rush 0.0%1st 3.7% · 2nd 1.9% · 3rd 3.2% Standard downs 2.5% · Passing downs 4.1% | Not linked |
Terence Marshall · WRCFBD athlete 5086095. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 1.7% | Pass 3.8% · Rush 0.0%1st 0.0% · 2nd 0.0% · 3rd 11.1% Standard downs 0.0% · Passing downs 5.9% | Not linked |
Trey Petty · QBCFBD athlete 5126475. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 10.3% | Pass 9.6% · Rush 11.2%1st 7.3% · 2nd 10.7% · 3rd 12.9% Standard downs 8.6% · Passing downs 14.9% | Not linked |
Transfers
Incoming · 14 reported
| Player | From | Date | Stars / rating | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AJ Green · RB | Arkansas | 2026-01-10 | 4★ / — | Immediate |
| Adam Parks · TE | New Mexico State | 2026-01-12 | 2★ / 0.7900 | Immediate |
| Ahmed Tounkara · DL | Ohio State | 2026-01-15 | 3★ / 0.8000 | Immediate |
| Austin Alexander · EDGE | North Carolina | 2026-01-21 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Ben Roebuck · IOL | Michigan | 2026-01-08 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Brenden Anes · LB | Tennessee | 2026-01-08 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Daeh McCullough · S | Louisville | 2026-01-23 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| DeJuan Echoles Jr. · LB | Ball State | 2026-01-13 | 3★ / 0.8200 | Immediate |
| Drew Doyle · LS | Virginia Tech | 2026-01-21 | — / — | Immediate |
| Emazon Littlejohn · WR | South Carolina | 2026-01-05 | — / — | Immediate |
| Kouri Crump · S | VMI | 2026-01-07 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| Tahj Owens · S | Princeton | 2026-01-20 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| Trey Petty · QB | Illinois | 2026-01-10 | 3★ / 0.8300 | Immediate |
| Willard Ferrell · CB | Presbyterian | 2026-01-22 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
Outgoing · 13 reported
| Player | To | Date | Stars / rating | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brady Jones · QB | Oregon State | 2026-01-18 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| Derek Pennington · LB | Not reported | 2026-01-06 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Devin Miles · RB | Not reported | 2026-01-02 | — / — | Immediate |
| Fitzroy Ledgister · CB | Not reported | 2026-01-02 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Isaiah Paul · CB | Not reported | 2025-12-31 | 2★ / — | Immediate |
| Isaiah Street · EDGE | Ohio | 2026-01-13 | 3★ / 0.8200 | Immediate |
| Jason Mitchell · S | Not reported | 2026-01-06 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Jordan Buckley · DL | Not reported | 2026-01-02 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Joshua Lloyd · EDGE | Austin Peay | 2026-01-25 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Mark Konecny · QB | Not reported | 2025-12-15 | 2★ / — | Immediate |
| Popeye Williams · EDGE | Not reported | 2026-01-02 | 4★ / — | Immediate |
| Ray Hall · WR | Cal Poly | 2026-02-05 | — / — | Immediate |
| Tre' Hartwell · RB | Not reported | 2025-12-29 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
Transfer observations can include unresolved destinations. CFBD supplies no timezone for transfer dates and no athlete ID linking these records to the efficiency table. These observations do not establish current roster membership or game availability.
Descriptive context only; no player or transfer value enters the prediction model. Adjusted metrics require unambiguous season/team history. Usage-only rows use the captured athlete ID and team; conflicting usage identities are omitted. Missing values are unavailable, not zero. Provider coverage is incomplete.
Coaching eras
Continuous appointments at Western Michigan. Records are CFBD-attributed results; active tenures and the current season may be incomplete.
Lance Taylor · career 20–19 across 4 seasons and 1 schools
Tenure timeline · 10 appointments
2023–present · Lance Taylor · active at capture
20–19 · 39 attributed games · 4 seasons
Hired 2022-12-08. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2017–2022 · Tim Lester
37–32 · 69 attributed games · 6 seasons
Hired 2017-01-13. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2013–2016 · P.J. Fleck
30–22 · 52 attributed games · 4 seasons
Hired 2012-12-17. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2005–2012 · Bill Cubit
51–47 · 98 attributed games · 8 seasons
Hired 2004-12-04. Exact effective dates unavailable.
1997–2004 · Gary Darnell
46–46 · 92 attributed games · 8 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1987–1996 · Al Molde
62–47–2 · 111 attributed games · 10 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1982–1986 · Jack Harbaugh
25–27–3 · 55 attributed games · 5 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1975–1981 · Elliot Uzelac
38–39 · 77 attributed games · 7 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1964–1974 · Bill Doolittle
58–49–2 · 109 attributed games · 11 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1962–1963 · Merle Schlosser
7–11 · 18 attributed games · 2 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
Season résumé · 2015–2026
Coach-attributed records appear beside team-season ratings, recruiting and poll context. Shared seasons appear once per coach; rows are not assigned to individual stints. Ratings describe team performance, not a causal coaching effect.
| Season / coach | Record | Conference | Postseason | SP+ | SRS | Recruiting rank | Final poll |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 · Lance Taylor · incomplete attribution | 0–0 | — | — | -1.5 | -1.3 | 112 | — |
| 2025 · Lance Taylor | 10–4 | 7–1 | 1–0 | -1.4 | -0.1 | 104 | — |
| 2024 · Lance Taylor | 6–7 | 5–3 | 0–1 | -10.2 | -7.6 | 71 | — |
| 2023 · Lance Taylor | 4–8 | 3–5 | 0–0 | -15.9 | -14.6 | 106 | — |
| 2022 · Tim Lester | 5–7 | 4–4 | 0–0 | -17.3 | -13.6 | 105 | — |
| 2021 · Tim Lester | 8–5 | 4–4 | 1–0 | 0.6 | -7 | 97 | — |
| 2020 · Tim Lester | 4–2 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 0.6 | — | 86 | — |
| 2019 · Tim Lester | 7–6 | 5–3 | 0–1 | -4.9 | -4.5 | 92 | — |
| 2018 · Tim Lester | 7–6 | 5–3 | 0–1 | -10.7 | -10.3 | 76 | — |
| 2017 · Tim Lester | 6–6 | 4–4 | 0–0 | -2.4 | -4.4 | 89 | — |
| 2016 · P.J. Fleck | 13–1 | 9–0 | 0–1 | 11.5 | 13.5 | 67 | 15 |
| 2015 · P.J. Fleck | 8–5 | 6–2 | 1–0 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 76 | — |
Source: CFBD · captured 2026-10-26T02:02:59.394463+00:00 UTC. Season résumé covers 2015–2026; timeline spans all returned tenures. — means unavailable. Career summaries cover active coaches at capture. This snapshot is descriptive and is not a pregame cutoff.
CFBD season overview
2026 stored season snapshot, including postseason and garbage time. Raw CFBD PPA is not opponent-adjusted EPA or player WEPA. No week cutoff; these values do not enter our forecasts.
Captured 2026-10-26 04:10:14.047809 UTC · Source data
Stat rankings
CFBD FBS ranks · source updated 2026-10-25 13:17:12 UTC · calculated 2026-10-26 04:10:14 UTC · provider cache expiry 2026-10-26 04:20:14 UTC. Rank 1 is best; percentiles use CFBD’s 0–100 scale.
| Statistic | Offense rank / population | Percentile | Defense rank / population | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPA / play | 74 / 138 | 46.7 | 78 / 138 | 43.8 |
| Success rate | 83 / 138 | 40.1 | 114 / 138 | 17.5 |
| Explosiveness | 99 / 138 | 28.5 | 14 / 138 | 90.5 |
| Standard-down success | 92 / 138 | 33.6 | 92 / 138 | 33.6 |
| Passing-down success | 77 / 138 | 44.5 | 125 / 138 | 9.5 |
| Pass PPA | 98 / 138 | 29.2 | 65 / 138 | 53.3 |
| Rush PPA | 48 / 138 | 65.7 | 55 / 138 | 60.6 |
| Pass explosiveness | 115 / 138 | 16.8 | 73 / 138 | 47.4 |
| Rush explosiveness | 32 / 138 | 77.4 | 16 / 138 | 89.1 |
| Line yards | 74 / 138 | 46.7 | 101 / 138 | 27.0 |
| Second-level yards | 71 / 138 | 48.9 | 83 / 138 | 40.1 |
| Open-field yards | 100 / 138 | 27.7 | 6 / 138 | 96.4 |
| Stuff rate | 36 / 138 | 74.5 | 100 / 138 | 27.7 |
| Power success | T56 / 138 | 59.1 | 91 / 138 | 34.3 |
| Havoc | T38 / 138 | 70.8 | T108 / 138 | 21.5 |
| Front-seven havoc | T79 / 138 | 41.6 | T116 / 138 | 15.0 |
| DB havoc | T19 / 138 | 85.8 | T62 / 138 | 54.0 |
| Points / opportunity | 24 / 138 | 83.2 | 36 / 138 | 74.5 |
| Average field position | T62 / 138 | 55.1 | 33 / 138 | 76.6 |
| Field-position expected points | 66 / 138 | 52.6 | 39 / 138 | 72.3 |
Player PPA and usage
Ordered by overall usage. Open a player for pass, rush, down and situation splits. Usage is the provider’s share of team plays in each situation; PPA is the provider’s average or total for that player. Missing values stay blank (—); play counts are not supplied here. Standard downs are 1st down, 2nd-and-7 or shorter, and 3rd/4th-and-4 or shorter; other situations are passing downs.
Broc Lowry · QBUsage 52.0% · Avg PPA 0.116 · Total 29.345
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.116 | 29.345 | 52.0% |
| Pass | 0.104 | 18.887 | 95.3% |
| Rush | 0.145 | 10.458 | 25.2% |
| 1st down | 0.092 | 10.020 | 50.9% |
| 2nd down | 0.081 | 5.585 | 43.9% |
| 3rd down | 0.311 | 20.229 | 64.4% |
| Standard downs | 0.111 | 18.582 | 48.8% |
| Passing downs | 0.124 | 10.763 | 59.6% |
Jalen Buckley · RBUsage 27.3% · Avg PPA 0.197 · Total 26.199
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.197 | 26.199 | 27.3% |
| Pass | -0.006 | -0.087 | 7.9% |
| Rush | 0.223 | 26.286 | 41.3% |
| 1st down | -0.071 | -4.465 | 29.4% |
| 2nd down | 0.321 | 15.412 | 30.6% |
| 3rd down | 0.588 | 11.765 | 19.8% |
| Standard downs | 0.144 | 14.156 | 28.7% |
| Passing downs | 0.344 | 12.044 | 24.0% |
Ofa Mataele · RBUsage 12.1% · Avg PPA 0.059 · Total 3.482
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.059 | 3.482 | 12.1% |
| Pass | 0.201 | 1.206 | 3.1% |
| Rush | 0.043 | 2.276 | 18.5% |
| 1st down | 0.046 | 1.096 | 11.2% |
| 2nd down | -0.036 | -1.007 | 17.8% |
| 3rd down | 0.485 | 3.393 | 6.9% |
| Standard downs | 0.047 | 2.121 | 13.2% |
| Passing downs | 0.097 | 1.361 | 9.6% |
Trey Petty · QBUsage 10.3% · Avg PPA 0.625 · Total 11.257
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.625 | 11.257 | 10.3% |
| Pass | 0.644 | 5.152 | 9.6% |
| Rush | 0.611 | 6.106 | 11.2% |
| 1st down | 0.322 | 1.932 | 7.3% |
| 2nd down | 0.778 | 4.670 | 10.7% |
| 3rd down | 1.469 | 5.876 | 12.9% |
| Standard downs | 0.032 | 0.351 | 8.6% |
| Passing downs | 1.558 | 10.906 | 14.9% |
Aveion Chenault · WRUsage 9.2% · Avg PPA 0.764 · Total 30.566
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.764 | 30.566 | 9.2% |
| Pass | 0.764 | 30.566 | 24.8% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.706 | 12.713 | 9.3% |
| 2nd down | 0.885 | 9.734 | 7.9% |
| 3rd down | 0.738 | 8.118 | 12.2% |
| Standard downs | 0.662 | 16.539 | 8.1% |
| Passing downs | 0.935 | 14.027 | 11.6% |
Baylin Brooks · WRUsage 6.7% · Avg PPA 0.344 · Total 9.968
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.344 | 9.968 | 6.7% |
| Pass | 0.344 | 9.968 | 15.9% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.354 | 4.253 | 6.2% |
| 2nd down | 0.309 | 2.471 | 5.8% |
| 3rd down | 0.245 | 1.715 | 8.0% |
| Standard downs | 0.120 | 2.034 | 5.7% |
| Passing downs | 0.661 | 7.933 | 8.9% |
Egypt Nelson · WRUsage 6.5% · Avg PPA -0.263 · Total -7.352
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.263 | -7.352 | 6.5% |
| Pass | -0.263 | -7.352 | 15.4% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.141 | 1.410 | 5.2% |
| 2nd down | -0.569 | -4.551 | 5.8% |
| 3rd down | 1.077 | 7.536 | 8.0% |
| Standard downs | -0.421 | -6.732 | 5.4% |
| Passing downs | -0.052 | -0.620 | 8.9% |
Cole Cabana · RBUsage 4.7% · Avg PPA -0.197 · Total -3.343
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.197 | -3.343 | 4.7% |
| Pass | 0.069 | 0.344 | 3.5% |
| Rush | -0.307 | -3.687 | 5.7% |
| 1st down | -0.255 | -2.042 | 5.0% |
| 2nd down | 0.279 | 1.115 | 3.5% |
| 3rd down | -0.483 | -2.417 | 6.6% |
| Standard downs | -0.035 | -0.418 | 4.7% |
| Passing downs | -0.585 | -2.925 | 4.8% |
Emazon Littlejohn · WRUsage 3.8% · Avg PPA 0.308 · Total 4.316
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.308 | 4.316 | 3.8% |
| Pass | -0.183 | -1.284 | 5.1% |
| Rush | 0.800 | 5.601 | 3.2% |
| 1st down | 0.486 | 1.458 | 1.9% |
| 2nd down | 0.631 | 2.523 | 3.4% |
| 3rd down | 0.048 | 0.335 | 9.0% |
| Standard downs | 0.510 | 3.573 | 2.7% |
| Passing downs | 0.106 | 0.744 | 6.4% |
Harper Hughes · WRUsage 3.8% · Avg PPA -0.284 · Total -2.557
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.284 | -2.557 | 3.8% |
| Pass | -0.560 | -2.800 | 4.8% |
| Rush | 0.061 | 0.243 | 3.1% |
| 1st down | 0.398 | 1.193 | 2.8% |
| 2nd down | 0.206 | 0.619 | 3.8% |
| 3rd down | -0.178 | -0.355 | 4.4% |
| Standard downs | -0.638 | -4.465 | 4.2% |
| Passing downs | 0.954 | 1.909 | 2.7% |
Nathan Levicki · TEUsage 3.5% · Avg PPA 0.430 · Total 7.309
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.430 | 7.309 | 3.5% |
| Pass | 0.430 | 7.309 | 8.9% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.522 | 5.221 | 4.7% |
| 2nd down | -0.116 | -0.581 | 3.2% |
| 3rd down | -0.302 | -0.302 | 1.0% |
| Standard downs | 0.522 | 7.833 | 4.4% |
| Passing downs | -0.262 | -0.525 | 1.4% |
Adam Parks · TEUsage 3.2% · Avg PPA 0.617 · Total 7.408
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.617 | 7.408 | 3.2% |
| Pass | 0.617 | 7.408 | 7.7% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.371 | 2.225 | 3.6% |
| 2nd down | 0.166 | 0.497 | 2.5% |
| 3rd down | 1.562 | 4.687 | 3.9% |
| Standard downs | 0.681 | 5.444 | 3.2% |
| Passing downs | 0.491 | 1.964 | 3.3% |
Ryan Brotherton · TEUsage 2.9% · Avg PPA 0.596 · Total 2.978
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.596 | 2.978 | 2.9% |
| Pass | 0.596 | 2.978 | 6.1% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.232 | 0.697 | 3.7% |
| 2nd down | 2.890 | 2.890 | 1.9% |
| 3rd down | -0.609 | -0.609 | 3.2% |
| Standard downs | 0.232 | 0.697 | 2.5% |
| Passing downs | 1.141 | 2.281 | 4.1% |
Donovan Triplett · RBUsage 1.7% · Avg PPA -0.271 · Total -0.271
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.271 | -0.271 | 1.7% |
| Pass | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Rush | -0.271 | -0.271 | 3.2% |
| 1st down | -0.271 | -0.271 | 3.1% |
| 2nd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 3rd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Standard downs | -0.271 | -0.271 | 2.4% |
| Passing downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
Keivin Boone-Nelson II · WRUsage 1.7% · Avg PPA 0.030 · Total 0.119
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.030 | 0.119 | 1.7% |
| Pass | 0.030 | 0.119 | 3.7% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.030 | 0.119 | 3.6% |
| 2nd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 3rd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Standard downs | 0.030 | 0.119 | 2.3% |
| Passing downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
Terence Marshall · WRUsage 1.7% · Avg PPA 2.190 · Total 2.190
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2.190 | 2.190 | 1.7% |
| Pass | 2.190 | 2.190 | 3.8% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 2nd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 3rd down | 2.190 | 2.190 | 11.1% |
| Standard downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Passing downs | 2.190 | 2.190 | 5.9% |
AJ Green · RBUsage 1.6% · Avg PPA -0.321 · Total -0.642
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.321 | -0.642 | 1.6% |
| Pass | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Rush | -0.321 | -0.642 | 2.9% |
| 1st down | -0.227 | -0.227 | 1.6% |
| 2nd down | -0.416 | -0.416 | 2.6% |
| 3rd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Standard downs | -0.321 | -0.642 | 2.2% |
| Passing downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
Brennan Wooten · TEUsage 1.5% · Avg PPA -0.321 · Total -0.321
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.321 | -0.321 | 1.5% |
| Pass | -0.321 | -0.321 | 3.7% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | -0.321 | -0.321 | 3.4% |
| 2nd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 3rd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Standard downs | -0.321 | -0.321 | 1.9% |
| Passing downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
2026 · Through provider Week 8. Each metric uses only published FBS teams with a numeric value. Higher percentile is better; tied values receive the midpoint of their positions, rounded to a whole percentile. Missing values are unranked.
Values and percentiles
| Metric | Value | Percentile | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offense PPA/play | 0.130 | 47th138 teams | higher |
| Offense success rate | 0.418 | 40th138 teams | higher |
| Offense explosiveness | 1.183 | 28th138 teams | higher |
| Offense pass PPA/play | 0.120 | 29th138 teams | higher |
| Offense rush PPA/play | 0.147 | 66th138 teams | higher |
| Defense PPA/play | 0.081 | 44th138 teams | lower |
| Defense success rate | 0.442 | 18th138 teams | lower |
| Defense explosiveness | 1.111 | 91st138 teams | lower |
| Defense havoc created | 0.138 | 22nd138 teams | higher |
Passing profile
2026 · CFBD passing family · raw PPACaptured 2026-10-30. Offense: 98% of 185 attempts charted. Average depth of target 8.1 yards (29th percentile of FBS). Yards after catch 5.3 per completion. Completion 63.2%, 7.1 yards per attempt, pass PPA 0.18.
| Side | Actual | Expected | CPOE (pp) | Qualifying / all attempts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense | 62.0% | 63.3% | -1.3 | 158 / 185 |
| Defense allowed | 59.9% | 58.2% | +1.7 | 187 / 236 |
Actual and expected use the same qualifying attempts, which can be fewer than all passes. CPOE is their difference in percentage points (pp); higher is better on offense, lower allowed is better on defense. CFBD models FBS-vs-FBS passes, excluding spikes, throwaways, intentional grounding and attempts without air yards. — means unavailable; small samples have fewer than 40 qualifying attempts.
138 teams with at least 40 charted attempts. The highlighted point is Western Michigan.
Highlighted bars are deep zones. Shares are of located attempts only.
Defense and rushing detail
| Side | Attempts | Charted | ADOT | YAC | Comp % | PPA | CPOE | CPOE att |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passing offense | 185 | 98% | 8.1 | 5.3 | 63.2% | 0.18 | -1.3 pp | 158 |
| Passing defense | 236 | 99% | 9.7 | 4.7 | 60.2% | 0.19 | +1.7 pp | 187 |
Rushing production
| Side | Attempts | Yards / carry | Success | PPA | Line yards / rush | Second-level yards / rush | Open-field yards / rush | Stuff rate | Power success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense | 296 | 4.5 | 43.9% | 0.20 | 3.20 | 1.10 | 1.00 | 12.9% | 75.6% |
| Defense allowed | 323 | 3.7 | 45.8% | 0.07 | 3.20 | 1.00 | 0.40 | 14.0% | 74.0% |
Second-level yards are gained 5–10 yards past the line; open-field yards are beyond 10. These are provider per-rush averages, not totals. Power success measures success with two or fewer yards needed. Exact line-metric and power-success denominators are not supplied in this feed.
Rushing sample and attribution
| Side | Yards recorded | Individual | Unattributed | Sacks | Kneels | Team rushes | Multiple carriers | Direction located / eligible |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense | 292 / 296 | 287 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 279 / 280 · 99.6% |
| Defense allowed | 314 / 323 | 311 | 12 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 301 / 301 · 100.0% |
Counts are attempts. Team totals include sacks, kneels, team-only rushes and unresolved attribution; these categories can overlap and must not be summed. Direction coverage uses ordinary direction-eligible rushes, not all attempts. Missing fields in older captures remain unavailable.
Raw provider values, no opponent adjustment; not model inputs. CFBD metric definitions.
Game-by-game passing and rushing
2026 · Passing CPOE · percentage points. Dashed line: season -1.3 pp. 7 of 8 captured games have this metric. Missing observations break the line.
CPOE is completion percentage over expected on qualifying FBS-vs-FBS attempts; positive means more completions than expected. PPA is raw provider PPA. These are game observations, not opponent-adjusted forecasts. P labels postseason weeks.
Game log and attempt coverage
| Week | Opponent | Pass att | CPOE att | Comp %* | Expected %* | CPOE | ADOT | Pass PPA | Rush att | Rush yds/carry | Rush PPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W1 | Michigan | 21 | 21 | 71.4% | 71.2% | +0.2 pp | 2.6 | -0.08 | 46 | 2.8 | -0.03 |
| W2 | Monmouth | 25 | 0 | — | — | — | 12.2 | 0.81 | 32 | 4.6 | 0.29 |
| W3 | Rice | 21 | 20 | 70.0% | 62.0% | +8.0 pp | 9.6 | 0.04 | 42 | 5.1 | 0.36 |
| W4 | Boise State | 29 | 29 | 51.7% | 66.1% | -14.3 pp | 6.1 | -0.42 | 22 | 5.1 | 0.14 |
| W5 | Buffalo | 24 | 24 | 79.2% | 67.5% | +11.6 pp | 4.8 | 0.37 | 37 | 3.9 | 0.00 |
| W6 | Kent State | 28 | 28 | 67.9% | 61.5% | +6.3 pp | 8.5 | 0.52 | 39 | 5.2 | 0.31 |
| W7 | Central Michigan | 8 | 7 | 57.1% | 60.8% | -3.7 pp | 9.1 | 0.27 | 45 | 5.0 | 0.27 |
| W8 | Toledo | 29 | 29 | 41.4% | 54.7% | -13.3 pp | 11.7 | 0.04 | 33 | 4.4 | 0.23 |
*Completion and expected rates use the same CPOE-eligible attempts. ADOT uses available air-yard attempts; a game needs at least one. No missing family is filled with the other family’s data.
Punting and returns
2026 season to date · CFBD · captured 2026-10-30T11:16:37.416814+00:00. Descriptive totals, including postseason when present.
Our punts
31 punts · 44.4 gross yards/punt · 40.7 net yards/punt
8 inside the 20 · 2 touchbacks · 0 blocked
Known gross yards: 31/31 punts. Known net yards: 26/31 punts.
Our punt returns
7 returns · 12.1 yards/return · 0 touchdowns
3 muffs · 0 opponent punts blocked
Known return yards: 7/7 returns. Return totals include team-only and unattributed plays.
Recent games
| Game | Punts | Gross yd/punt | Net yd/punt | Known net yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 8 · Toledo | 4 | 48.8 | 43.3 | 4/4 |
| Week 7 · Central Michigan | 4 | 42.3 | 42.7 | 3/4 |
| Week 6 · Kent State | 2 | 40.0 | 33.0 | 2/2 |
| Week 5 · Buffalo | 3 | 47.3 | 34.7 | 3/3 |
| Week 4 · Boise State | 4 | 44.8 | 41.7 | 3/4 |