Inside The Stats: Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics

Stats don’t lie. People who interpret them do.
 
As we like to say, final scores on the scoreboard do not tell the entire story. A deeper dive into the stats on each game does. See our review of the 2019 football season to date from a statistical perspective below. 
 
INSIDE-OUT STAT WINNERS
 
A total of 13 FBS teams won games but were outgained in the contest last week. In addition, there were 3 more teams in the NFL that did the same thing. From top to bottom in total negative yardage they include:
 
SMU -125
Miami Fla -114
Memphis -86
Oklahoma State -66
Kansas State -62
Indiana – 59
San Jose State -26
Marshall -25
Navy -23
San Diego State -21
Stanford -21
Illinois -03
USC -02
Seahawks -190
Chargers -157
Titans -143
 
LEAKING OIL 
 
From our MIDWEEK ALERT statistical newsletter, the following seven teams on this week’s college football card are ‘leaking oil’. In addition there are three qualifying teams in the NFL. In rotation order, these are favorites who have been outgained in each of their last three straight games.
 
• Cincinnati
• Illinois
• Kansas State
• Liberty
• Mississippi State
• Oklahoma State
• Syracuse
• Browns
• Jets
• Panthers

 PUTTIN’ ON THE STATS
 
Each season starting in November we chart tams that are “Puttin On The Stats” from our statistical sister publication, the MIDWEEK ALERT.  What we’re looking to do from this point of the season out is to ‘Play On’ any team as a dog if they’ve won all – or all but one – of their games in total yards ITS (In The Stats) season-to-date. Conversely, we will look to ‘Play Against’ any favorite that has lost all – or all but one – of their games in total yards ITS.

Here is the list of teams for this November:
Play-On Dogs: Air Force, *Alabama, *Baylor, Boise State, *Clemson, *Georgia, Iowa State, *LSU, Michigan, Minnesota, Navy, *Ohio State, *Oklahoma, Oregon, Pittsburgh, *UAB, UCF, and *Utah. 

Play-Against Favorites: *Akron, California, New Mexico State, UMass, UTEP, and Vanderbilt.
This Saturday UAB becomes the first “Puttin On The Stats” play for this season.

An *asterisk indicates the team is 100% ITS this season. Once a favorite loses the stats a second time in the season, or a dog wins the stats for the second time during the season, they are immediately eliminated from the list. Happy Thanksgiving. 
Back next week with an overview of the upcoming college and pro football card.

For more in Marc Lawrence click here.