Statistical Summer: Four Yards And A Cloud Of Stats

Who needs three yards and a cloud of dust when you can have four yards and a cloud of stats?

The Statistical Summer ends today at The Student Section, with the first game week of the FBS season upon us. Spend the final FBS-free weekend of 2014 mulling over some statistics that have helped shape the past decade (technically, nine seasons) of major college football.

This piece deals with rushing offense, a nod to Woody Hayes’s preferred style of play. We’ve been able to gather data from the past nine FBS seasons showing how many times teams have been able to average at least four yards per carry in a game. What you’ll see below are the “mosts” and “leasts” across the United States. In most cases, the “mosts” are good and the “leasts” are bad, but not universally. Feel free to catch us on Twitter: Terry Johnson at @SectionTPJ; Matt Zemek at @SectionMZ; and the Twitter account for this website, @TheStudentSect.

On with the show… and the findings from our research here at TSS:

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FOUR YARDS PER CARRY IN FBS GAMES SINCE 2005

PART I: MOSTS

SECTION I: TOP 10 WIN LEADERS

1) Oregon, 84

2) Ohio State, 80

3) Boise State, 74

4) LSU, 70

5) Northern Illinois, 68

6) Alabama, 67

7) Tie — Navy and USC, 66

9) Wisconsin, 65

10) Florida, 63

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SECTION II: TOP 10 GAME LEADERS

1) Navy, 98 games averaging at least four yards per carry since 2005

2) Oregon, 95 games

3) Georgia Tech, 92

4) Northern Illinois, 90

5) Ohio State, 89

6) Air Force, 88

7) Nevada, 87

8) Tie — USC and Wisconsin, 80

10) Oklahoma State, 79

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SECTION III: TOP 10 WINNING PERCENTAGE LEADERS

This is what Les Miles must feel like when his team averages at least four yards per carry in a game. No team has a higher winning percentage in such games since the 2005 FBS season.

This is what Les Miles must feel like when his team averages at least four yards per carry in a game. No team has a higher winning percentage in such games since the 2005 FBS season.

1) LSU, .946 winning percentage

2) Alabama, .931

3) Boise State, .914

4) Oklahoma, .910

5) Ohio State, .899

6) Virginia Tech, .893

7) Oregon, .884

8) BYU, .877

9) TCU, .873

10) Texas, .853

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PART II: LEASTS

SECTION I: BOTTOM 10 WIN TOTALS

1) New Mexico State, 11

2) Akron, 12

3) Idaho, 13

4) Duke, 14

5) Washington State, 15

6) Tulane, 16

7) Tie — Eastern Michigan and Miami University (OH), 17

9) Tie — Florida International and North Carolina State, 18

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SECTION II: BOTTOM 10 GAME TOTALS

1) Miami University (OH), 25 games averaging at least four yards per carry since 2005

2) Washington State, 28 games

3) Florida International, 29

4) Tie — Duke and New Mexico State, 31

6) Tie — Idaho, North Carolina State, and Wake Forest, 32

9) Akron, 36

10) Tie — Florida Atlantic, San Jose State, and Tulane, 37

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SECTION III: BOTTOM 10 WINNING PERCENTAGES

1) Army, .317

2) Eastern Michigan, .327

3) Akron, .333

4) New Mexico State, .355

5) North Texas, .377

6) UAB, .400

7) Idaho, .406

8) New Mexico, .412

9) Indiana, .426

10) Tulane, .432

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