Apologies for the delay, but after running these numbers, it's lasted WAY longer than 4 hours, and I've needed to seek medical attention. Good lord is this team dominating right now. Here we go.
As always, these numbers only factor in FBS vs FBS competition. So for us, the FAMU game is not factored. At this point, most teams have played 3-4 games vs FBS teams, so a decent sample size, but still a long way to go for everyone
Offense:
Yards per play: 1st (9.22 YPP) -- Some context: 2023 LSU averaged 8.49 YPP. 2019 LSU averaged 7.82.
Yards per game: 2nd (623.7 YPG)
Points per game: 2nd (51.0 PPG)
Passing yards per game: 1st (432 YPG)
Passing completion percentage: 5th (72.7%)
Passing yards per attempt: 5th (11.8 YPA)
Passer rating: 4th (204.06)
Passing TDs: 2nd (12 TDs)
Rushing yards per game: 34th (191.67 YPG)
Rushing yards per attempt: 8th (6.18 YPA)
Rushing TDs: 18th (8)
Sacks given up per game: 7th (0.33 per game)
3rd down conversion %: 2nd (63.3%)
4th down conversion %: 1st (100%, 1 for 1 on the season)
TFLs allowed per game: 2nd (2.3 per game)
Red Zone TD %: 38th (68.75% TD rate, 11 TDs in 16 chances)
Red Zone Scoring %: 36th (15 scores in 16 chances)
Field goal %: 36th (6 for 7)
PAT %: 1st (25 for 25)
10+ Yard Scrimmage Plays: 2nd (67)
20+ Yard Scrimmage Plays: 1st (31) We are 5 clear of Texas here and they have played an extra game
30+ Yard Scrimmage Plays: 2nd (9) Texas is the only team ahead of us, by 1, and they have played an extra game
40+ Yard Scrimmage Plays: 14th (5)
Defense:
Yards per play allowed: 11th (4.09 YPP)
Points per game allowed: 9th (10.7 PPG)
Passing yards per game allowed: 38th (178 YPG) Would be #1 by a mile for a full season
Passing completion percentage allowed: 37th (57.4%)
Passing yards per attempt: 18th (5.3 YPA)
Passer rating allowed: 14th (95.21)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 8th (69 YPG)
Rushing yards per attempt allowed: 9th (2.59 YPA)
Sacks per game: 5th (3.67 sacks per game)
3rd down % allowed: 9th (23.7% allowed)
4th down % allowed: 46th (50% allowed)
TFLs per game: 12th (8.0 per game)
Red Zone td % allowed: 24th (40% allowed -- 2 TDs in 5 chances)
Red Zone Scoring % allowed: 7th (60% allowed -- 3 scores in 5 chance)
Punting: 16th (46.25 Yard average)
10+ Yard Scrimmage Plays allowed: 40th (33)
20+ Yard Scrimmage Plays allowed: 11th (6)
30+ Yard Scrimmage Plays allowed: 9th (2)
Team Stats:
Penalties: 80th (7 penalties per game)
Penalty yards: 111th (74.7 Yards per game)
Turnover margin: 18th (1 per game -- 5 takeaways, 2 giveaway)
Time of possession: 21st (32:57 per game)
Number of offensive plays: (Avg 67.6 plays per game)
Takeaways:
This team is ******* frightening. We legitimately have the best offense in the entire country, statistically, right now. And the defensive passing numbers did slide a little last week, but we stuffed the run really well, got more sacks, got more turnovers, etc. It's one of the best overall defenses in the country too. Last week, Guidry did what good coaches do. They make you beat them doing what they're NOT best at. Meaning, going into the game, USF wants to beat you running the ball. Guidry doesn't let you do that, if you're going to get him, you're going to get him throwing it. And they did have some success throwing it, but his gamble is you cannot beat him for 60 minutes like that. And he's right.
So, through 3 FBS games, this team is an absolute wagon. There's nothing we're not good at, literally. Obviously we need to be better than we were with the penalties on Saturday. There will always be things to improve on. But wheels all the way the **** up thus far.
One caveat. The numbers were SOMEWHAT similar through the 4 OOC games last year. Definitely not this eye-popping, but they were really, really good. Almost across the board. And then we Chernobyld. In the first ACC game, at night, on national TV. Very similar parallels here. But my money is on the total opposite happening. We absolutely roll VT on Friday, because this is simply one of the very best teams in America across the board.
Now the fun starts. 8 games in a row against ACC teams. March to Charlotte begins in 48 hours. Enjoy this ****, fellas. This is a REALLY good football team.
