James Madison
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Expected points
YardLine's expected-points model values every snap by what a drive from that spot is worth on average, so a drive can be judged against where it started. How it works →
Drives vs. expectation, 2016
Points over expected per drive, from where each drive started.
Per drive against an average FBS opponent, neutral field.
Points over expected per trip inside the opponent's 40.
Average expected points where drives started.
Every snap has an expected-points value: what a drive from that spot, down and distance is worth on average. A drive over expected beat its starting spot; defense counts what James Madison allowed, so lower is better. The adjusted number fits every team against the opponents it actually played, so it leans toward average early in a season.
Game by game
Bars above the line: better than expected for James Madison.
Players
YardLine's player model credits every play's value to the players involved, so each one's season can be measured in wins above a typical backup. How it works →
Players, 2016
Quarterback is the most valuable starting slot by a wide margin: the gap between a top-decile and a median FBS quarterback is about twice the gap at any other position.
- Bryan SchorQB18 plays · +0.202 pts/play0.07WAR0.05 to 0.09
By position group
Linemen and defenders are valued as units, in points per game against the median FBS unit, because play-by-play doesn't say who was on the field. Players are valued against a replacement-level backup, so the two aren't added together.
Wins above replacement credits each play's expected points to the players involved, adjusted for the opponent, and compares James Madison's players with a typical backup; 53 points make a win. Only snaps while the game was in doubt count, so a starter on a team that blows opponents out plays fewer of them: read value per play beside WAR. The line under each player (or the range on a phone) is the 90% interval. How this works
Fourth downs
YardLine's fourth-down model values going for it, kicking and punting on every real fourth down, so each call can be checked against the numbers. How it works →
Fourth-down calls vs. the numbers, 2016
Calls that matched the option with the best modeled win probability.
Summed over every call that differed, in points of win probability.
Went for it when going beat every other option by a point or more.
Each real fourth down is valued three ways (go for it, kick, punt) from the score, clock and field position before the snap, using league-wide odds rather than James Madison's own. A call that differs gives up the gap to the best option; gaps under one point are close calls, and the 0 clear-cut ones account for 0.00 of the 0.01 expected wins. The model sees the situation, not the injury report, so a call it disagrees with can still be right.
Costliest calls against the numbers
- at UNCQ2 0:24 4th & 20 at UNC 36, down 14Punted; the numbers favored a field goal (close call)−0.5 pts
- at UNCQ3 7:28 4th & 11 at UNC 30, down 21Went for it; the numbers favored a field goal (close call)−0.2 pts
- at UNCQ4 0:14 4th & 3 at UNC 11, down 28Went for it; the numbers favored a field goal (close call)−0.1 pts
- at UNCQ3 2:56 4th & 4 at JMU 46, down 21Punted; the numbers favored going for it (close call)−0.1 pts
- at UNCQ4 11:50 4th & 4 at UNC 48, down 28Punted; the numbers favored going for it (close call)<0.1 pts
Every call this season (8)
- Q2 14:494th & 9 at JMU 26, tied · PuntedAgreed
- Q2 5:524th & 15 at UNC 23, down 7 · Kicked a field goalAgreed
- Q2 0:244th & 20 at UNC 36, down 14 · PuntedClose call
- Q3 7:284th & 11 at UNC 30, down 21 · Went for itClose call
- Q3 2:564th & 4 at JMU 46, down 21 · PuntedClose call
- Q4 11:504th & 4 at UNC 48, down 28 · PuntedClose call
- Q4 7:054th & 1 at UNC 36, down 28 · Went for itAgreed
- Q4 0:144th & 3 at UNC 11, down 28 · Went for itClose call
After touchdowns: kick or go for two?
Tries that matched the option with the better modeled win probability.
Summed over every try that differed, in points of win probability.
Went for two when it beat kicking by a point or more.
Win probability
YardLine's model estimates each team's chance of winning before kickoff and again after every play, from the score, clock, down, distance and field position. How it works →
Record vs. expectation, 2016
Expected wins adds up James Madison's chance of winning each game as the model saw it at kickoff - a 70% favorite counts 0.7.
What moved it, 2016
Every game starts at James Madison's pregame chance; everything after that is the field. The model's own breakdown of each game's final play splits the on-field part by what drove it, and the parts add up exactly. How it works →
- Scoreboard−0.08
- Less the pregame edge, counted before kickoff+0.02
Game by game
Points of win probability, from James Madison's side.
Closest call
JMU 32-28 APP (2022) - James Madison dropped to a 7.1% win probability before pulling it out.
Season arc, 2016
Every completed game this season, in order - each tile is James Madison's own win-probability curve.
Biggest swings of 2016
The largest single-play change in James Madison's win probability this season - one snap that moved the outcome the most.
Stolen wins
James Madison's own lowest win probability at any point in a game it went on to win, across the whole archive - the deepest holes it climbed out of.
Let it slip
James Madison's own highest win probability at any point in a game it went on to lose, across the whole archive - the biggest leads it didn't hold.
Stock & rivalries
Stock
James Madison's leaguewide Elo rating, tracked like a stock price - built from game results and margins, not the model's own win-probability predictions.
Series & rivalries
James Madison's most-played opponents across the whole archive - open one for the full head-to-head history.