North Dakota
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, 2018
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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota.
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, 2018
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 North Dakota's own. A call that differs gives up the gap to the best option; gaps under one point are close calls, and the 3 clear-cut ones account for 0.06 of the 0.06 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 WASHQ3 14:56 4th & 1 at UND 27, down 17Punted; the numbers favored going for it−2.5 pts
- at WASHQ3 6:09 4th & 3 at WASH 3, down 17Kicked a field goal; the numbers favored going for it−1.8 pts
- at WASHQ2 9:54 4th & 1 at WASH 49, down 10Punted; the numbers favored going for it−1.6 pts
- at WASHQ3 1:42 4th & 8 at WASH 41, down 21Punted; the numbers favored going for it (close call)−0.2 pts
- at WASHQ1 7:56 4th & 2 at WASH 49, down 7Punted; the numbers favored going for it (close call)−0.2 pts
- at WASHQ4 8:24 4th & 2 at UND 45, down 35Punted; the numbers favored going for it (close call)<0.1 pts
Every call this season (14)
- Q1 7:564th & 2 at WASH 49, down 7 · PuntedClose call
- Q1 3:254th & 12 at UND 37, down 10 · PuntedAgreed
- Q2 9:544th & 1 at WASH 49, down 10 · Punted−1.6 pts
- Q2 6:464th & 1 at WASH 49, down 17 · Went for itAgreed
- Q2 2:434th & 13 at UND 17, down 17 · PuntedAgreed
- Q2 0:094th & 10 at WASH 26, down 17 · Kicked a field goalAgreed
- Q3 14:564th & 1 at UND 27, down 17 · Punted−2.5 pts
- Q3 12:024th & 7 at UND 16, down 17 · PuntedAgreed
- Q3 6:094th & 3 at WASH 3, down 17 · Kicked a field goal−1.8 pts
- Q3 3:354th & 2 at UND 33, down 21 · PuntedAgreed
- Q3 1:424th & 8 at WASH 41, down 21 · PuntedClose call
- Q4 12:454th & 4 at UND 32, down 28 · PuntedAgreed
- Q4 8:244th & 2 at UND 45, down 35 · PuntedClose call
- Q4 2:134th & 5 at UND 30, down 42 · PuntedAgreed
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, 2018
Expected wins adds up North Dakota's chance of winning each game as the model saw it at kickoff - a 70% favorite counts 0.7.
What moved it, 2018
Every game starts at North Dakota'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−0.24
- Less the pregame edge, counted before kickoff+0.03
Game by game
Points of win probability, from North Dakota's side.
Closest call
UND 24-13 WYO (2015) - North Dakota dropped to a 26.0% win probability before pulling it out.
Season arc, 2018
Every completed game this season, in order - each tile is North Dakota's own win-probability curve.
Biggest swings of 2018
The largest single-play change in North Dakota's win probability this season - one snap that moved the outcome the most.
Stolen wins
North Dakota'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
North Dakota'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
North Dakota'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
North Dakota's most-played opponents across the whole archive - open one for the full head-to-head history.