Western Carolina
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, 2017
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 Western Carolina 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 Western Carolina.
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, 2017
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 Western Carolina'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 0.00 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 UNCQ4 15:00 4th & 1 at WCU 39, down 45Punted; the numbers favored going for it (close call)−0.1 pts
- at HAWQ2 9:41 4th & 3 at WCU 17, down 7Punted; the numbers favored going for it (close call)−0.1 pts
- at UNCQ1 5:12 4th & 3 at midfield, tiedPunted; the numbers favored going for it (close call)−0.1 pts
- at UNCQ2 11:09 4th & 3 at WCU 16, down 21Punted; the numbers favored going for it (close call)−0.1 pts
- at UNCQ1 15:00 4th & 4 at WCU 47, tiedPunted; the numbers favored going for it (close call)<0.1 pts
- at UNCQ2 2:27 4th & 7 at WCU 48, down 35Punted; the numbers favored going for it (close call)<0.1 pts
- at HAWQ4 2:39 4th & 2 at WCU 29, down 21Went for it; the numbers favored punting (close call)<0.1 pts
Every call this season (21)
- Q1 12:054th & 16 at HAW 28, tied · Kicked a field goalAgreed
- Q1 9:404th & 15 at WCU 41, tied · PuntedAgreed
- Q1 3:594th & 7 at HAW 8, tied · Kicked a field goalAgreed
- Q2 9:414th & 3 at WCU 17, down 7 · PuntedClose call
- Q2 1:314th & 10 at HAW 13, down 14 · Kicked a field goalAgreed
- Q2 0:024th & 12 at HAW 12, down 11 · Kicked a field goalAgreed
- Q3 11:244th & 14 at HAW 20, down 11 · Kicked a field goalAgreed
- Q3 11:204th & 18 at WCU 12, down 15 · PuntedAgreed
- Q4 13:054th & 13 at WCU 47, down 16 · PuntedAgreed
- Q4 2:394th & 2 at WCU 29, down 21 · Went for itClose call
- Q1 15:004th & 4 at WCU 47, tied · PuntedClose call
- Q1 5:124th & 3 at midfield, tied · PuntedClose call
- Q2 14:014th & 6 at WCU 29, down 7 · PuntedAgreed
- Q2 11:094th & 3 at WCU 16, down 21 · PuntedClose call
- Q2 6:064th & 14 at WCU 21, down 28 · PuntedAgreed
- Q2 2:274th & 7 at WCU 48, down 35 · PuntedClose call
- Q3 13:414th & 11 at WCU 46, down 35 · PuntedAgreed
- Q3 7:104th & 4 at WCU 31, down 38 · PuntedAgreed
- Q4 15:004th & 1 at WCU 39, down 45 · PuntedClose call
- Q4 12:274th & 17 at WCU 39, down 51 · PuntedAgreed
- Q4 1:584th & 11 at UNC 11, down 58 · Kicked a field goalAgreed
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.
Costliest tries against the numbers
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, 2017
Expected wins adds up Western Carolina's chance of winning each game as the model saw it at kickoff - a 70% favorite counts 0.7.
What moved it, 2017
Every game starts at Western Carolina'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−0.22
- Timeouts+0.01
- Less the pregame edge, counted before kickoff+0.07
Game by game
- HAWL 18-41 at HAW7% → 0%Before kickoff −43 · On the field −7: Scoreboard −11
- UNCL 10-65 at UNC8% → 0%Before kickoff −42 · On the field −8: Scoreboard −10
Points of win probability, from Western Carolina's side.
Season arc, 2017
Every completed game this season, in order - each tile is Western Carolina's own win-probability curve.
Biggest swings of 2017
The largest single-play change in Western Carolina's win probability this season - one snap that moved the outcome the most.
Stolen wins
Western Carolina'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
Western Carolina'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
Western Carolina'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
Western Carolina's most-played opponents across the whole archive - open one for the full head-to-head history.