Power 5 road to 7 or more wins= 20+ TD passes & top 80 defense (1 Viewer)

[Cornicator]

In 2023, there were 42 Power 5 programs that finished with 7 wins or more. 31 of those 42 programs finished the season with an offense that tossed at least 20 TD passes and a defense that finished in the top 80 of total defense. These are those programs:

Florida State
Louisville
NC State
Virginia Tech
Clemson
Duke
Miami
Cockeye State
Oklahoma
Texas Tech
Texas
K-State
West Virginia
Kansas
Michigan
Ohio State
Penn State
Maryland
Northwestern - Yes, Northwestern
Bama
Georgia
Mizzou
Ole Miss
Tennessee
A&M
Kentucky
Oregon
Arizona
Oregon State
UCLA
Notre Dame


There are 5 other teams that won at least 7 games and finished with 20+ TD passes, but those teams had very pedestrian or even bad defenses:

USC - 3rd in scoring offense
Washington - 13th in scoring offense
LSU - 1st in scoring offense
Georgia Tech - Led the ACC in TD passes and 2nd in Rushing TDs
North Carolina - 20th in scoring offense, led the ACC in Rushing TDs


Those 5 teams played very porous defense, but their offenses were so potent that they were able to win quite a few shootouts.

There are also 5 outlier teams that won 7 or more games with a top 80 defense, but failed to throw at least 20 TD passes:

Cockeye - finished top 10 in all defensive categories
Wisconsin - finished top 30 in rushing TDs - had a top 40 defense
Rutgers - finished top 20 in all defensive categories and top 20 in rushing TDs
Boston College - finished top 15 nationally in rushing and in top 20 in rushing TDs
Utah - led the Pac 12 in rushing and top 20 in all defensive categories


And then there is the luckiest team in college football:

Oklahoma State - the 2023 Cowboys were the outliers of outliers. They were one of the luckiest teams in college football history. If there was a team that was virtually the same as Nebraska in 2021, but the polar opposite on the scoreboard and in final record, it was Oklahoma State. The Cowboys had a terrible defense, bottom 20 in the country, but they did something last year that almost seems foreign to any Nebraska fan: The gained 23 Turnovers. There were only 5 Power 5 teams in the country that gained more turnovers. 17 of those 23 turnovers were recovered inside their opponents 30 yard line! That helped them rack up 29 rushing TDs. So even though they had 18 passing TDs, which was under the 20 threshold, they still were able to score a lot of points helping them get to that 10 win mark.


Due to full transparency of this data, its important to highlight the 3 programs in the country that didn't reach a winning record but finished the year with both 20+ TDs passes and a top 80 defense:

Illinois - The Illini had 23 TDs passes and were a top 70 defense. But the Illini are also a team that wants to run the football and they were only able to average a paltry 3.83 yards per carry. Their 12 rushing TDs was bottom 5 among all Power 5 teams.

Arkansas - The Hogs actually had a pretty good defense, and they were very efficient scoring touchdowns thru the air with 20 TDs despite being a run first team. But that's the problem. Arkansas ran the ball 65% of the time and could only muster a terrible 3.35 yards per carry average. Their 9 total rushing TDs was 3rd worst in the Power 5.

Florida - It should be noted that Florida finished 70th in total defense. So they barely even hit the threshold. The Gators had a decent offense, but they had the 2nd worst rush defense in the SEC and their yards allowed per pass attempt was bottom 5 in the Power 5.


When I started pulling this data, I really wanted to know how winning success correlates with any Power 5 football team that throws 20 TDs or more in a season. For Nebraska football specifically, since the program shifted from the option in 2004, the Huskers have finished with 20 or more TD passes 9 times. 7 of those 9 teams went to bowl games. The two teams that didn't go to a bowl, 2007 and 2017, had literally the two worst defenses in Nebraska football history.


So just for the record, I decided to pull the other Power 5 teams that did throw for more than 20TDs in 2023, along with their defensive numbers:

Colorado - 127th in total defense
Washington State - 87th in total defense
TCU - 100th in total defense
South Carolina - 81st
Houston - 112th
Vanderbilt - 128th
Cal - 102


Lastly, there were 9 programs that finished with at least 20 TDs passes and a top 15 defense in 2023. Of those 9 teams, only Clemson and UCLA failed to win at least 10 games.

There seems to be enough precedence in place to suggest that if the Huskers can bump their TD passes to 20 or more and continue to play quality, even elite defense, they shouldn't have any trouble breaking out of this bowless funk that has plagued a once great program.

I know run the damn ball guy doesn't enjoy this post, but I would argue Nebraska will have even more success running the ball if they can just muster the God Damn forward pass.

 

[Tyneb23]

 

[AleksMarićEnjoyer]

This is a pretty god damn impressive analysis.

 

[Scarlet ObsessioN]

And we got Dylan "Aloha

In 2023, there were 42 Power 5 programs that finished with 7 wins or more. 31 of those 42 programs finished the season with an offense that tossed at least 20 TD passes and a defense that finished in the top 80 of total defense. These are those programs:

Florida State
Louisville
NC State
Virginia Tech
Clemson
Duke
Miami
Cockeye State
Oklahoma
Texas Tech
Texas
K-State
West Virginia
Kansas
Michigan
Ohio State
Penn State
Maryland
Northwestern - Yes, Northwestern
Bama
Georgia
Mizzou
Ole Miss
Tennessee
A&M
Kentucky
Oregon
Arizona
Oregon State
UCLA
Notre Dame


There are 5 other teams that won at least 7 games and finished with 20+ TD passes, but those teams had very pedestrian or even bad defenses:

USC - 3rd in scoring offense
Washington - 13th in scoring offense
LSU - 1st in scoring offense
Georgia Tech - Led the ACC in TD passes and 2nd in Rushing TDs
North Carolina - 20th in scoring offense, led the ACC in Rushing TDs


Those 5 teams played very porous defense, but their offenses were so potent that they were able to win quite a few shootouts.

There are also 5 outlier teams that won 7 or more games with a top 80 defense, but failed to throw at least 20 TD passes:

Cockeye - finished top 10 in all defensive categories
Wisconsin - finished top 30 in rushing TDs - had a top 40 defense
Rutgers - finished top 20 in all defensive categories and top 20 in rushing TDs
Boston College - finished top 15 nationally in rushing and in top 20 in rushing TDs
Utah - led the Pac 12 in rushing and top 20 in all defensive categories


And then there is the luckiest team in college football:

Oklahoma State - the 2023 Cowboys were the outliers of outliers. They were one of the luckiest teams in college football history. If there was a team that was virtually the same as Nebraska in 2021, but the polar opposite on the scoreboard and in final record, it was Oklahoma State. The Cowboys had a terrible defense, bottom 20 in the country, but they did something last year that almost seems foreign to any Nebraska fan: The gained 23 Turnovers. There were only 5 Power 5 teams in the country that gained more turnovers. 17 of those 23 turnovers were recovered inside their opponents 30 yard line! That helped them rack up 29 rushing TDs. So even though they had 18 passing TDs, which was under the 20 threshold, they still were able to score a lot of points helping them get to that 10 win mark.


Due to full transparency of this data, its important to highlight the 3 programs in the country that didn't reach a winning record but finished the year with both 20+ TDs passes and a top 80 defense:

Illinois - The Illini had 23 TDs passes and were a top 70 defense. But the Illini are also a team that wants to run the football and they were only able to average a paltry 3.83 yards per carry. Their 12 rushing TDs was bottom 5 among all Power 5 teams.

Arkansas - The Hogs actually had a pretty good defense, and they were very efficient scoring touchdowns thru the air with 20 TDs despite being a run first team. But that's the problem. Arkansas ran the ball 65% of the time and could only muster a terrible 3.35 yards per carry average. Their 9 total rushing TDs was 3rd worst in the Power 5.

Florida - It should be noted that Florida finished 70th in total defense. So they barely even hit the threshold. The Gators had a decent offense, but they had the 2nd worst rush defense in the SEC and their yards allowed per pass attempt was bottom 5 in the Power 5.


When I started pulling this data, I really wanted to know how winning success correlates with any Power 5 football team that throws 20 TDs or more in a season. For Nebraska football specifically, since the program shifted from the option in 2004, the Huskers have finished with 20 or more TD passes 9 times. 7 of those 9 teams went to bowl games. The two teams that didn't go to a bowl, 2007 and 2017, had literally the two worst defenses in Nebraska football history.


So just for the record, I decided to pull the other Power 5 teams that did throw for more than 20TDs in 2023, along with their defensive numbers:

Colorado - 127th in total defense
Washington State - 87th in total defense
TCU - 100th in total defense
South Carolina - 81st
Houston - 112th
Vanderbilt - 128th
Cal - 102


Lastly, there were 9 programs that finished with at least 20 TDs passes and a top 15 defense in 2023. Of those 9 teams, only Clemson and UCLA failed to win at least 10 games.

There seems to be enough precedence in place to suggest that if the Huskers can bump their TD passes to 20 or more and continue to play quality, even elite defense, they shouldn't have any trouble breaking out of this bowless funk that has plagued a once great program.

I know run the damn ball guy doesn't enjoy this post, but I would argue Nebraska will have even more success running the ball if they can just muster the God Damn forward pass.

Well done, Corn. Probably one of your best post. The obvious thing not touched on is turnovers. Until we kill that dragon we have to factor it in. I believe we kill it and we hit these numbers. The schedule is massive. Oh and one more thing.


Dylan. Fucking. Raiola.

 

[stonesak]

In 2023, there were 42 Power 5 programs that finished with 7 wins or more. 31 of those 42 programs finished the season with an offense that tossed at least 20 TD passes and a defense that finished in the top 80 of total defense. These are those programs:

Florida State
Louisville
NC State
Virginia Tech
Clemson
Duke
Miami
Cockeye State
Oklahoma
Texas Tech
Texas
K-State
West Virginia
Kansas
Michigan
Ohio State
Penn State
Maryland
Northwestern - Yes, Northwestern
Bama
Georgia
Mizzou
Ole Miss
Tennessee
A&M
Kentucky
Oregon
Arizona
Oregon State
UCLA
Notre Dame


There are 5 other teams that won at least 7 games and finished with 20+ TD passes, but those teams had very pedestrian or even bad defenses:

USC - 3rd in scoring offense
Washington - 13th in scoring offense
LSU - 1st in scoring offense
Georgia Tech - Led the ACC in TD passes and 2nd in Rushing TDs
North Carolina - 20th in scoring offense, led the ACC in Rushing TDs


Those 5 teams played very porous defense, but their offenses were so potent that they were able to win quite a few shootouts.

There are also 5 outlier teams that won 7 or more games with a top 80 defense, but failed to throw at least 20 TD passes:

Cockeye - finished top 10 in all defensive categories
Wisconsin - finished top 30 in rushing TDs - had a top 40 defense
Rutgers - finished top 20 in all defensive categories and top 20 in rushing TDs
Boston College - finished top 15 nationally in rushing and in top 20 in rushing TDs
Utah - led the Pac 12 in rushing and top 20 in all defensive categories


And then there is the luckiest team in college football:

Oklahoma State - the 2023 Cowboys were the outliers of outliers. They were one of the luckiest teams in college football history. If there was a team that was virtually the same as Nebraska in 2021, but the polar opposite on the scoreboard and in final record, it was Oklahoma State. The Cowboys had a terrible defense, bottom 20 in the country, but they did something last year that almost seems foreign to any Nebraska fan: The gained 23 Turnovers. There were only 5 Power 5 teams in the country that gained more turnovers. 17 of those 23 turnovers were recovered inside their opponents 30 yard line! That helped them rack up 29 rushing TDs. So even though they had 18 passing TDs, which was under the 20 threshold, they still were able to score a lot of points helping them get to that 10 win mark.


Due to full transparency of this data, its important to highlight the 3 programs in the country that didn't reach a winning record but finished the year with both 20+ TDs passes and a top 80 defense:

Illinois - The Illini had 23 TDs passes and were a top 70 defense. But the Illini are also a team that wants to run the football and they were only able to average a paltry 3.83 yards per carry. Their 12 rushing TDs was bottom 5 among all Power 5 teams.

Arkansas - The Hogs actually had a pretty good defense, and they were very efficient scoring touchdowns thru the air with 20 TDs despite being a run first team. But that's the problem. Arkansas ran the ball 65% of the time and could only muster a terrible 3.35 yards per carry average. Their 9 total rushing TDs was 3rd worst in the Power 5.

Florida - It should be noted that Florida finished 70th in total defense. So they barely even hit the threshold. The Gators had a decent offense, but they had the 2nd worst rush defense in the SEC and their yards allowed per pass attempt was bottom 5 in the Power 5.


When I started pulling this data, I really wanted to know how winning success correlates with any Power 5 football team that throws 20 TDs or more in a season. For Nebraska football specifically, since the program shifted from the option in 2004, the Huskers have finished with 20 or more TD passes 9 times. 7 of those 9 teams went to bowl games. The two teams that didn't go to a bowl, 2007 and 2017, had literally the two worst defenses in Nebraska football history.


So just for the record, I decided to pull the other Power 5 teams that did throw for more than 20TDs in 2023, along with their defensive numbers:

Colorado - 127th in total defense
Washington State - 87th in total defense
TCU - 100th in total defense
South Carolina - 81st
Houston - 112th
Vanderbilt - 128th
Cal - 102


Lastly, there were 9 programs that finished with at least 20 TDs passes and a top 15 defense in 2023. Of those 9 teams, only Clemson and UCLA failed to win at least 10 games.

There seems to be enough precedence in place to suggest that if the Huskers can bump their TD passes to 20 or more and continue to play quality, even elite defense, they shouldn't have any trouble breaking out of this bowless funk that has plagued a once great program.

I know run the damn ball guy doesn't enjoy this post, but I would argue Nebraska will have even more success running the ball if they can just muster the God Damn forward pass.

 

[Kaladin]

ELITE post OP

Whatever you do don’t post this over at 247, all those gai boyz don’t need to see this

 

[Cornicator]

ELITE post OP

Whatever you do don’t post this over at 247, all those gai boyz don’t need to see this

I hate that board. Giant collection of stupidity.

 

[Kaladin]

I hate that board. Giant collection of stupidity.

I had to stop posting over there, it was exhausting

 

[God is a Husker]

LOL STFU YOU GAY DORK NERD

 

[Pepe Silvia]

LOL STFU YOU GAY DORK NERD

looking at that pic, I considered the possibility of getting an I-formation tattoo for about 5 seconds, which is at approximately 5 seconds too long

 

[God is a Husker]

looking at that pic, I considered the possibility of getting an I-formation tattoo for about 5 seconds, which is at approximately 5 seconds too long

This might be my favorite meme I've ever made just from the number of Easter eggs I put in. Ex: the tattoos

 

[Stan Raymond]

For the run the ball guys. I took the same 42 teams and looked up their rushing TDs. 34 of the 42 teams had 20 rushing TDs.

Wins - Team - Rushing TDs
So teams with 20 rushing TD, 20 passing TD and top 80 in total defense.
13 Florida State 32
10 Louisville 31
7 Virginia Tech 20
9 Clemson 24
8 Duke 26
7 Miami 24
10 Oklahoma 32
12 Texas 29
9 K-State 32
9 West Virginia 32
9 Kansas 32
15 Michigan 40
11 Ohio State 20
10 Penn State 26
8 Maryland 20
12 Bama 32
13 Georgia 40
11 Mizzou 25
11 Ole Miss 29
9 Tennessee 23
7 A&M 23
12 Oregon 33
8 Oregon State 26
8 UCLA 21
10 Notre Dame 28

Teams with 20 rushing TDs and 20 passing TDs and bad defense.
8 USC 33
14 Washington 28
10 LSU 34
7 Georgia Tech 24
8 North Carolina 28
10 Oklahoma St 29

Teams with 20 rushing TDs and top 80 in total defense.
7 Wisconsin 22
7 Rutgers 24
7 Boston College 25

Teams with 20 passing TDs and top 80 in total defense.
9 NC State 19
7 Cockeye State 16
7 Texas Tech 17
8 Northwestern 14
7 Kentucky 18
10 Arizona 17

Teams with top 80 in total defense.
10 Cockeye 11
8 Utah 19

So of the 42 Power 5 teams that won at least 7 games:
36 were top 80 in total defense
34 had 20 rushing TDs
37 had 20 passing TDs

All 42 teams had at least one trait
40 teams had two or more traits
25 had all three

Not shocking but a good defense and a balanced offense leads to winning games.

 

[Kaladin]

For the run the ball guys. I took the same 42 teams and looked up their rushing TDs.

Florida State 32
Louisville 31
Virginia Tech 20
Clemson 24
Duke 26
Miami 24
Oklahoma 32
Texas 29
K-State 32
West Virginia 32
Kansas 32
Michigan 40
Ohio State 20
Penn State 26
Maryland 20
Bama 32
Georgia 40
Mizzou 25
Ole Miss 29
Tennessee 23
A&M 23
Oregon 33

Oregon State 26
UCLA 21
Notre Dame 28
USC 33
Washington 28
LSU 34
Georgia Tech 24
North Carolina 28
Cockeye 11
Wisconsin 22
Rutgers 24
Boston College 25
Utah 19
Oklahoma St 29
NC State 19
Cockeye State 16
Texas Tech 17
Northwestern 14
Kentucky 18

We are an elite passing team now

Run the ball guys need to grow up

 

[Stan Raymond]

We are an elite passing team now

Run the ball guys need to grow up

Need to do both and play defense. But we saw what no passing game gets you last year.

 

[stonesak]

I hate that board. Giant collection of stupidity.

I lose IQ points every time I visit that site, which theoretically should put me in the negative, but I ain't smurt enough to figger out how that works.

 

[Stan Raymond]

And for context, Nebraska obviously had a top 80 total defense, but only 10 passing TDs and 16 rushing TDs.

 

[BluesBucksNHuskers]

so a combination of being good at scoring points AND being good at keeping the other team from scoring points is how you win games?

 

[Cornicator]

so a combination of being good at scoring points AND being good at keeping the other team from scoring points is how you win games?

Not exactly. Total defense does not equal "Scoring Defense."

Teams that can score more than 20 TDs through the air and can limit the amount of yardage gained by opponents have a 76% chance of winning at least 7 games.

 

[huskerj12]

"Run The Damn Ball" and "20 TD passes" don't have to be mutually exclusive. If you count bowl games that's only 1.5 TD passes per game. Even Tommy Armstrong threw for 20+ TD passes twice!

 

[lee_carvallo_12]

I hate that board. Giant collection of stupidity.

Sams is over there though...