Take a bunch of 20 high-profile games, and what will you see?
For week six, these are the games we statistically surveyed:
Navy-Notre Dame
Oklahoma-Texas
Oklahoma State-West Virginia
Northwestern-Michigan
TCU-Kansas State
Virginia-Pittsburgh
Wisconsin-Nebraska
Maryland-Ohio State
Washington State-Oregon
Arkansas-Alabama
Florida-Missouri
Michigan State-Rutgers
Illinois-Iowa
Indiana-Penn State
Georgia-Tennessee
Wake Forest-Boston College
Georgia Tech-Clemson
Miami-Florida State
Boise State-Colorado State
California-Utah
*
Let’s see what emerged from these 20 games:
20) Teams with more first downs went 14-4 in these 20 games, with two statistical ties.
19) Of these 20 games, 10 involved a first-down differential of at least 10.
18) Washington State collected 13 more first downs than Oregon in Autzen Stadium (31-18).
17) West Virginia gained seven more first downs than Oklahoma State, but lost. Kansas State collected six more first downs than TCU, but lost.
16) Of the 10 teams with a first-down advantage of 10 or more, Michigan — a 38-0 winner over Northwestern — was not on the list (21-13 in first downs against the Wildcats).
15) Wake Forest gained only five first downs, compared to 18 for Boston College. Somehow, Wake Forest won, in what was easily the worst game of the week and the box score of the week.
14) Teams with more yards went 17-3 in these 20 games.
13) Teams with more passing yards went 16-4 in these games.
12) The four teams with more passing yards that lost in week six: Oklahoma (to Texas), Illinois (to Iowa), California (at Utah), and Miami (at Florida State).
11) Texas threw for just 55 yards… and beat Oklahoma without too much endgame drama.
10) Teams with more rushing yards went 13-7 in these games.
9) Boston College outrushed Wake Forest, 196-33… and lost.
8) Navy outrushed Notre Dame, 318-178… and lost.
7) Oregon outrushed Washington State, 410-136… and lost.
6) Teams with more penalties went 6-11 in these games, with three statistical ties.
5) Teams with more turnovers went 4-12 in these games, with four statistical ties.
4) The four teams which won despite committing more turnovers: Pittsburgh (vs. Virginia), Clemson (Georgia Tech), Tennessee (Georgia), Alabama (Arkansas).
3) Teams with more time of possession went 17-3 in these games.
2) Kansas State lost to TCU despite a 19:30 time-of-possession advantage.
1) Missouri and Georgia Tech converted only one third down. Navy, Northwestern, Wake Forest, and Boston College converted only two.
