Matchup analysis
Before kickoff our model projected Dartmouth 29.1, Pennsylvania 21.2 at Memorial Field (Dartmouth) in Week 5. That is a solid edge: Dartmouth wins about 70% of the time by our estimate, with a projected margin of 7.9 points and 50.2 combined points.
Pennsylvania is 1-1, scoring 13.5 and allowing 13.5 points per game (+0 per game). Dartmouth is 0-2, scoring 24 and allowing 27.5 points per game (-3.5 per game).
College football is noisy: even a well-rated projection misses the final margin by about 14 points on average. Based on how real results have scattered around our numbers, the final margin should land somewhere between Pennsylvania by 15 and Dartmouth by 30 about 80% of the time.
Dartmouth gets about 2.1 points for playing at home. Even on a neutral field the ratings would still favour Dartmouth by about 5.8. The game is on ESPN+.
Result: Pennsylvania 10, Dartmouth 14. The model had the right winner; the margin was off by 3.9 points and the total by 26.2.
Market lines
Market lines · Source: The Odds API, ESPN, Action Network · Updated Oct 29, 11:25 AM UTC. Shown for information; not an input to our projections.
| Provider | Spread (open → now) | Total (open → now) | Moneyline (Pennsylvania / Dartmouth) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consensus | Dartmouth -7.5 → Dartmouth -8.5 | 39.5 → 45.5 | +246 / -324 |
| DraftKings | Dartmouth -7.5 → Dartmouth -8.5 | 39.5 → 45.5 | +246 / -324 |
This game's lines: CollegeFootballData.com · read Oct 22, 6:37 PM UTC.
| Projection | Margin | Total | Dartmouth win |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our model | Dartmouth -8 | 50.2 | 70% |
| Market consensus | Dartmouth -8.5 | 45.5 | 73% |
| Blended projection | Dartmouth -8.5 | 46.9 | 72% |
Blended projection = 0.16 x our margin + 0.84 x the market margin, weights fitted on past seasons (see methodology).
Model vs market
- Dartmouth win probability
- model 70% · market (no-vig) 73% · difference -3 pts
- Margin
- model Dartmouth -7.9 · market Dartmouth -8.5 · difference -0.6 pts (Dartmouth view)
- Total
- model 50.2 · market 45.5 · difference +4.7
Model margin is 0.6 pts more toward Pennsylvania than the market.
21+ only where legal. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Original projection vs new formula
| Projection | Score | Win prob | Margin miss | Total miss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original projection | Pennsylvania 21.2, Dartmouth 29.1 | Dartmouth 70%right winner | 3.9 | 26.2 |
| New formula | Pennsylvania 21.1, Dartmouth 28.6 | Dartmouth 68%right winner | 3.5 | 25.8 |
Final: Pennsylvania 10, Dartmouth 14. Original = the number we posted before kickoff. New formula (2026-10-21 matchup terms) = the current model re-run with only the games played before this one.
Pennsylvania vs Dartmouth: stat comparison
2025 season numbers (this season's sample is still too small).
| Stat | Pennsylvania | Dartmouth |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game | 27.1 | 26.4 |
| Points allowed per game | 26.5 | 21.3 |
| Yards per play | 5.93 | 6.09 |
| Yards per play allowed | 5.64 | 5.42 |
| Rushing yards per game | 146.3 | 164.7 |
| Net passing yards per game | 237.1 | 219.3 |
| Rushing yards allowed per game | 143.2 | 115.2 |
| Net passing yards allowed per game | 229.8 | 241.5 |
| Turnovers per game | 0.90 | 1.00 |
| Takeaways per game | 0.70 | 1.50 |
| Sacks per game | 1.30 | 1.60 |
| Sacks allowed per game | 1.50 | 0.90 |
| Stat | Pennsylvania | Dartmouth |
|---|---|---|
| EPA per play | +0.10 | +0.04 |
| EPA per play allowed | +0.07 | +0.02 |
| Success rate | 46.2% | 45.7% |
| Success rate allowed | 43.6% | 43.8% |
| Explosive play rate | 13.7% | 13.7% |
| Explosive plays allowed | 11.5% | 10.9% |
| Havoc rate | 12.3% | 12.1% |
| Havoc allowed | 12.5% | 13.0% |
| Points per scoring opportunity | 3.66 | 3.66 |
| Points per opportunity allowed | 3.02 | 3.02 |
| Average starting field position | opp 0 | opp 0 |
| Opponents' starting field position | opp 0 | opp 0 |
| Offensive plays per game (pace) | 64.7 | 63.1 |
| Stat | Pennsylvania | Dartmouth |
|---|---|---|
| Rushing EPA per play | +0.06 | +0.01 |
| Passing EPA per play | +0.14 | +0.08 |
| Rushing EPA allowed | +0.05 | -0.05 |
| Passing EPA allowed | +0.10 | +0.08 |
| Rushing success rate | 47.3% | 48.2% |
| Passing success rate | 47.6% | 46.3% |
| Run stuff rate | 19.0% | 21.7% |
| Passing-down success rate | 37.1% | 37.0% |
| Passing-down success allowed | 32.8% | 29.7% |
| Third-down conversion rate | 52.8% | 55.0% |
| Third-down rate allowed | 49.6% | 44.2% |
| Red-zone touchdown rate | 57.6% | 57.6% |
| Red-zone TD rate allowed | 46.8% | 50.8% |
# = rank among 136 FBS teams. Efficiency numbers exclude garbage time. Per-play numbers of teams with a weak schedule are pulled toward their opponent-adjusted values (fully at one standard deviation below an average schedule). Source: play-by-play (cfbfastR / sportsdataverse), aggregated by us.
More: Pennsylvania schedule · Dartmouth schedule · all Week 5 projections
Share this prediction
Projections are statistical estimates for entertainment and analysis only. They are not betting advice and nothing here guarantees any result.
Free weekly projections email
One email a week in season: the closest projected games, the biggest mismatches and how the model graded out last week. Email address only — no spam, unsubscribe any time.