Matchup analysis
Before kickoff our model projected Richmond 32.3, Bucknell 23.7 at Robins Stadium in Week 1. That is a solid edge: Richmond wins about 71% of the time by our estimate, with a projected margin of 8.6 points and 55.9 combined points.
Bucknell has not played a game yet this season, so its number leans on last year's results. Richmond has not played a game yet this season, so its number leans on last year's results.
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 Bucknell by 14 and Richmond by 31 about 80% of the time.
Richmond gets about 2.1 points for playing at home. Even on a neutral field the ratings would still favour Richmond by about 6.5. The game is on ESPN+.
Result: Bucknell 14, Richmond 35. The model had the right winner; the margin was off by 12.4 points and the total by 6.9.
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 (Bucknell / Richmond) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consensus | Richmond -10.5 → Richmond -12.5 | 49.5 → 48.5 | +420 / -620 |
| DraftKings | Richmond -10.5 → Richmond -12.5 | 49.5 → 48.5 | +420 / -620 |
This game's lines: CollegeFootballData.com · read Oct 22, 6:37 PM UTC.
| Projection | Margin | Total | Richmond win |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our model | Richmond -8.5 | 55.9 | 71% |
| Market consensus | Richmond -12.5 | 48.5 | 82% |
| Blended projection | Richmond -12 | 49.8 | 79% |
Blended projection = 0.16 x our margin + 0.84 x the market margin, weights fitted on past seasons (see methodology).
Model vs market
- Richmond win probability
- model 71% · market (no-vig) 82% · difference -10 pts
- Margin
- model Richmond -8.6 · market Richmond -12.5 · difference -3.9 pts (Richmond view)
- Total
- model 55.9 · market 48.5 · difference +7.4
Model margin is 3.9 pts more toward Bucknell than the market.
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Original projection vs new formula
| Projection | Score | Win prob | Margin miss | Total miss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original projection | Bucknell 23.7, Richmond 32.3 | Richmond 71%right winner | 12.4 | 6.9 |
| New formula | Bucknell 18.9, Richmond 35.7 | Richmond 84%right winner | 4.2 | 5.5 |
Final: Bucknell 14, Richmond 35. 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.
Bucknell vs Richmond: stat comparison
2025 season numbers (this season's sample is still too small).
| Stat | Bucknell | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game | 26.1 | 21.9 |
| Points allowed per game | 34.1 | 22.7 |
| Yards per play | 5.53 | 5.41 |
| Yards per play allowed | 6.58 | 4.86 |
| Rushing yards per game | 136.8 | 166.6 |
| Net passing yards per game | 206.7 | 201.9 |
| Rushing yards allowed per game | 203.3 | 168.8 |
| Net passing yards allowed per game | 228.7 | 157.1 |
| Turnovers per game | 0.83 | 1.00 |
| Takeaways per game | 0.67 | 1.17 |
| Sacks per game | 1.75 | 3.33 |
| Sacks allowed per game | 3.42 | 1.17 |
| Stat | Bucknell | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| EPA per play | -0.02 | -0.05 |
| EPA per play allowed | +0.15 | -0.04 |
| Success rate | 39.0% | 36.7% |
| Success rate allowed | 49.0% | 42.5% |
| Explosive play rate | 12.5% | 12.1% |
| Explosive plays allowed | 15.9% | 10.9% |
| Havoc rate | 10.4% | 13.3% |
| Havoc allowed | 16.8% | 15.7% |
| Points per scoring opportunity | 3.78 | 3.33 |
| Points per opportunity allowed | 4.10 | 3.83 |
| Average starting field position | opp 5 | opp 6 |
| Opponents' starting field position | opp 4 | opp 4 |
| Offensive plays per game (pace) | 62.2 | 68.2 |
| Stat | Bucknell | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Rushing EPA per play | -0.04 | -0.07 |
| Passing EPA per play | +0.01 | -0.03 |
| Rushing EPA allowed | +0.09 | +0.03 |
| Passing EPA allowed | +0.21 | -0.13 |
| Rushing success rate | 38.6% | 37.3% |
| Passing success rate | 41.1% | 36.7% |
| Run stuff rate | 21.0% | 23.5% |
| Passing-down success rate | 27.4% | 29.4% |
| Passing-down success allowed | 34.8% | 28.3% |
| Third-down conversion rate | 42.1% | 39.4% |
| Third-down rate allowed | 43.9% | 40.3% |
| Red-zone touchdown rate | 51.5% | 41.7% |
| Red-zone TD rate allowed | 67.8% | 51.6% |
# = 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: Bucknell schedule · Richmond schedule · all Week 1 projections
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Projections are statistical estimates for entertainment and analysis only. They are not betting advice and nothing here guarantees any result.
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