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San Diego vs Idaho State: prediction and projected score

Final: San Diego 17, Idaho State 59. We projected Idaho State 33.7-18.8 (84%) — winner called correctly.

Matchup analysis

Before kickoff our model projected Idaho State 33.7, San Diego 18.8 at ICCU Dome in Week 2. That is a solid edge: Idaho State wins about 84% of the time by our estimate, with a projected margin of 14.9 points and 52.4 combined points.

San Diego is 0-1, scoring 17 and allowing 49 points per game (-32 per game). Idaho State is 2-0, scoring 33.5 and allowing 13.5 points per game (+20 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 San Diego by 8 and Idaho State by 37 about 80% of the time.

Idaho State gets about 2.1 points for playing at home. Even on a neutral field the ratings would still favour Idaho State by about 12.8. The game is on ESPN+.

Result: San Diego 17, Idaho State 59. The model had the right winner; the margin was off by 27.1 points and the total by 23.6.

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.

ProviderSpread (open → now)Total (open → now)Moneyline (San Diego / Idaho State)
ConsensusIdaho State -25.5 → Idaho State -22.558.5+860 / -1860
DraftKingsIdaho State -25.5 → Idaho State -22.558.5+860 / -1860

This game's lines: CollegeFootballData.com · read Oct 22, 6:37 PM UTC.

ProjectionMarginTotalIdaho State win
Our modelIdaho State -1552.484%
Market consensusIdaho State -22.558.590%
Blended projectionIdaho State -21.558.393%

Blended projection = 0.16 x our margin + 0.84 x the market margin, weights fitted on past seasons (see methodology).

Model vs market

Idaho State win probability
model 84% · market (no-vig) 90% · difference -7 pts
Margin
model Idaho State -14.9 · market Idaho State -22.5 · difference -7.6 pts (Idaho State view)
Total
model 52.4 · market 58.5 · difference -6.1

Model margin is 7.6 pts more toward San Diego than the market.

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Original projection vs new formula

ProjectionScoreWin probMargin missTotal miss
Original projectionSan Diego 18.8, Idaho State 33.7Idaho State 84%right winner27.123.6
New formulaSan Diego 18.3, Idaho State 37.9Idaho State 88%right winner22.419.8

Final: San Diego 17, Idaho State 59. 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.

San Diego vs Idaho State: stat comparison

2025 season numbers (this season's sample is still too small).

Basic
StatSan DiegoIdaho State
Points per game28.433.0
Points allowed per game24.327.3
Yards per play5.546.55
Yards per play allowed5.566.32
Rushing yards per game165.1162.8
Net passing yards per game197.9310.8
Rushing yards allowed per game128.3203.6
Net passing yards allowed per game227.3234.4
Turnovers per game0.421.33
Takeaways per game1.250.83
Sacks per game3.082.25
Sacks allowed per game1.670.33
Advanced
StatSan DiegoIdaho State
EPA per play+0.01+0.03
EPA per play allowed-0.00+0.07
Success rate37.6%46.8%
Success rate allowed39.6%43.3%
Explosive play rate10.3%13.2%
Explosive plays allowed12.9%12.4%
Havoc rate13.9%12.9%
Havoc allowed13.7%10.8%
Points per scoring opportunity0.003.35
Points per opportunity allowed0.002.81
Average starting field positionopp 0opp 13
Opponents' starting field positionopp 0opp 12
Offensive plays per game (pace)65.572.3
Situational
StatSan DiegoIdaho State
Rushing EPA per play-0.07-0.05
Passing EPA per play+0.10+0.11
Rushing EPA allowed-0.09+0.08
Passing EPA allowed+0.08+0.06
Rushing success rate38.8%51.5%
Passing success rate39.2%44.5%
Run stuff rate21.8%21.5%
Passing-down success rate28.4%34.6%
Passing-down success allowed31.5%28.5%
Third-down conversion rate39.0%46.3%
Third-down rate allowed38.9%36.3%
Red-zone touchdown rate0.0%39.8%
Red-zone TD rate allowed0.0%40.9%

# = 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: San Diego schedule · Idaho State schedule · all Week 2 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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