Stats and stuff after the jump, but first the key observations:
- Tennessee may be able to win with defense alone, and based on what's happened so far this season, we may have to.
- The two teams have identical records but drastically different schedules.
- With all that has transpired this week on Rocky Top, forget everything you know about the 2008 Tennessee Volunteers. We will likely see a different team.
Okay, so the stats:
Tennessee rush v. Wyoming defense |
Tennessee pass v. Wyoming defense |
Wyoming rush v. Tennessee defense |
Wyoming pass v. Tennessee defense |
105 |
99 |
15
|
21
|
56 |
70 |
36 |
116 |
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Field Goals |
Tennessee punting v. Wyoming punt return |
Wyoming punting v. Tennessee punt return |
Intangibles |
T-42 |
73 |
73 |
|
T-85 |
104 |
112 |
|
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If only our offense was working . . . .
Here's how the teams look next to each other in each of the key statistical categories currently used in the RTT Ready, Fire, Aim BlogPoll Computer Ballot:
Rank |
Team |
WL |
SOS |
PED |
RD |
3DO |
TD |
PEO |
EXP |
OPPG |
TO |
3DD |
AVG R |
W AVG |
88 |
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88 |
12 |
21 |
15 |
100 |
11 |
107 |
45 |
25 |
114 |
54 |
53.82 |
805.05 |
94 |
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88 |
72 |
70 |
56 |
93 |
39 |
119 |
26 |
94 |
111 |
13 |
71.00 |
818.60 |
Aaaand the context for the numbers:
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So what's it all mean?
- We may be able to win this game on defense alone. And we may have to.
- Tennessee and Wyoming have identical records, but as you would expect Tennessee has compiled its record against much stronger competition than has Wyoming. The relative numbers in each of the statistical categories therefore must be viewed with great skepticism. The RTT computer does have Wyoming within six spots of Tennessee even accounting for the respective strengths of schedule, though, so be a bit wary.
- Even if we were able to compare similar stats, can we really trust Tennessee's stats to predict what they're going to do this Saturday after all that has happened this week? No.