College football defensive stop rate ahead of Week 9

Indiana’s offense loved a dominant day in its 56-7 rout of Nebraska, however a superb protection continues to be simply as important to this system’s undefeated begin. The Hoosiers’ protection is without doubt one of the massive movers on this week’s cease fee standings.

What’s cease fee? It is a fundamental measurement of success: the share of a protection’s drives that finish in punts, turnovers or a turnover on downs. Defensive coordinators have the identical aim no matter their scheme, opponent or convention: Forestall factors and get off the sphere. Cease fee is an easy metric however can supply a very good reflection of a protection’s effectiveness on a per-drive foundation in at present’s faster-tempo recreation.

Final yr, nationwide champ Michigan completed No. 1 with a defensive cease fee of 81.6% in its video games in opposition to FBS opponents. The highest 25 groups within the ultimate 2023 cease fee standings received a complete of 249 video games, with seven incomes convention titles. Nice groups discover a method to get stops in important conditions.

To be clear, cease fee isn’t a sophisticated stat and is not any substitute for Invoice Connelly’s SP+ or different extra complete metrics. It is merely a unique technique for evaluating success on protection.

TeamGamesStop RatePts/Drive1. Texas782.1percent0.762. Ohio State681.8percent0.923. Tennessee681.3percent0.904. Notre Dame780.2percent1.005. Army678.9percent1.386. Iowa State677.6percent1.267. James Madison676.8percent1.458. Ole Miss675.7percent1.039. Indiana675.4percent1.4510. Wisconsin675percent1.4511. Duke674.7percent1.2712. Colorado674.3percent1.5513. Northern Illinois673.9percent1.3214. Oklahoma773.3percent1.3715. Navy572.9percent1.5616. Cal672.9percent1.5917. Utah672.7percent1.4217. South Carolina772.7percent1.4719. Oregon672.6percent1.4820. Missouri672.3percent1.5221. Penn State671.7percent1.3422. Alabama771.3percent1.5023. Liberty470.8percent1.6124. Nebraska670.8percent1.7525. SMU670.3percent1.7326. Virginia Tech770.2percent1.8227. Clemson769.8percent1.8328. Toledo669.7percent1.5229. Sam Houston769percent1.8530. Memphis668.6percent1.8331. UConn668.4percent1.5732. Georgia668.2percent1.6433. UNLV668.1percent1.9734. Northwestern668.1percent1.7535. San Jose State668percent1.8836. Kansas State667.7percent1.8836. Texas A&M667.7percent1.7038. Rutgers667.2percent2.0738. Western Kentucky667.2percent2.1439. USC767.1percent1.8341. Minnesota666.7percent1.6841. Kentucky766.7percent1.6841. UL Monroe566.7percent1.6644. Maryland666.2percent1.8445. Texas State666.2percent1.7946. BYU666.2percent1.6747. Previous Dominion765.9percent1.8648. Michigan765.8percent1.9149. Houston765.8percent1.9750. Cincinnati665.6percent1.7151. Miami (OH)765.4percent1.8852. Washington665.1percent1.7553. Boise State565percent2.1154. Pitt564.9percent1.9855. Tulane664.8percent1.7956. Iowa664.7percent1.8757. FIU664.4percent2.0558. Arkansas664.3percent1.9759. LSU664.2percent1.7860. Fresno State664.1percent1.8761. Illinois663.8percent1.9462. San Diego State563.8percent2.0363. Auburn663.6percent1.9363. Miami663.6percent1.9965. Florida663.2percent2.1966. Louisiana Tech562.7percent1.9267. Georgia Southern662.7percent2.2668. Colorado State662.3percent2.3769. Rice662.1percent2.1370. Arizona State761.3percent1.9871. Michigan State661.3percent2.1872. Temple760.7percent2.4473. Washington State660.6percent2.1574. UTSA660.5percent2.2675. South Alabama660.3percent2.2176. Buffalo660percent2.2276. Oklahoma State660percent2.3878. East Carolina659.5percent2.3279. Baylor659.4percent2.2380. Arizona659.2percent2.2580. Jacksonville State659.2percent2.2582. Ohio659.1percent2.2183. Louisiana658.9percent2.3484. Georgia Tech758.7percent2.1884. Bowling Green658.7percent1.9386. Florida State758.7percent2.0987. Marshall658percent2.3288. South Florida657.9percent2.5089. Kansas657.4percent2.3690. UCF657.4percent2.3390. Virginia657.4percent2.2992. Louisville657.1percent2.4492. Jap Michigan657.1percent2.4892. Kennesaw State557.1percent2.6495. Boston College656.9percent2.1296. Vanderbilt656.7percent2.4396. West Virginia656.7percent2.6698. UTEP656.6percent2.5299. TCU656.5percent2.34100. Tulsa656.2percent2.65100. North Carolina656.2percent2.44102. Air Force656.1percent2.56103. Texas Tech655.7percent2.46104. Florida Atlantic655.1percent2.43105. Georgia State554.5percent2.68106. Arkansas State653.8percent2.70107. Wyoming653.7percent2.40108. Charlotte653.6percent2.69109. Troy653.2percent2.55110. Syracuse553.1percent2.35111. Coastal Carolina652.8percent2.64112. NC State752.5percent2.49113. Central Michigan652.1percent2.57113. Nevada752.1percent2.58115. Oregon State651.7percent2.60116. North Texas651.3percent2.77117. UMass650.8percent2.76118. Hawai’i550percent2.77119. Stanford649.3percent2.96120. Akron649.3percent3.18120. Center Tennessee649.3percent3.11122. New Mexico State648.1percent2.90123. Wake Forest647.1percent2.93124. UCLA747percent2.86125. Western Michigan646.9percent3.15126. Southern Miss642.4percent3.27127. App State542.1percent3.32128. Purdue641.8percent3.49129. UAB639.4percent3.45130. Utah State639percent3.57131. Mississippi State638.3percent3.37132. Ball State636.9percent3.77133. New Mexico636.2percent3.75134. Kent State635.6percent3.85

Indiana’s protection climbed from No. 16 to No. 9 on this week’s up to date standings, with a cease fee of 75.4%, after shutting down Dylan Raiola and the Huskers.

Defensive coordinator Bryant Haines’ crew grabbed 5 takeaways, together with three interceptions, and bought 9 third-down stops. The Hoosiers additionally grew to become the one FBS protection to go 5-for-5 on stopping fourth-down conversions in a recreation this season, in keeping with TruMedia.

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One other spectacular stat that stood out to Indiana coach Curt Cignetti: Indiana was capable of convert the 5 turnovers into 28 factors.

“You do not see that fairly often,” Cignetti mentioned Monday.

However he is used to seeing it from his DC. Haines coached the No. 12 cease fee protection within the nation final season at James Madison, and their 2022 protection completed No. 8 on this metric after Haines was promoted to DC. Cignetti’s packages are identified for cutting-edge offenses, however Haines has been with him because the Elon and IUP days and remains to be succeeding even in opposition to more durable Huge Ten competitors.

Just a few extra movers to notice exiting Week 8:

Texas’ cease fee dropped from 87.1% to 82.1% following its 30-15 loss to No. 5 Georgia, however that proportion nonetheless ranked No. 1 on this week’s cease fee standings, placing the Longhorns simply forward of Ohio State (81.8%) and Tennessee (81.3%).

Wisconsin (No. 10) and Colorado (No. 12) additionally made massive strikes this week after blowout wins over Northwestern and Arizona, respectively. Since we’re solely halfway by means of this season, defenses can nonetheless make massive strikes in these standings primarily based on one nice (or not so nice) efficiency.

Oklahoma has been traditionally terrible on offense this season and simply fired OC Seth Littrell after seven video games, however the Sooners’ protection continues to be wonderful. That unit has been put in powerful spots all season lengthy but nonetheless ranks 14th in cease fee at 73.3%.

South Carolina, Oregon, Missouri and SMU moved into the highest 25 on this week’s standings. Nebraska dropped from No. 6 to No. 24 following its loss to the Hoosiers.

Iowa had a tough evening in opposition to Michigan State, permitting scores on eight of 10 drives in a 32-20 loss, and slid from 14th to 56th in cease fee.

Notice: All information is courtesy of TruMedia. Video games in opposition to FCS opponents and end-of-half drives during which the opponent took a knee or ran out the clock had been filtered out.