Putting Up Numbers· college football

California’s passing yards with Ian Strong and without Ian Strong

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Against what the season’s ratings expected, California was 21.6 yards over with Ian Strong and 67.0 yards under without Ian Strong over its last 25 games, 7 games against 1. The plain averages are 285.9 and 191.0, a difference of 94.9. All 4 away games were with Ian Strong. All 6 day games were with Ian Strong. All 7 unranked opponents were with Ian Strong.

Ian Strong, receiver: 478 receiving yards, 35 receptions and 1 receiving touchdown in 8 of those 25 games.

One game without Ian Strong is one game, not a sample, but maybe you can find something if you squint.

passing yards a game over expected

The games

with Ian Strongwithout Ian Strong
California’s games, last 25 games, each marked with Ian Strong or without Ian Strong
SideDateGameResultpassing yardsExpected
Nov 23, 2024vsStanfordW299265.9
Nov 30, 2024@SMUL159261.6
Dec 18, 2024vsUNLV (neutral)L166265.8
Aug 30, 2025@Oregon StateW234261.6
Sep 6, 2025vsTexas SouthernW294—
Sep 13, 2025vsMinnesotaW279253.0
Sep 20, 2025@San Diego StateL224225.3
Sep 27, 2025@Boston CollegeW254271.4
Oct 4, 2025vsDukeL245305.8
Oct 17, 2025vsNorth CarolinaW214254.2
Oct 24, 2025@Virginia TechL286245.6
Nov 1, 2025vsVirginiaL255239.7
Nov 8, 2025@LouisvilleW350216.4
Nov 22, 2025@StanfordL285280.9
Nov 29, 2025vsSMUW330278.5
Dec 24, 2025@HawaiiL337261.6
Sep 5, 2026vsUCLAL291213.6
Sep 12, 2026@SyracuseW182256.7
Sep 19, 2026vsWWagnerW492—
Sep 25, 2026vsClemsonL145231.8
Oct 3, 2026@UNLVL395212.4
Oct 10, 2026vsVirginia TechW321258.3
Oct 17, 2026vsWake ForestL191258.0
Oct 24, 2026@SMUL265200.2
Oct 31, 2026@NC StateL196270.7

Method

Read against .

  • Expected is an offense and a defense a team, fit over every 2026 game between two teams in the table with the game being read left out, plus 4.1 for the home team (the edge the fit finds once strength is in), nothing at a neutral site.
  • Each expected number is then fit to the season’s games: a game bears out about 59% of the difference the model predicts.
  • Wagner has no other game in the table, so that game has no expected number and sits out the second figure.
  • Who played is read from the schools’ box scores’ participation lists, which name every player who entered the game.
  • 16 games in 2024 and 2025 are neither with Ian Strong nor without Ian Strong: Ian Strong had no game for the team those seasons, and sit out.