Putting Up Numbers· college football

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

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Against what the season’s ratings expected, California was 27.8 yards over with Ian Strong and 26.6 yards under without Ian Strong in 2026, 7 games against 1. The plain averages are 90.1 and 37.0, a difference of 53.1. 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 games this season.

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

penalty yards a game over expected

The games

with Ian Strongwithout Ian Strong
California’s games, 2026, each marked with Ian Strong or without Ian Strong
SideDateGameResultpenalty yardsExpected
Sep 5, 2026vsUCLAL5966.2
Sep 12, 2026@SyracuseW8767.5
Sep 19, 2026vsWWagnerW80—
Sep 25, 2026vsClemsonL6165.3
Oct 3, 2026@UNLVL14758.8
Oct 10, 2026vsVirginia TechW9962.3
Oct 17, 2026vsWake ForestL3763.6
Oct 24, 2026@SMUL10763.2
Oct 31, 2026@NC StateL8163.4

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, minus 1.4 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 27% 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.