Putting Up Numbers· college football

Central Michigan’s passing yards with Vaughn Blue and without Vaughn Blue

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Against what the season’s ratings expected, Central Michigan was 39.2 yards under with Vaughn Blue and 38.7 yards under without Vaughn Blue over its last 25 games, 6 games against 1. The plain averages are 120.1 and 137.0, a difference of 16.9. All 5 home games were with Vaughn Blue. All 6 day games were with Vaughn Blue. All 7 unranked opponents were with Vaughn Blue.

Vaughn Blue, running back: 187 rushing yards, 43 carries and 5 receptions in 7 of those 25 games.

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

passing yards a game over expected

The games

with Vaughn Bluewithout Vaughn Blue
Central Michigan’s games, last 25 games, each marked with Vaughn Blue or without Vaughn Blue
SideDateGameResultpassing yardsExpected
Nov 5, 2024vsBowling GreenL63155.6
Nov 12, 2024@ToledoL150158.3
Nov 19, 2024vsWestern MichiganW140184.2
Nov 30, 2024@Northern IllinoisL92130.2
Aug 29, 2025@San Jose StateW115214.2
Sep 6, 2025@PittsburghL177175.8
Sep 13, 2025@MichiganL60158.7
Sep 20, 2025vsWWagnerW273—
Sep 27, 2025vsEastern MichiganW140183.9
Oct 4, 2025@AkronL136217.5
Oct 18, 2025@Bowling GreenW73188.3
Oct 25, 2025vsUMassW223191.0
Nov 1, 2025@Western MichiganL185143.6
Nov 12, 2025vsBuffaloW247158.6
Nov 19, 2025@Kent StateW123214.7
Nov 29, 2025vsToledoL242154.2
Dec 26, 2025vsNorthwestern (neutral)L178144.0
Sep 5, 2026@New MexicoL30138.9
Sep 12, 2026vsColgateW76—
Sep 19, 2026vsWyomingW32162.1
Sep 26, 2026@Miami (FL)L137175.7
Oct 3, 2026vsAkronW149169.6
Oct 10, 2026@OhioL154152.1
Oct 17, 2026vsWestern MichiganL179161.9
Oct 24, 2026vsMiami (OH)L221215.6

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.
  • Colgate 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.
  • 17 games in 2024 and 2025 are neither with Vaughn Blue nor without Vaughn Blue: Vaughn Blue had no game for the team those seasons, and sit out.