Putting Up Numbers· college football

Colorado State’s third-down conversion rate with Mel Brown and since Mel Brown’s last game

, ,

Against what the season’s ratings expected, Colorado State was 6.1 percentage points over with Mel Brown and 5.6 percentage points under since Mel Brown’s last game over its last 25 games, 6 games against 1. The plain averages are 48.9% and 36.4%, a difference of 12.6%. All 5 home games were with Mel Brown. All 4 nonconference games were with Mel Brown.

Mel Brown, running back: 454 rushing yards, 52 carries and 16 receptions in 7 of those 25 games.

One game since Mel Brown’s last game is one game, not a sample, but maybe you can find something if you squint.

third-down conversion rate a game over expected

The games

with Mel Brownsince Mel Brown’s last game
Colorado State’s games, last 25 games, each marked with Mel Brown or since Mel Brown’s last game
SideDateGameResult3rd downsExpected
Nov 2, 2024@NevadaW46.2%41.5%
Nov 15, 2024vsWyomingW25.0%28.7%
Nov 23, 2024@Fresno StateL29.4%34.0%
Nov 29, 2024vsUtah StateW20.0%42.2%
Dec 28, 2024vsMiami (OH) (neutral)L47.1%39.7%
Aug 30, 2025@WashingtonL23.1%34.2%
Sep 6, 2025vsNorthern ColoradoW50.0%—
Sep 20, 2025vsUTSAL38.9%32.7%
Sep 27, 2025vsWashington StateL38.5%33.1%
Oct 3, 2025@San Diego StateL28.6%32.1%
Oct 10, 2025vsFresno StateW33.3%35.6%
Oct 18, 2025vsHawaiiL40.0%36.4%
Oct 25, 2025@WyomingL30.8%33.2%
Nov 8, 2025vsUNLVL7.7%34.6%
Nov 15, 2025@New MexicoL31.3%35.0%
Nov 22, 2025@Boise StateL46.2%29.6%
Nov 28, 2025vsAir ForceL25.0%44.8%
Sep 5, 2026vsWyomingW46.7%43.0%
Sep 12, 2026vsSSouthern UtahW53.3%—
Sep 19, 2026vsBYUL50.0%40.6%
Sep 26, 2026@UTSAL35.3%41.5%
Oct 3, 2026vsOregon StateL55.6%41.5%
Oct 15, 2026@Texas StateL26.7%42.5%
Oct 24, 2026vsSan Diego StateW75.0%43.3%
Oct 31, 2026@Utah StateL36.4%42.0%

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 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 40% of the difference the model predicts.
  • Southern Utah 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 Mel Brown nor since Mel Brown’s last game: Mel Brown had no game for the team those seasons, and sit out.