Putting Up Numbers· college football

Florida International’s penalty yards with Sterling Joseph and without Sterling Joseph

, ,

Against what the season’s ratings expected, Florida International was 5.5 yards under with Sterling Joseph and 41.2 yards over without Sterling Joseph in 2026, 6 games against 1. The plain averages are 51.9 and 100.0, a difference of 48.1. All 4 home games were with Sterling Joseph. All 6 night games were with Sterling Joseph. All 4 nonconference games were with Sterling Joseph.

Sterling Joseph, running back: 88 rushing yards, 23 carries and 3 receptions in 7 games this season.

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

penalty yards a game over expected

The games

with Sterling Josephwithout Sterling Joseph
Florida International’s games, 2026, each marked with Sterling Joseph or without Sterling Joseph
SideDateGameResultpenalty yardsExpected
Sep 5, 2026@South FloridaL5051.1
Sep 12, 2026vsBuffaloW4159.8
Sep 19, 2026@Florida AtlanticL6552.2
Sep 26, 2026vsLLong Island UniversityW58—
Oct 7, 2026vsNew Mexico StateW4559.9
Oct 13, 2026@Jacksonville StateL10058.8
Oct 20, 2026vsMiddle TennesseeL2956.7
Oct 31, 2026@LibertyL7558.2

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 1.3 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.
  • Long Island University 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.