Putting Up Numbers· college football

Minnesota’s points of margin with Darius Taylor and without Darius Taylor

, ,

Against what the season’s ratings expected, Minnesota was 1.9 points under with Darius Taylor and 7.5 points over without Darius Taylor in 2026, 6 games against 1. The plain averages are 0.6 and 34.0, a difference of 33.4. All 3 away games were with Darius Taylor. Both ranked opponents were with Darius Taylor. All 5 conference games were with Darius Taylor.

Darius Taylor, running back: 217 rushing yards, 83 carries and 22 receptions in 7 games this season.

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

points of margin a game over expected

The games

with Darius Taylorwithout Darius Taylor
Minnesota’s games, 2026, each marked with Darius Taylor or without Darius Taylor
SideDateGameResultpoints of marginExpected
Sep 3, 2026vsEEastern IllinoisW52—
Sep 12, 2026vsMississippi StateL-25-0.4
Sep 19, 2026vsAkronW3426.5
Sep 26, 2026@WashingtonW3-9.0
Oct 3, 2026vsMichiganW60.2
Oct 10, 2026@PurdueL-280.9
Oct 24, 2026vsIowaW3-9.4
Oct 31, 2026@IndianaL-7-19.3

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 3.7 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 79% of the difference the model predicts.
  • Eastern Illinois 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.