Putting Up Numbers· college football

Rice’s rushing yards with Gael Ochoa and without Gael Ochoa

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Against what the season’s ratings expected, Rice was 291.5 yards over with Gael Ochoa and 5.7 yards under without Gael Ochoa in 2026, 1 game against 6. The plain averages are 499.0 and 240.7, a difference of 258.3. All 4 home games were without Gael Ochoa. All 4 night games were without Gael Ochoa. All 4 nonconference games were without Gael Ochoa.

Gael Ochoa, quarterback: 160 passing yards, 16 pass attempts and 8 completions in 4 games this season, 20% of Rice’s rushing yards in those games.

One game with Gael Ochoa is one game, not a sample, but maybe you can find something if you squint.

rushing yards a game over expected

The games

with Gael Ochoawithout Gael Ochoa
Rice’s games, 2026, each marked with Gael Ochoa or without Gael Ochoa
SideDateGameResultrushing yardsExpected
Sep 5, 2026vsHHouston ChristianW467—
Sep 12, 2026@Notre DameL68172.0
Sep 19, 2026vsWestern MichiganL209213.1
Sep 26, 2026@Fresno StateL344192.3
Oct 3, 2026vsUTSAL144236.5
Oct 10, 2026@East CarolinaL164219.0
Oct 17, 2026vsTulsaL289219.6
Oct 24, 2026@Florida AtlanticL499207.5

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 8.0 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 60% of the difference the model predicts.
  • Houston Christian 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.
  • With him means he was the team’s quarterback that game, at least half of its pass attempts; a game he left early or came into late reads as without him.