Putting Up Numbers· college football

Toledo’s points of margin with Connor Walendzak and since Connor Walendzak’s last game

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Against what the season’s ratings expected, Toledo was 0.9 points over with Connor Walendzak and 5.9 points over since Connor Walendzak’s last game over its last 25 games, 22 games against 1. The plain averages are 13.4 and 7.0, a difference of 6.4. Expected was 7.6 points higher with Connor Walendzak than since Connor Walendzak’s last game. All 10 away games were with Connor Walendzak. Both neutral-site games were with Connor Walendzak. Both opponents outside the major colleges were with Connor Walendzak.

Connor Walendzak, running back: 618 rushing yards, 137 carries and 20 receptions in 19 of those 25 games.

One game since Connor Walendzak’s last game 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 Connor Walendzaksince Connor Walendzak’s last game
Toledo’s games, last 25 games, each marked with Connor Walendzak or since Connor Walendzak’s last game
SideDateGameResultpoints of marginExpected
Nov 12, 2024vsCentral MichiganW2713.3
Nov 20, 2024vsOhioL-17-1.9
Nov 26, 2024@AkronL-77.6
Dec 26, 2024vsPittsburgh (neutral)W2-8.4
Aug 30, 2025@KentuckyL-8-0.2
Sep 6, 2025vsWestern KentuckyW2412.8
Sep 13, 2025vsMMorgan StateW60—
Sep 20, 2025@Western MichiganL-14.0
Sep 27, 2025vsAkronW4225.2
Oct 11, 2025@Bowling GreenL-520.5
Oct 18, 2025vsKent StateW3523.7
Oct 25, 2025@Washington StateL-210.3
Nov 5, 2025vsNorthern IllinoisW3919.0
Nov 12, 2025@Miami (OH)W216.8
Nov 22, 2025vsBall StateW2926.7
Nov 29, 2025@Central MichiganW1812.2
Dec 23, 2025vsLouisville (neutral)L-5-5.2
Sep 4, 2026@Michigan StateL-10-9.9
Sep 12, 2026vsCCentral ConnecticutW53—
Sep 19, 2026vsTempleW111.5
Sep 26, 2026vsSan Diego StateW253.3
Oct 3, 2026@Ball StateW158.7
Oct 10, 2026vsBuffaloL-1517.6
Oct 17, 2026@Eastern MichiganW202.2
Oct 24, 2026vsWestern MichiganW71.1

Method

Read against .

  • Expected is an offense and a defense a team, fit over every game of its season between two teams in the table with the game being read left out, plus 3.0 in 2024, plus 3.1 in 2025, plus 3.7 in 2026 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 85% in 2024, 87% in 2025, 79% in 2026 of the difference the model predicts.
  • Morgan State, Central Connecticut have no other game in the table, so those games have no expected number and sit out the second figure.
  • Who played is read from the schools’ box scores’ participation lists for 21 of these 25 games; in the other 4 a player is counted as in them when the box score has a stat for him.