Putting Up Numbers· college football

UTEP’s rushing yards with Tavorus Jones and without Tavorus Jones

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Against what the season’s ratings expected, UTEP was 31.9 yards under with Tavorus Jones and 69.6 yards over without Tavorus Jones in 2026, 5 games against 1. The plain averages are 131.3 and 170.0, a difference of 38.7. All 4 home games were with Tavorus Jones. All 3 night games were with Tavorus Jones. Both ranked opponents were with Tavorus Jones.

Tavorus Jones, running back: 276 rushing yards, 66 carries and 10 receptions in 7 games this season, 30% of UTEP’s rushing yards in those games.

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

rushing yards a game over expected

The games

with Tavorus Joneswithout Tavorus Jones
UTEP’s games, 2026, each marked with Tavorus Jones or without Tavorus Jones
SideDateGameResultrushing yardsExpected
Sep 4, 2026@OklahomaL11293.2
Sep 12, 2026vsTexas SouthernW252—
Sep 19, 2026@MichiganL57121.1
Sep 26, 2026vsOregon StateL92154.2
Oct 3, 2026@New MexicoL170100.4
Oct 10, 2026vsNevadaL79150.2
Oct 17, 2026vsSan Jose StateL180160.8
Oct 31, 2026@NNorth Dakota StateL147—

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.
  • Texas Southern, North Dakota State 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, which name every player who entered the game.