Putting Up Numbers· college football

Virginia’s third-down conversion rate with Noah Vaughn and since Noah Vaughn’s last game

, ,

Against what the season’s ratings expected, Virginia was 3.6 percentage points under with Noah Vaughn and 28.4 percentage points under since Noah Vaughn’s last game in 2026, 7 games against 1. The plain averages are 33.2% and 8.3%, a difference of 24.9%. All 5 home games were with Noah Vaughn. All 5 night games were with Noah Vaughn. All 7 unranked opponents were with Noah Vaughn.

Noah Vaughn, running back: 141 rushing yards, 28 carries and 1 reception in 6 games this season.

One game since Noah Vaughn’s last game is one game, not a sample, but maybe you can find something if you squint.

third-down conversion rate a game over expected

The games

with Noah Vaughnsince Noah Vaughn’s last game
Virginia’s games, 2026, each marked with Noah Vaughn or since Noah Vaughn’s last game
SideDateGameResult3rd downsExpected
Aug 29, 2026vsNC StateW21.4%37.3%
Sep 11, 2026vsNNorfolk StateW50.0%—
Sep 19, 2026vsWest Virginia (neutral)L37.5%34.3%
Sep 26, 2026vsDelawareW46.7%34.2%
Oct 3, 2026@Florida StateL20.0%37.1%
Oct 10, 2026vsSyracuseW30.0%36.7%
Oct 17, 2026@SMUL30.8%29.6%
Oct 23, 2026vsDukeL29.4%31.5%
Oct 31, 2026@Wake ForestL8.3%36.7%

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 1.4% 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 40% of the difference the model predicts.
  • Norfolk State 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 for 8 of these 9 games; in the other game a player is counted as in it when the box score has a stat for him.