Putting Up Numbers· college football

Western Michigan’s points of margin with Lolo Mataele and since Lolo Mataele’s last game

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Against what the season’s ratings expected, Western Michigan was 1.0 points over with Lolo Mataele and 5.1 points under since Lolo Mataele’s last game over its last 25 games, 20 games against 1. The plain averages are 7.0 and 13.0, a difference of 6.0. Expected was 14.8 points lower with Lolo Mataele than since Lolo Mataele’s last game. All 11 away games were with Lolo Mataele. Both neutral-site games were with Lolo Mataele. All 8 night games were with Lolo Mataele.

Lolo Mataele, running back: 483 rushing yards, 110 carries and 12 receptions in 19 of those 25 games.

One game since Lolo Mataele’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 Lolo Mataelesince Lolo Mataele’s last game
Western Michigan’s games, last 25 games, each marked with Lolo Mataele or since Lolo Mataele’s last game
SideDateGameResultpoints of marginExpected
Nov 30, 2024vsEastern MichiganW86.0
Dec 14, 2024vsSouth Alabama (neutral)L-7-7.3
Aug 29, 2025@Michigan StateL-17-5.1
Sep 6, 2025vsNorth TexasL-3-10.3
Sep 13, 2025@IllinoisL-38-12.8
Sep 20, 2025vsToledoW1-4.0
Sep 27, 2025vsRRhode IslandW33—
Oct 4, 2025@UMassW1830.8
Oct 11, 2025vsBall StateW4217.4
Oct 25, 2025@Miami (OH)L-94.3
Nov 1, 2025vsCentral MichiganW314.0
Nov 11, 2025vsOhioW44.4
Nov 18, 2025@Northern IllinoisW169.5
Nov 25, 2025@Eastern MichiganW109.7
Dec 6, 2025vsMiami (OH) (neutral)W104.8
Dec 19, 2025vsKennesaw State (neutral)W35-0.5
Sep 5, 2026@MichiganL-1-13.7
Sep 12, 2026vsMMonmouthW35—
Sep 19, 2026@RiceW75.0
Sep 26, 2026vsBoise StateL-25-8.2
Oct 3, 2026@BuffaloW34.1
Oct 10, 2026vsKent StateW3115.4
Oct 17, 2026@Central MichiganW71.7
Oct 24, 2026@ToledoL-7-0.2
Oct 31, 2026vsBowling GreenW1318.1

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 3.1 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 87% in 2025, 79% in 2026 of the difference the model predicts.
  • Rhode Island, Monmouth 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.
  • 2 games in 2024 are neither with Lolo Mataele nor since Lolo Mataele’s last game: Lolo Mataele had no game for the team that season, and sit out.