The FBS Drive Stats Glossary

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The FBS Drive Stats Glossary in Google Docs

AdjO- This is an abbreviation for adjusted offensive efficiency. This is adjusted offensive points per drive multiplied by ten.

AdjD- This is an abbreviation for adjusted defensive efficiency. This is adjusted defensive points per drive multiplied by ten.

Av. Yds- This is an abbreviation for available yards at the start of a drive. If a team starts on its own 20, there were 80 available yards on that particular drive.

Drive- Any possession with an offensive play is considered a drive. All drives have nine possible outcomes. Its formula is scoring drives + punts + missed field goals + turnovers + time-expiring drives.

End- The average number of yards a team is from the end zone when their drive ends. The formula for this is (available yards - yards gained) / drives.

eTO%- Effective turnover percentage; eTO% includes safeties that occurred on offensive plays and failed fourth down conversions. Its formula is (loss of downs + fumbles lost + interceptions + safeties) / drives. This formula counts failed fourth down conversions and safeties as turnovers because the offense’s intent was to retain possession.

FUM%- Fumble percentage; its formula is fumbles / drives.

INT%- Interception percentage; its formula is interceptions / drives.

Margin- The listed margin on a drive chart is simply the home team’s score - the away team’s score.

OppO- This is an abbreviation for the strength of the opposing offense.

OppD- This is an abbreviation for the strength of the opposing defense.

Pts/Dr- This is an abbreviation for points per drive; its formula is ((FG * 3) + (TD * 7)) / drives.

Punt%- Punt percentage; the formula for Punt% is punts / drives.

Pyth- This is an abbreviation for Pythagorean Expectation. It was developed by Bill James. In baseball, the purpose of this formula is to estimate the number of games a team should have won based on runs scored and runs allowed. Its formula for football is (adjusted offense ^ 2) / ((adjusted offense ^ 2) + (adjusted defense ^ 2)).

Score%- Score percentage; its formula is (TD + FG) / drives.

SOS- This abbreviation is for strength of schedule. It also uses the Pythagorean Expectation formula. Its formula is (opponent offense ^ 2) / ((opponent offense ^ 2) + (opponent defense ^ 2)).

Start- The average number of yards a team is from the end zone when their drive begins. The formula for this is available yards / drives.

Statistically Significant Drives- drives that take place when a game is close. Football Outsiders’ criteria for a statistically significant drive is used to determine which drives are statistically significant. Here is the definition of a statistically drive:

  • Drives beginning in the first quarter with a margin of 28 points or less.
  • Drives beginning in the second quarter with a margin of 24 points or less.
  • Drives beginning in the third quarter with a margin of 21 points or less.
  • Drives beginning in the fourth quarter with a margin of 16 points or less.

All drives where a quarterback takes a knee are expunged. Drives to end a half that consist entirely of running plays are also discarded. Unless a quarterback takes a knee on a drive to end a half, all drives at the end of a half containing a sack are included. Drives that begin with two minutes or less remaining in the game are also discarded if the scoring margin is greater than one possession. Drives to end a half with at least three consecutive running plays are also deemed statistically insignificant, even if there was a pass play earlier in the drive.

TD%- Touchdown percentage; the formula for TD% is touchdowns / drives.

TO%- Turnover percentage; the formula for TO% is (interceptions + fumbles lost) / drives.

Yds%- Yardage percentage; the formula for this is yards gained / yards available.

Yds/Dr- Yards per drive; its formula is yards / drives.

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