'Tis the Season: A model for predicting the 2015 bowl games
Everyone, including Vegas oddsmakers, has an opinion on which teams are the nation's best and which will win the bowls. However, at least one set of rankings can be derived less from opinion and more from another look at the numbers.
Inside the Numbers: Advanced stats for Texas A&M-LSU
Perhaps more than in any other game Texas A&M played this season, the numbers from Baton Rouge line up perfectly with what even the untrained eye saw. How well did the Texas A&M defense play? Simply put, exceptionally. Just how bad was the offense. Well...
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Inside the Numbers: Advanced stats for Texas A&M-Vanderbilt
For the first time all season, the most telling stat for Texas A&M was the opponent's score: zero. A look at the other numbers that contributed to it, however, reveals just how dominant the Aggies were in the field position game and on defense.
Inside the Numbers: Advanced stats for Texas A&M-Western Carolina
Onlookers may not have been terribly impressed with Texas A&M's performance against a subpar foe on Saturday night, but the numbers tell a slightly different story. In every category but one, the Aggies asserted themselves.
Inside the Numbers: Advanced stats for Texas A&M-Auburn
No, it wasn't pretty on film — and no, the numbers don't look any better. The story of Texas A&M's tilt with Auburn: the offense struggled mightily, the defense struggled mightily and the results, well, aren't surprising.
Inside the Numbers: Advanced stats for Texas A&M-South Carolina
That Kyler Murray added a new dimension to the Texas A&M offense was obvious, but a closer look at the number reveals just how drastically the Aggies improved in several areas against South Carolina. The defense, meanwhile, looked the same on paper as on the field.
Inside the Numbers: Advanced stats for Texas A&M-Ole Miss
For the second consecutive week, the numbers merely reflect what even the untrained eye could see: against Ole Miss the Texas A&M defense finished strong after a rough first quarter ... and the Aggies' offensive performance was simply bad on epic levels.
Inside the Numbers: Advanced stats for Texas A&M-Alabama
Numbers rarely lie. In fact, in Texas A&M's showdown with Alabama they only confirm what most observers could plainly see: the Aggie offense's abysmal performance ultimately negated a superb effort from the defense over the game's final three quarters.
Inside the Numbers: Advanced SEC stats at the halfway point
In the midst of a 5-0 opening and a rise to No. 9 in the polls, Texas A&M has shown marked improvement on defense and a steady sharpening on offense. But just where in the SEC do the Aggies rank in each facet? The numbers tell the story.
Inside the Numbers: Advanced stats for Texas A&M-Mississippi State
Facing the challenge posed by Dak Prescott's offense and a top-25 Bulldog defense, Texas A&M more or less controlled both lines of scrimmage most of the game in an efficient victory. The numbers show a greater gap than the score.
Inside the Numbers: Advanced stats for Texas A&M-Arkansas
Against Arkansas the Aggies' offense seemed pedestrian and the defense ultimately did enough to hold the Razorbacks to 21 points. Yet, a deeper look at the numbers indicates the real story is reversed on both accounts.
Inside the Numbers: Advanced stats for Texas A&M-Nevada
A lackluster finish notwithstanding, the Aggies dominated Nevada in many ways the final score doesn't indicate. According to the numbers, Texas A&M's offense and defense are both nearly right on schedule.