EPA
New Mexico ranks first in FBS in EPA per play allowed at −0.18, ahead of UCLA (−0.18) and North Dakota State (−0.13). The middle of FBS is about +0.08, and Colorado State is last of 138 (+0.35). Lower is better.
EPA per play allowed: what opposing offenses added per play. Below zero means the defense takes points away. Lower is better.
Expected points added per play, from CollegeFootballData.com. EPA measures how much each play changes the points a team can expect from the drive. Zero is break-even; +0.20 is very good. Not adjusted for opponents.
Games through Oct 31, 2026. Ranks are among the 138 FBS teams with the number.
| Rank | Team | Conference | EPA per play allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | Mountain West | −0.18 |
| 1 | UCLA | Big Ten | −0.18 |
| 3 | North Dakota State | Mountain West | −0.13 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | SEC | −0.12 |
| 5 | Michigan | Big Ten | −0.10 |
| 5 | Tennessee | SEC | −0.10 |
| 7 | Notre Dame | Independents | −0.08 |
| 8 | Baylor | Big 12 | −0.07 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | −0.07 |
| 10 | Liberty | Conference USA | −0.06 |
| 10 | LSU | SEC | −0.06 |
| 10 | Nebraska | Big Ten | −0.06 |
| 10 | TCU | Big 12 | −0.06 |
| 14 | Arizona | Big 12 | −0.05 |
| 14 | Ohio State | Big Ten | −0.05 |
| 16 | Indiana | Big Ten | −0.04 |
| 16 | Texas Tech | Big 12 | −0.04 |
| 18 | Louisiana | Sun Belt | −0.03 |
| 19 | Toledo | Mid-American | −0.02 |
| 20 | Alabama | SEC | −0.01 |
| 20 | James Madison | Sun Belt | −0.01 |
| 20 | Minnesota | Big Ten | −0.01 |
| 20 | Utah | Big 12 | −0.01 |
| 24 | Georgia | SEC | 0.00 |
| 24 | Massachusetts | Mid-American | 0.00 |
| 24 | Oregon | Big Ten | 0.00 |
| 24 | Texas | SEC | 0.00 |
| 24 | Washington | Big Ten | 0.00 |
| 29 | Boston College | ACC | +0.01 |
| 29 | Florida International | Conference USA | +0.01 |
| 29 | Missouri | SEC | +0.01 |
| 29 | South Florida | American Athletic | +0.01 |
| 33 | Clemson | ACC | +0.02 |
| 33 | East Carolina | American Athletic | +0.02 |
| 33 | Louisiana Tech | Sun Belt | +0.02 |
| 36 | Boise State | Pac-12 | +0.03 |
| 36 | BYU | Big 12 | +0.03 |
| 36 | Iowa | Big Ten | +0.03 |
| 36 | Miami | ACC | +0.03 |
| 36 | Old Dominion | Sun Belt | +0.03 |
| 36 | Troy | Sun Belt | +0.03 |
| 42 | Duke | ACC | +0.04 |
| 42 | Fresno State | Pac-12 | +0.04 |
| 42 | Kentucky | SEC | +0.04 |
| 42 | North Carolina | ACC | +0.04 |
| 42 | Northwestern | Big Ten | +0.04 |
| 42 | Pittsburgh | ACC | +0.04 |
| 42 | UAB | American Athletic | +0.04 |
| 42 | Utah State | Pac-12 | +0.04 |
| 50 | Kansas | Big 12 | +0.05 |
| 50 | Texas A&M | SEC | +0.05 |
| 52 | New Mexico State | Conference USA | +0.06 |
| 52 | UCF | Big 12 | +0.06 |
| 52 | UConn | Independents | +0.06 |
| 52 | Wake Forest | ACC | +0.06 |
| 56 | Colorado | Big 12 | +0.07 |
| 56 | Georgia Southern | Sun Belt | +0.07 |
| 56 | San José State | Mountain West | +0.07 |
| 56 | SMU | ACC | +0.07 |
| 56 | Tulsa | American Athletic | +0.07 |
| 56 | UNLV | Mountain West | +0.07 |
| 56 | Virginia Tech | ACC | +0.07 |
| 63 | Air Force | Mountain West | +0.08 |
| 63 | App State | Sun Belt | +0.08 |
| 63 | Arizona State | Big 12 | +0.08 |
| 63 | Memphis | American Athletic | +0.08 |
| 63 | Nevada | Mountain West | +0.08 |
| 63 | Sam Houston | Conference USA | +0.08 |
| 63 | Syracuse | ACC | +0.08 |
| 70 | Auburn | SEC | +0.09 |
| 70 | Jacksonville State | Conference USA | +0.09 |
| 70 | Kent State | Mid-American | +0.09 |
| 70 | Sacramento State | Mid-American | +0.09 |
| 70 | Virginia | ACC | +0.09 |
| 75 | Buffalo | Mid-American | +0.10 |
| 75 | Georgia State | Sun Belt | +0.10 |
| 75 | Kennesaw State | Conference USA | +0.10 |
| 75 | Louisville | ACC | +0.10 |
| 75 | Miami (OH) | Mid-American | +0.10 |
| 75 | Oklahoma State | Big 12 | +0.10 |
| 75 | Oregon State | Pac-12 | +0.10 |
| 75 | Penn State | Big Ten | +0.10 |
| 75 | UTSA | American Athletic | +0.10 |
| 75 | Western Michigan | Mid-American | +0.10 |
| 85 | Florida | SEC | +0.11 |
| 85 | Ohio | Mid-American | +0.11 |
| 87 | Kansas State | Big 12 | +0.12 |
| 87 | Tulane | American Athletic | +0.12 |
| 87 | USC | Big Ten | +0.12 |
| 90 | Eastern Michigan | Mid-American | +0.13 |
| 90 | Iowa State | Big 12 | +0.13 |
| 90 | North Texas | American Athletic | +0.13 |
| 90 | South Carolina | SEC | +0.13 |
| 90 | Wyoming | Mountain West | +0.13 |
| 95 | Delaware | Conference USA | +0.14 |
| 95 | Middle Tennessee | Conference USA | +0.14 |
| 95 | Mississippi State | SEC | +0.14 |
| 95 | Washington State | Pac-12 | +0.14 |
| 99 | Houston | Big 12 | +0.15 |
| 99 | Maryland | Big Ten | +0.15 |
| 99 | Rice | American Athletic | +0.15 |
| 99 | Western Kentucky | Conference USA | +0.15 |
| 103 | Arkansas State | Sun Belt | +0.16 |
| 103 | Bowling Green | Mid-American | +0.16 |
| 103 | Coastal Carolina | Sun Belt | +0.16 |
| 103 | Ole Miss | SEC | +0.16 |
| 103 | San Diego State | Pac-12 | +0.16 |
| 103 | Southern Miss | Sun Belt | +0.16 |
| 103 | Texas State | Pac-12 | +0.16 |
| 103 | Vanderbilt | SEC | +0.16 |
| 111 | Cincinnati | Big 12 | +0.17 |
| 111 | Michigan State | Big Ten | +0.17 |
| 113 | California | ACC | +0.18 |
| 113 | Hawai'i | Mountain West | +0.18 |
| 113 | Navy | American Athletic | +0.18 |
| 116 | Central Michigan | Mid-American | +0.19 |
| 117 | Arkansas | SEC | +0.20 |
| 118 | Temple | American Athletic | +0.21 |
| 119 | UL Monroe | Sun Belt | +0.22 |
| 120 | Akron | Mid-American | +0.23 |
| 120 | Ball State | Mid-American | +0.23 |
| 120 | Missouri State | Conference USA | +0.23 |
| 120 | NC State | ACC | +0.23 |
| 124 | Army | American Athletic | +0.24 |
| 124 | Florida State | ACC | +0.24 |
| 124 | Georgia Tech | ACC | +0.24 |
| 124 | South Alabama | Sun Belt | +0.24 |
| 128 | Charlotte | American Athletic | +0.25 |
| 128 | Marshall | Sun Belt | +0.25 |
| 130 | Florida Atlantic | American Athletic | +0.26 |
| 130 | Purdue | Big Ten | +0.26 |
| 130 | West Virginia | Big 12 | +0.26 |
| 133 | Illinois | Big Ten | +0.27 |
| 134 | UTEP | Mountain West | +0.28 |
| 135 | Rutgers | Big Ten | +0.29 |
| 136 | Stanford | ACC | +0.31 |
| 137 | Northern Illinois | Mountain West | +0.34 |
| 138 | Colorado State | Pac-12 | +0.35 |
Mountain West: New Mexico (−0.18, 1st); Big Ten: UCLA (−0.18, 1st); SEC: Oklahoma (−0.12, 4th); Independents: Notre Dame (−0.08, 7th); Big 12: Baylor (−0.07, 8th); Conference USA: Liberty (−0.06, 10th); Sun Belt: Louisiana (−0.03, 18th); Mid-American: Toledo (−0.02, 19th); ACC: Boston College (+0.01, 29th); American Athletic: South Florida (+0.01, 29th); Pac-12: Boise State (+0.03, 36th).