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Run offense vs. run defense: 2026 College Football Chart

College Football Charts
Data updatedOct 31, 2026

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Run offense vs. run defense

EPA per rush allowed (adjusted) (up) against EPA per rush (adjusted) (across). 138 teams.

Up and right are always better: metrics where lower is better (like ranks or points allowed) run in reverse. Dashed lines are the averages of the teams shown and split the chart into four groups. There's no trend line or gray band here: the chart compares two separate skills, so no spot is "expected." The lists rank teams on both skills together. Tap or click a team to open it in Head to head.

What this shows

Right is an offense that gets more out of every carry; up is a defense that gives up less on every carry. Up and right owns the ground.

There is almost no relationship here (r = +0.07): knowing a team's EPA per rush (adjusted) tells you little about its EPA per rush allowed (adjusted).

Split by the averages: Owns the ground 37, Stops the run, can't run it 33, Runs it, can't stop it 28, Pushed around 40.

Owns the ground: Notre Dame (9th and 2nd), UCLA (18th and 3rd), Alabama (31st and 1st). Pushed around: California (127th and 135th), Sacramento State (136th and 116th), Sam Houston (133rd and 124th). Ranks are among the 138 teams shown, EPA per rush (adjusted) first, then EPA per rush allowed (adjusted).

Pac-12: 1 of 8 in Owns the ground, 1 in Pushed around. Top of the list: Boise State (2nd and 105th of 138).

Mountain West: 2 of 10 in Owns the ground, 5 in Pushed around. Top of the list: New Mexico (30th and 13th of 138).

Where the data comes from. EPA per rush allowed (adjusted): CollegeFootballData.com advanced stats, games through Oct 24, 2026. EPA per rush (adjusted): CollegeFootballData.com advanced stats, games through Oct 24, 2026.

Owns the ground

  1. Notre Dame 9th and 2nd of 138
  2. UCLA 18th and 3rd of 138
  3. Alabama 31st and 1st of 138
  4. Utah 7th and 18th of 138
  5. New Mexico 30th and 13th of 138
  6. Ohio State 48th and 8th of 138

Pushed around

  1. California 127th and 135th of 138
  2. Sacramento State 136th and 116th of 138
  3. Sam Houston 133rd and 124th of 138
  4. Stanford 118th and 136th of 138
  5. UL Monroe 129th and 125th of 138
  6. Missouri State 126th and 119th of 138

About the stats on this chart

Where does the EPA per rush data come from?

From CollegeFootballData.com advanced stats, games through Oct 24, 2026.

Where does the EPA per rush allowed data come from?

From CollegeFootballData.com advanced stats, games through Oct 24, 2026.