Numbers are an integral part of college football.
Whether you’re previewing games, ranking teams, or picking an award winner, statistics help shape the story. They are the backbone of almost any conversation about sports.
The best part for us numbers nerds is that statistics don’t always have to support or disagree with a narrative.
Sometimes, averages and outputs make a lot of sense — as we’ll mention with Big Ten defenses, for example. On the other hand, it can be completely strange or unique.
All choices here are subjective. There’s no definitive way as to why I decided to highlight any of them, other than to empty my cranial notebook as the 2023 regular season winds down and shift our focus to the bowl games and the College Football Playoff.
There is simply no argument that any conference had a greater right to defend the elite than the Big Ten.
Penn State ranked first nationally in yards allowed per play, followed by Iowa State, Ohio State, and Michigan. In points allowed per game, Michigan led the way ahead of Ohio State, Penn State and Iowa.
It’s no coincidence that each program wins more than 10 games.
The last year similar to the Big Ten’s distinction was 2013; Three ACC defenses ranked second, third and fourth in yards allowed per game. Two years earlier, the SEC boasted five of the top eight.
However, having a top-four defense is extremely rare And Clearly a special achievement.
Speaking of Iowa…
What makes the Hawkeyes’ stellar defensive season even more impressive is how badly the team needed it.
Among the many factors to Iowa’s offensive woes, injuries have hit the unit in 2023. Most notably, offseason surgery left starting quarterback Spencer Petras unavailable, and a knee injury that sidelined Michigan’s Cade McNamara in late September.
Fast forward to today, Iowa State enters the league season averaging just 16.6 points — the fourth-worst mark in the country.
However, Iowa State posted a 10-3 record. The other under-17 teams (Michigan State, Akron and Kent State) posted a combined mark of 7-29. Last season, the nation’s top five under-17 offenses finished 8-52. None of the six programs won more than three games in 2021, either.
It’s easy to make a joke about Iowa’s offense, but this defense has helped the Hawkeyes become weird.
Take a look at the FBS leaders in tackles for loss, and you’ll notice a surprising trend: James Madison has three.
UCLA’s Laiatu Latu recorded a nation-best 21.5 TFLs, but JMU’s Jalen Green — who missed three games — recorded 21 TFLs for loss. Jamri Kroma (19.5; T-4th) and Mikael Kamara (18.5; T-6th) trail each other.
Three players in the top seven in this category? Totally absurd.
Pitt boasted three top-25 defenders in 2020, but stretches of schedule varied from conference to conference that season. The closest unit otherwise would likely be 2017 Michigan, which had three defenders in the top 18 — though none of them checked into the top 10.
Knowing all of that, I’d say it’s no surprise that James Madison compiled a nation-best 109 tackles for loss.
If you’ve been following along lately, you may have noticed Jason Henderson on B/R’s All-American team or being named the Big Five Player of the Year.
The reason is clear: The Old Dominion linebacker racked up an FBS-best 170 tackles, including 19.5 for losses and 4.5 sacks.
This is just a surface level observation.
Henderson is the first player since Luke Keuchley to get more than 170 stops in consecutive seasons. (Anytime you become the “first player since Luke Keuchley” that’s usually a really good thing, too.) Keuchley had 183 and 191 tackles in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
Henderson will either declare for the 2024 NFL Draft or return next season with a shot at becoming the FBS’s leading tackler. Carlton Martial is Just After all, the 144 stopped in front of Henderson.
Illinois star Jerzan Newton is best recognized for his contributions at defensive tackle. A potential first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, he was recently named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
But he also poses a threat on special teams.
Newton has been denied eight points this season, giving up a pair of field goals and extra points. He is the first player since Toledo’s Reggie Gilliam (2018) to block four kicks in a season — and the first since Kansas State’s Rafael Guidry (2011) to have four kicks in conference games.
Newton, who has officially announced his intention to turn pro, will leave two big voids at Illinois next season.
There are few classes more influential than turn battle. Although a positive margin is not a guarantee of success, it is very difficult to win consistently with a negative number.
Unfortunately for Temple, he finished the year as an extreme example.
Yes, the Owls have struggled with turnovers all season. They ranked 102nd in fumbles lost (nine), and EJ Warner threw 12 interceptions — the eighth-highest total for an individual QB. Overall, the offense finished with the fourth-worst mark in the nation with 25 giveaways.
But the defense wasn’t much help, leading to a meager and historically low five points.
With the exception of the shortened 2020 season, no one since 2000 has finished eating more or less fast food.
Temple stumbled to 3-9 for the third straight year.
UCLA has not officially joined this limited club, but the Bruins’ defensive stinginess is worth noting.
Entering the postseason, UCLA had surrendered just three rushing touchdowns. Since 2000 — and with the exception of 2020 — only six defenses have made three or fewer points on the floor.
Now, the Bruins would certainly be an aberration. Among that group of six teams, each program won more than nine games. Two of them (2011 Alabama and 2021 Georgia) captured the national title, and the third (2007) Ohio State made the BCS Championship Game.
As for UCLA? Disappointing 7-5 season.
Boise State, the Bruins’ opponent in the LA Bowl, is tied for seventh nationally with 32 points. Obviously, there is a strong possibility that UCLA will not finish the year in this small group.
However, UCLA plugs deserve attention for now.
Washington posted a 13-0 record, celebrated a Pac-12 title and reached the 2023 College Football Playoff. This is, so far, the quick summary of the Huskies’ breakout year.
One important trend that has emerged is how UW has consistently found ways to win close games. In fact, after Washington crushed its first four opponents by more than 27 points, it managed only one double-digit margin of victory over the remainder of the campaign.
As a result, the Dawgs are only the fifth program ever to have eight wins by nine points or fewer. The most recent was in 2012 at Stanford University.
Nervous fourth quarters are not ideal. Of course, Washington would prefer to avoid late-game drama.
But an uncomfortable win over Texas would send the Huskies to the national championship. They will take it.
The 2023 college football regular season brought about some truly unique and fascinating statistics that left fans and experts alike in awe. From record-breaking performances to unexpected upsets, the season was full of moments that will be remembered for years to come. Let’s take a closer look at some of the standout statistics that made the 2023 college football regular season so special.