Pinned Deep

On average, offensive possessions in college football begin at a team's own 31-yard line. Starting field position is a function of a variety of factors, including offensive and defensive success on the previous series and the special teams or defensive play that produced a change in possession. The starting field position of the previous possession is a factor as well and the value of pinning an opponent deep can enhance a scoring opportunity on a team's next offensive drive.

On average, teams start 19.7 percent of drives from inside their own 20-yard line. In 2010, LSU started only 11.1 percent of drives from inside its own 20-yard line, the lowest rate in the nation. Central Florida pinned its opponents deep on 29.1 percent of drives faced, the best defensive rate nationally.

:: Field Position and the Next Possession
:: 2010 Percentage of Offensive Drives Started Inside Own 20-Yard Line
:: 2010 Percentage of Opponent Drives Started Inside Opp 20-Yard Line

Plus Territory

Starting field position is a significant factor for offensive success. The closer a drive starts to the end zone, the more likely it is that the offense will score. On average, college football teams start 14.3 percent of offensive possessions in plus territory (at midfield or on the opponent's side of the 50-yard line). Short field opportunities are most often created by exceptional defensive and special teams play.

In 2010, LSU started 24.3 percent of its offensive possessions in plus territory. On defense, TCU allowed only 3.5 percent of opponent drives to start in plus territory. These were the best percentages in the nation in each category.

:: Scoring by Starting Field Position
:: 2010 Percentage of Offensive Drives Started in Plus Territory
:: 2010 Percentage of Opponent Drives Started in Plus Territory

College football data visualized

Welcome to the new home of BCF Toys, a site dedicated to featuring my college football program, team, unit, and schedule ratings, season and game projections, data visualizations, and more. I will be adding and updating content here over the coming weeks as I transition from my old blog.

As of today, eight years of FEI ratings have been added, as well as four years of Program FEI ratings. I'll also be featuring more graphics related to my work like the one provided above, a visualization of the changes in the weekly FEI top-10 ratings throughout the 2010 college football season.

If you have any questions or suggestions regarding this site, the stats, the graphics, or anything else, please feel free to email me or drop me a line in the comment section.