Stephen Vilardo’s Week 4 Matchups by the Numbers

Posted on September 24, 2021


  By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports

A full slate of Pac-12 games awaits us this weekend, beginning with a must-win matchup for both teams between Washington State and Utah.

Pac-12The day continues with an all-time series that’s as even as it gets, and concludes with a trio of 7:30 p.m. PT starts, including one in Los Angeles that historically has been anything but even.

There are streaks on the line and improvements to be made. Nine teams are opening conference play and three are guaranteed to be 1-0. Four are sure to be unbeaten, including either UCLA  at 1-0 or Stanford at 2-0.

Here is a look at some notes and numbers for this week’s games.

Washington State Cougars at Utah Utes

Series tied 9-9 all-time, and an even 5-5 at Rice-Eccles Stadium

• Utah is 61-34-4 all-time in Homecoming games a win percentage of .642.

• Washington State has forced seven turnovers on the season, tied for the 13th most in the nation.

• Jahad Woods has recorded 342 tackles in his career, the most of any active Pac-12 player and the third-most of anyone in the country.

Woods

• Woods has forced eight fumbles in his career, one shy of tying the Washington State record. Those eight are also the third-most of any active player in FBS.

• Max Borghi’s 143 career receptions are the most of any active RB in the nation and 20th-most of any active player.

• Last week was the first time in Max Borghi’s career that he did not have a reception, breaking a 29-game streak.

• Britain Covey is second in the nation in punt return average at 20.6 yards per return.

• Trevell Harris is fourth in the nation with a punt return average of 17.2 yards.

• Devin Lloyd is second nationally with 12.7 tackles per game. 

• Devin Lloyd has recorded at least 10 tackles in four straight games, the longest such streak for a Ute since Chaz Walker had a four-game streak spanning the end of 2010 and beginning of 2011.

• Lloyd’s 1.67 TFL per game this season are tied for 15th in the nation. 

• The Utes have allowed just seven plays of 20+ yards this season, the eighth-fewest in the nation.

• Tyrone Hill is one of just eight active players in FBS with at least two fumbles recovered for a TD.

No. 24 UCLA Bruins at Stanford Cardinal

UCLA leads the series 46-43-3, but Stanford has a 24-20-2 lead as the home team

• The Cardinal have won 10 of the last 11 meetings with UCLA.

• Stanford just concluded a seven-game streak away from home, going 6-1 over the end of last season and start of 2021.

DTR

• Stanford has won 53 of their last 66 home games (.803)

• The Bruins have at least one interception in seven straight games.

• UCLA is 5-5 in conference openers in the Pac-12 era.

• Dorian Thompson-Robinson is averaging 11.13 yards per attempt, third-most in the nation.

• On the season, UCLA is averaging 190.3 yards rushing per game and allowing just 63.0 on the ground per outing. The 63.0 yards allowed is 11th best in the country. 

• Stanford is allowing 210.7 rushing yards per game, 117th nationally.

• David Shaw is 32-8 in games vs other teams from California.

• Kyu Blu Kelly is tied for fifth in the nation with 2.0 passes defender per game this season.

Washington football pac-12California Bears at Washington Huskies

Washington owns a 54-41-4 all-time series lead, boasting a 29-19-1-3 mark vs Cal at home

• The last two meetings have been decided by a total of three points, both wins for the Bears.

• Cal has not won three in a row over Washington since a five-game win streak 2002-2006

Moore

• Cal has won just two of their last eight Pac-12 openers; both wins have come at the expense of Washington.

• Damien Moore has run for at least one TD in every game this season.

• Moore’s five rushing TDs are the most in the first three games of a season for Cal since Shane Vereen had six to open the 2010 season.

• Washington’s turnover margin on the season is –1.33, 118th in the nation.

• The Huskies have not allowed an opponent to score more than 35 points in 78 consecutive games.

• Cade Otton has at least one reception in 26-consecutive games. He has at least two receptions in his last six games.

• The Huskies are allowing 123.0 passing yards per game, the fourth best mark in the nation.

• Washington has turned the ball over seven times this season, the seventh-most in the nation.

• Terrell Bynum is second in the Pac-12 with 89.5 receiving yards per game.

Oregon Ducks Logo Pac-12
Arizona football Pac-12Arizona Wildcats at No. 3 Oregon Ducks

Oregon leads the series 20-17, and owns a 15-5 mark in Eugene

• Arizona has lost 15-straight games, the longest active streak in the nation.

• The Wildcats have allowed 39.6 points per game in those 15-straight losses.

• Oregon has won 14 straight games in Autzen Stadium, the fifth-longest active home win streak in the country.

• The last seven meetings between the teams have been decided by 28.1 points. The Ducks lead 4-3 in those seven meetings.

Berryhill

• Stanley Berryhill III is third in the nation with 9.3 receptions per game.

• The Wildcats are tied for second in the Pac-12 with 7.0 TFL per game.

• Berryhill III’s 28 receptions vs. regular season nonconference opponents are the most since 2002, when Bobby Wade also had 28 receptions in four nonconference games.

• Verone McKinley III is second in the nation with three interceptions this season. His eight career interceptions are the fifth most in the nation among active players.

• CJ Verdell is the active Pac-12 career rushing leader with 2,812 yards. That is the ninth most of any active player in the nation.

• Travis Dye has 2,034 career rushing yards, added to CJ Verdell’s 2,812 they have combined for 4,846 career rushing yards, the most of any active RB duo in the country.

• Arizona is allowing 3.3 sacks per game, 116th in the nation.

• George Moore has allowed just two sacks in his last 259 pass play snaps since the start of last season.

• Arizona is last in the nation on third downs with a conversion rate of 20%.

Colorado Buffaloes at Arizona State Sun Devils

Sun Devils lead the series 8-3, are 5-1 vs the Buffaloes in Tempe

• All three of Colorado’s wins in the series have come in the last four meetings.

• The last two games between ASU and CU have both been decided by three games, with the Buffs winning.

White

• Arizona State is 26-15-1 all-time in its first Pac-12 home game.

• At least one team has gained at least 500 yards of total offense in seven of the 11 all-time meetings between Colorado and Arizona State.

• The Buffs are 5-5 in Pac-12 openers.

• Rachaad White is averaging 7.5 yards per carry for his career, second nationally among players with at least 75 carries.

• Arizona State is committing 12.0 penalties per game, the second most in the nation. Their 106.3 penalty yards per game are the fourth most in the nation. 

• Chase Lucas has 30 passes defended in his career, the 11th-most among active players nationally.

• Daniyel Ngata is averaging a first down or TD on 48.0 percent of his carries this season, the fourth-best mark in the nation among players with at least 25 rushes.

• Colorado’s 63 yards of offense last week were their fewest in a game since 2004.

• Nate Landman has had at least 10 tackles in 20 of 38 career games.

usc logoOregon State Beavers at USC Trojans

Trojans lead the series 63-11-4, are 42-3-3 all-time against Beavers in Los Angeles

• USC has won 24 in a row at home over Oregon State. The Beavers have not gotten a road win in the series since 1960.

• USC is 18-1-2 all-time against OSU when the Trojans have been unranked. The only Beaver win was in 1946.

Baylor

• Oregon State is averaging 8.67 TFL per game this season, the most in the Pac-12, and tied for 11th in the nation

• The Beavers are converting on third down at a Pac-12 best rate of 54.05%, 14th-best in the nation.

• B.J. Baylor has scored seven touchdowns this season, giving the Beavers the third-most in the nation on the season.

• Baylor is the first Beaver since Storm Woods in 2012 to rush for multiple touchdowns in three consecutive games

• Oregon State is second in the nation with 8.0 passes defended per game as a team.

• Oregon State did not allow Idaho a play of 20 or more yards from scrimmage Saturday; the last time a Beaver team accomplished that was in 2001.

• Drake London is averaging 9.7 receptions per game, second in the nation, and his 125 yards receiving per game are the fifth-most in the country.

• Parker Lewis has had 10 touchbacks on 14 kickoffs this season.

• USC has scored two defensive touchdowns this season, third-most in the country.

• USC’s current streak of 296 games without being shutout is tied for the seventh-longest active streak in the nation, and the 10th longest in FBS history. Also, the longest streak in USC history.

[Read Dane Miller’s Week Four Pac-12 Football Previews]

Follow Stephen on Twitter @StephenVilardo and his organization @SERCenter.

Visit his website at sercstats.com.




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