College Football
#102

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Conference USA · 3-4

Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium · 22,113 seats

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers rank #102 among FBS teams in the Predictium ratings with an opponent-adjusted net rating of -0.018 points per play (Elo 1440), a 3-4 record in the Conference USA, and 46% of that rating still riding on preseason priors.

Ratings

Net rating
-0.018
#102 in FBS
Offense
-0.013
higher is better
Defense
+0.004
lower is better
SOS
+0.002
mean opp. rating
Elo
1440
Off EPA/play
-0.039
higher is better
Def EPA/play
+0.013
lower is better
Off success
-0.015
Def success
+0.000
Off explosive
-0.005
Def explosive
+0.006
Rush EPA
-0.054
offense
Pass EPA
-0.018
offense
Pts / drive
1.82
10.0 drives/gm
Pts / opportunity
2.23
inside opp 40

Offense and Defense are the net rating's own split (offense − defense reconciles to net rating exactly); everything else is opponent-adjusted, per play. Defensive numbers are from the defense's perspective: negative means opponents produced less than expected. SOS is the mean net rating of every opponent on the schedule.

What drives our rating

No black box: these are the actual model inputs behind Western Kentucky's number, including exactly how much is still preseason prior versus observed play.

Preseason prior+0.022

Where our rating started before a snap was played

Prior season rating+0.019

Last season's final rating, for comparison

Offseason adjustment+0.003

This season's prior minus last season's final rating — our offseason risers/fallers number

Prior remaining46%

How much of today's rating still rides on that prior — fades as real games arrive

Returning production84%

Share of last season's production (PPA) back on the roster

Recruiting talent-0.45σ

Recruiting talent, standard deviations above the FBS average

Transfer portal-3.4 pts

Net production gained or lost through the transfer portal

Coaching changeNo

First-year head coach adds uncertainty and resets some priors

Rating trajectory

Weekly net rating across the season — starts at the preseason prior and moves as real games replace it.

+0.02-0.04Wk 1Wk 8

Schedule & results

WkOpponentResultOur lineMarketATS
1@NevadaL 14–49———
2@GeorgiaL 20–70———
3@IndianaL 0–38———
4vsMercyhurstW 52–7———
5@New Mexico StateL 13–34———
6vsMissouri StateW 34–13———
7@Sam HoustonW 16–3———
9vsDelawareOct 27———
10@Middle TennesseeNov 7———
11vsJacksonville StateNov 14———
12@LibertyNov 21———
13vsKennesaw StateNov 28———