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Pass offense vs. pass defense: 2026 College Football Chart

College Football Charts
Data updatedOct 31, 2026

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Pass offense vs. pass defense

EPA per pass allowed (adjusted) (up) against EPA per pass (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 throw; up is a defense that gives up less on every throw. Up and right owns the air.

There is almost no relationship here (r = +0.12): knowing a team's EPA per pass (adjusted) tells you little about its EPA per pass allowed (adjusted).

Split by the averages: Owns the air 35, Stops the pass, can't throw it 35, Throws it, can't stop it 34, Lost in the air 34.

Owns the air: LSU (3rd and 2nd), Ohio State (4th and 7th), Indiana (5th and 18th). Lost in the air: UTEP (137th and 136th), Sacramento State (135th and 128th), Eastern Michigan (119th and 133rd). Ranks are among the 138 teams shown, EPA per pass (adjusted) first, then EPA per pass allowed (adjusted).

Pac-12: 3 of 8 in Owns the air, 1 in Lost in the air. Top of the list: Boise State (9th and 19th of 138).

Mountain West: 1 of 10 in Owns the air, 4 in Lost in the air. Top of the list: North Dakota State (66th and 17th of 138).

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

Owns the air

  1. LSU 3rd and 2nd of 138
  2. Ohio State 4th and 7th of 138
  3. Indiana 5th and 18th of 138
  4. Miami 1st and 59th of 138
  5. Boise State 9th and 19th of 138
  6. Northwestern 15th and 16th of 138

Lost in the air

  1. UTEP 137th and 136th of 138
  2. Sacramento State 135th and 128th of 138
  3. Eastern Michigan 119th and 133rd of 138
  4. West Virginia 62nd and 138th of 138
  5. San Diego State 132nd and 102nd of 138
  6. Akron 107th and 127th of 138

About the stats on this chart

Where does the EPA per pass data come from?

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

Where does the EPA per pass allowed data come from?

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