The numbers in parentheses are the rankings among the 115
teams in Div. 1A.
| |
Georgia
Tech |
Stanford |
| Offense |
|
|
| Rushing yards/game |
139.0 (70th) |
201.0 (23rd) |
| Passing yards/game |
278.9 (17th) |
250.5 (32nd) |
| Pass efficiency |
140.4 (20th) |
140.4 (21st) |
| Total yards/game |
417.9 (34th) |
451.5 (10th) |
| Points scored/game |
31.8 (28th) |
37.1 (9th) |
| Defense |
|
|
| Rushing yards allowed/game |
117.1 (23rd) |
109.6 (17th) |
| Passing yards allowed/game |
216.2 (53rd) |
274.9 (105th) |
| Pass efficiency defense |
115.7 (45th) |
114.0 (40th) |
| Total yards allowed/game |
333.3 (32nd) |
384.5 (68th) |
| Points allowed/game |
22.3 (37th) |
28.6 (79th) |
A few observations about the statistics:
Passing offense -- Georgia Tech has a strong passing
offense. On the surface, the GT passing offense may look
stronger than Stanford's because GT gains almost 30 passing yards
per game more than Stanford. However, that difference is
due entirely to the fact that GT throws an average of 4 more
passes per game (34 to 30), possibly because Stanford has spent
more time running out the clock or because Stanford has chosen to
rely on its running game. The two teams actually have very
similar passing games in terms of their overall
effectiveness. The two schools have the same pass
efficiency rating (both 140.4), and they average about the same
number of yards per pass attempt: GT averages 8.1; Stanford
averages 8.3. These figures are both quite good. But
while the two teams' overall passing effectiveness is comparable,
they get there in different ways. GT's passing offense is
characterized by a high completion percentage (64%) and
relatively modest yardage per completion (12.7 yards), while
Stanford has a lower completion percentage (53%) and very high
yardage per completion (15.7 yards). These numbers indicate
that Georgia Tech has more success with higher percentage short
and intermediate throws, while Stanford throws the ball farther
downfield. The disparity shows up more starkly in the
individual statistics of the starting quarterbacks. GT's
George Godsey completes 65% of his passes for an average gain of
12.4 yards per completion, while Randy Fasani completes 51.5% for
an average gain of 17.2 yards per completion. Among GT's
top 6 wide receivers and tight ends, 5 of them average between 11
and 13 yards per catch. Among Stanford's top 6 wide
receivers and tight ends, on the other hand, 5 of them average
between 14.9 and 20 yards per catch -- they have fewer catches,
but gain more yards per catch. For the season, GT has
thrown 19 TD passes and 14 interceptions, while Stanford, which
has attempted about 80 fewer passes, has thrown 25 TD passes and
12 interceptions. The two teams' interception percentages
are not significantly different (3.6% for Stanford; 3.4% for GT),
but Stanford has a higher TD percentage (7.5% to 4.6%).
Georgia Tech does a good job protecting the passer, allowing 1
sack per 19 pass attempts (1.8 per game). Stanford allows 1 sack
per 14 pass attempts (2.1 per game).
Rushing offense -- Georgia Tech's running game is weaker than
Stanford's. Stanford's advantage in yards per game (201 to 139)
is only partly explained by the fact that Stanford averages 4
more rushing attempts per game (46 to 42). More significant
is the fact that Stanford averages a strong 4.4 yards per carry,
while GT has a weak 3.3 yard per carry average. GT's low
average is due in part to the fact that Stanford's QB is a better
runner: GT's Godsey has a total of -45 rushing yards for
the season, while Fasani has run for 174 yards for
Stanford. But that's not a complete explanation. Even
excluding the QBs for each team, Stanford still has a
significantly better average -- 4.7 yards per carry compared to
GT's 3.9 yards per carry. GT's leading runner, Joe Burns,
averages 4.1 yards per carry, while Stanford's Brian Allen
averages 5.2 yards per carry. Stanford has run for 27 TDs
in 11 games this year compared to GT's 26 rushing TDs in 12
games.
Total offense -- Georgia Tech's offense is effective, gaining
417.9 yards per game and scoring 31.8 points per game.
Those figures, although lower than Stanford's (451.5 yards, 37.1
points), are still quite good. GT's scoring average, like
Stanford's, is a true reflection of the efforts of GT's offense,
because GT has scored only two TDs this year on defense and
special teams (the same number as Stanford). GT's high
percentage passing game allows them to keep moving the
chains. GT has a very strong 3rd down conversion rate of
47% (compared to Stanford's 42%) and GT notches 22.3 first downs
per game (compared to Stanford's 21.6). GT usually wins the
battle for time of possession with an average time of possession
of 31:29, but that figure is two minutes short of Stanford's
average of 33:29.
Pass defense -- Georgia Tech allows substantially fewer
passing yards per game than Stanford (216.2 to 274.8). This
appears to be a significant advantage for GT. However,
there is more nuance in this area than might appear based on a
superficial review of the stats. Over three-fourths of the
difference between these two figures is due to the fact that
Stanford's opponents have passed more than GT's opponents:
Stanford has faced 39 pass attempts per game while GT has faced
32 pass attempts, partly because Stanford has played more passing
teams and partly because Stanford's opponents have been playing
catch-up more often. Perhaps a better comparison is that GT
has allowed 6.7 yards per pass attempt, while Stanford has
allowed 7.0 yards per attempt. These figures are much
closer than the total passing yardage figures. Overall,
Stanford actually has slightly better pass efficiency defense
rating, allowing opposing teams a pass efficiency rating of 114.0
while GT allows opposing teams a pass efficiency rating of 115.7.
Stanford allows a significantly lower completion percentage than
GT, 46.7% to 54.4%. However, Stanford allows a higher
number of yards per completion, 15.0 to 12.2. Stanford has
more interceptions (16 to 11) and has a better interception
percentage (3.7% to 2.8%). But Stanford has allowed more TD
passes (21 to 13) and allows a higher TD percentage (4.8% to
3.3%). Taken together, all of these figures suggest that
Stanford's pass defense is better than GT's in some respects, but
is more vulnerable to big plays. GT generates a more
effective pass rush, getting 1 sack for every 11 pass attempts
(2.9 per game). Stanford's defense makes only 1 sack for
every 21 pass attempts (1.9 per game).
Rushing defense -- Both teams defend the run well.
Stanford allows fewer yards per game rushing (109.6 for Stanford,
117.1 for GT). Stanford's advantage is entirely due to the
fact that Stanford's opponents have averaged 5 fewer rushing
attempts than GT's opponents (31 to 36). GT has allowed
fewer yards per carry, allowing 3.3 yards per carry compared to
Stanford's 3.5. Both figures are quite good. Stanford
has allowed only 12 rushing TDs in 11 games, while GT has allowed
17 rushing TDs in 12 games.
Overall defense -- Georgia Tech allows fewer total yards per
game (333.3 for Georgia Tech, 384.5 for Stanford). GT also
has allowed fewer points per game, giving up 22.3 compared to
Stanford's 28.6. However, these figures reflect all scoring
allowed by each team, not just scoring allowed by the
defenses. Stanford has allowed 7 TDs this year on returns
of fumbles, interceptions, punts, kickoffs, and blocked kicks
(all but one of them in the first half of the season). GT
has allowed 4 such TDs. None of this is the fault of the
defenses. Excluding these TDs, GT's defense has allowed
19.9 points per game, while Stanford's defense has allowed 24.2
points per game. GT still has an advantage in this
category, but the advantage is smaller than it appears.
Stanford allows a lower 3rd down conversion rate at 33% compared
to GT's 39%. The two defenses allow about the same number
of first downs per game (18.0 for Stanford, 18.2 for GT).
Turnovers -- The two teams have similar turnover
margins. For the season, Georgia Tech is +1, while Stanford
is +3. GT has 21 turnovers (7 fumbles lost, 14
interceptions) and 22 takeaways (11 fumble recoveries, 11
interceptions). Stanford has 27 turnovers (15 fumbles lost,
12 interceptions) and 30 takeaways (14 fumble recoveries, 16
interceptions).
Penalties -- On average, Stanford commits 5.5 penalties per
game for 42.2 penalty yards. Stanford was the least
penalized team in the Pac 10 for the 6th straight year. GT
commits an average of 7.1 penalties per game for 59.3 penalty
yards.
Punting/kicking -- Georgia Tech has kicked 19 of 28 field
goals (68%), while Stanford has kicked 10 of 16 (63%). GT
has a punting average of 40.4 gross and 37.3 net of returns,
while Stanford averages 36.0 gross and 28.5 net.