By the numbers: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, Oregon vs. Georgia highlight Week 1

The college football season launches into Week 1 with a host of intriguing matchups, as well as a couple of titanic tilts.

There are multiple Big Ten showdowns, starting with Penn State vs. Purdue in a special FOX Big Noon Kickoff game on Thursday evening.

On Saturday, the top matchups include No. 11 Oregon vs. No. 3 Georgia in Atlanta, and No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 2 Ohio State.

Here are the key stats to know for the marquee matchups in Week 1.

THURSDAY

Central Michigan at No. 12 Oklahoma State
7 p.m. ET on FS1

200: Central Michigan was 6-0 last season when it rushed for 200-plus yards.

1,833: Central Michigan running back Lew Nichols’ rushing total last season, tops in FBS.

12: The Cowboys’ win total last season, matching a school record.

5: The number of Oklahoma State wins over ranked teams last season.

21: But the Cowboys also led the Big 12 in turnovers, with 21. 

Penn State at Purdue
8 p.m. ET on FOX

1: Penn State has won only one Big Ten title in the last 13 seasons, coming in 2016.

100: Penn State has not had a 100-yard rusher since Nov. 28, 2020, when Keyvone Lee ran for 134 against Michigan.

25.0: The Nittany Lions’ scoring average in Year 1 under offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich last season – the fewest by Penn State since 2015.

9: Purdue won nine games last season, the school’s most in a season since 2003 (when Kyle Orton was the QB).

39.0: Purdue’s scoring average in their last five games last season. The Boilermakers averaged 22.9 PPG in their first nine games.

West Virginia at No. 17 Pittsburgh
7 p.m. ET on ESPN

10: West Virginia lost 10 starters in the transfer portal this offseason.

123.6: The Mountaineers ranked last in the Big 12 in rushing YPG (123.6) and yards per carry (3.6).

11: Pitt won 11 games last season for the first time since 1981.

41.4: The Panthers ranked third in the nation in scoring offense. That number also led the ACC and was a school record.

89.2: Pitt led the ACC in rush defense, allowing 89.2 YPG.

FRIDAY

Western Michigan at No. 15 Michigan State
7 p.m. ET on ESPN

32.5: Western Michigan was third in the MAC at 32.5 PPG.

13.6: It also led FBS in fewest pass completions allowed per game.

+9: The Spartans had their largest single-season turnaround in school history last season, going from two wins in 2020 to 11 wins in 2021.

31.8: Michigan State had its best scoring season since 2014, averaging 31.8 PPG.

43: The Spartans led the Big Ten with 43 sacks (3.3 per game).

Illinois (1-0) at Indiana
8 p.m. ET on FS1

2-0: Illinois is seeking its first 2-0 start since 2019.

250: The Illini topped 250 rushing yards last week, the fifth time they’ve done so since 2015.

4,000: Illinois QB Tommy DeVito passed for 192 yards last week to surpass 4,000 for his career.

33.3: Indiana allowed 33.3 PPG last season, the most of the Tom Allen era.

2020: That is the only season out of the last 28 that Indiana did not rank in the bottom half of the Big Ten in scoring defense.

SATURDAY

South Dakota State at Iowa
12 p.m. ET on FS1

36.1: The Jackrabbits ranked 10th in FCS in scoring last season.

+12: Iowa’s turnover differential last season, the best in the Big Ten.

20+: The Hawkeyes were 9-0 when scoring at least 20 points last season, 1-4 when held under 20.

31: Iowa led the big Ten with 31 takeaways last season, including a nation-best 25 interceptions.

Sam Houston State at No. 6 Texas A&M
12 p.m. ET on SECN

11-1: Sam Houston went 11-1 in FCS last season. The program joins FBS and C-USA in 2023.

1998: Texas A&M last won any conference title in 1998. That came in the Big 12.

1: The Aggies not only have the top-ranked recruiting class for 2022 but the top group all-time.

15.9: The Aggies were No. 3 the FBS in scoring defense last season.

11: They ranked 11th in the SEC in total offense last season, and were 2-4 when scoring fewer than 25 points.

Colorado State at No. 8 Michigan
12 p.m. ET on ABC

52-10: Colorado State lost its final game of last season by this score to Nevada, which was coached by Jay Norvell. The Rams then hired Norvell.

2004: Michigan’s Big Ten title last season was its first since 2004, the school’s longest such drought.

214.4: Michigan led the Big Ten in rushing last season at 214.4 YPG. That is the most under Harbaugh.

9-0: The Wolverines’ record when they had 150-plus rushing yards last season.

14: Michigan allowed just 14 sacks, the best mark in the Big Ten.

No. 11 Oregon at No. 3 Georgia
3:30 p.m. ET on ABC

1: Georgia has the nation’s top scoring defense in two of the last three seasons under former defensive coordinator Dan Lanning, who is now the head coach at Oregon.

35-13: Oregon has the best record in the Pac-12 since 2018.

30+: Oregon has averaged at least 30 PPG for 15 straight seasons, the second-longest active streak.

1980: Georgia’s national championship last season was its first since 1980.

6.98: The Bulldogs averaged nearly seven yards per play last season, second only to Ohio State among Power 5 schools.

38.9: Georgia averaged 38.9 PPG when quarterback Stetson Bennett started last season.

10.2: Georgia also led the nation in scoring defense.

UTEP at No. 9 Oklahoma
3:30 p.m. ET on FOX

140: UTEP was 6-1 when allowing fewer than 140 rushing yards last season, 1-5 when it gave up more.

1998: That was the last year the Sooners took the field without either Bob Stoops or Lincoln Riley on the sidelines. Brent Venables is now the head coach.

239: Oklahoma has 239 wins since 2000, the most of any FBS school.

39.1: The Sooners’ 39.1 scoring average last season was tops in the Big 12 and eighth in the nation.

No. 23 Cincinnati at No. 19 Arkansas
3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

13: Cincinnati set a school record with 13 wins last season.

22-2: The Bearcats have won 22 games while losing only twice (to Georgia and Alabama) over the last two seasons.

16-0: Cincy’s record vs. conference opponents over the last two seasons.

30.9: The Razorbacks’ averaged their most points per game since 2015.

227.8: Arkansas also led the SEC in rushing offense at 227.8 YPG, which ranked seventh in FBS.

Rice at No. 14 USC
6 p.m. ET on Pac-12

4: The Owls’ four victories last season was their most since 2015.

2: USC coach Lincoln Riley has never lost more than two games in a season.

1: USC notched the best transfer class in the nation, headlined by QB Caleb Williams, RB Travis Dye and WR Jordan Addison.

14+: USC lost six games by at least 14 points last season, the most in school history.

104: The Trojans have more turnovers over the last five seasons than any other Pac-12 team.

31.8: USC’s defense struggled last year, giving up 31.8 points a game (the highest mark in school history) and surrendered 175.4 rushing yards and 6.6 yards per play in Pac-12 games.

No. 7 Utah at Florida 
7 p.m. ET on ESPN

59: The Utes are the Pac-12’s winningest program over the last seven seasons, with 59 victories.

216.8: Utah led the league in rushing offense, at 216.8 YPG.

42: The Utes also led the Pac-12 in sacks.

40-12: New Florida coach Billy Napier was 40-12 at Louisiana.

2-6: Florida’s 2-6 mark in SEC play was its worst since 1979.

18: Gators QBs Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson combined to throw more interceptions than any other team in the nation last season.

Albany at No. 10 Baylor
7 p.m. ET on Big 12/ESPN+

184.6: Albany allowed the most rushing yards per game in their league last season.

12: The Bears won 12 games last season, a school record.

31.6: Baylor’s scoring average ranked third in the Big 12 last season, compared to the league’s second-worst mark (23.3 PPG) in 2020.

219.7: The Big 12’s best rushing offense was a big reason for that, a mark that ranked No. 10 in the nation.

Illinois State at No. 14 Wisconsin
7 p.m. ET on FS1

89: Brock Spack is the winningest coach in Illinois State history with 89 wins.

8: The Badgers return only eight starters this season, the fewest in the Big Ten.

23: Wisconsin committed the most turnovers in the Big Ten, 23.

232.1: The Badgers led the Big Ten in rushing YPG after incorporating phenom running back Braelon Allen into the offense in Week 6. That was a big improvement over the 163.3 rushing YPG they averaged in Weeks 1-5. They also averaged about 10 more points per game with Allen in action, 28.4 vs. 18.5.

Utah State (1-0) at No. 1 Alabama
7:30 p.m. ET on SECN

1-18: This is Utah State’s all-time record vs. SEC foes, with their lone victory coming vs. Kentucky in 1970.

12: Alabama returns 12 starters this season, including Heisman-winning quarterback Bryce Young and star linebacker Will Anderson Jr..

3: Alabama could become the first school to produce a Heisman winner in three straight seasons (DeVonta Smith in 2020, Young in 2021).

1: Alabama has reached No. 1 in the AP poll in 15 straight seasons, the longest streak in the history of the poll.

57: The Tide led the nation with 57 sacks last season.

No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 2 Ohio State
7:30 p.m. ET on ABC

54: Notre Dame’s 54 wins over the last five seasons is the most the Irish have had in any five-season span ever.

45: The Irish averaged 45 PPG over their last three games of last season.

22: The Buckeyes have won 22 straight season-openers, a streak that dates back to 1999.

29-1: Ohio State’s record in its last 30 Big Ten games. A loss to Michigan last season ended a conference-record 29-game win streak.

40+: The Buckeyes have averaged at least 40 PPG for five straight seasons, the longest active streak in the nation.

900: Ohio State was the first team in Big Ten history to have three 900-yard receivers last season (Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave).

Kent State at Washington
10:30 p.m. ET on FS1

493.4: Kent State ranked No. 5 in the nation in total yards per game last season.

79-9: New Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer is 79-9 as a head coach, including 67-3 at Sioux Falls and 12-6 at Fresno State.

21.5: Washington’s scoring average last season was its lowest since 2008.

142.9: The Huskies had the best pass defense in the nation last season at 142.9 YPG allowed. But their rush defense (194.0 YPG) ranked 109th.

SUNDAY

Florida State at LSU
7:30 p.m. ET on ABC

21: Florida State turned it over 21 times last season, tied for most in the ACC.

6: LSU has only six returning starters, the fewest in the SEC.

0-5: New LSU coach Brian Kelly has never won a New Year’s Six or BCS bowl game.

26.5: LSU averaged its lowest PPG since 2009.

11: The Tigers ranked 11th in the SEC in both pass defense and takeaways last season.

MONDAY

No. 4 Clemson at Georgia Tech
8 p.m. ET on ESPN

3: Clemson’s three losses last season were its most since 2014.

10+: The Tigers have won at least 10 games in 11 straight seasons, however, a streak that trails only Alabama’s 14.

26.3: Clemson averaged only 26.3 PPG last season, the first time they’ve failed to score 30 or more PPG since 2010.

9: That’s Tech’s win total over the last three seasons, the school’s worst streak since 1979-81.

---

---

---