The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- October 26, 1998

Association-wide

Statistical trends in football mirror 1997 midseason marks

BY JAMES F. WRIGHT
STAFF WRITER

Midseason trends in Division I-A football for 1998 are almost a carbon copy of 1997.

Through games of October 17, the 112 Division I-A teams are on a record pace for both passing yards and points per game, while also heading toward a 31-year low in rushing yardage.

Last year's all-time high marks in passing and scoring may stand for only one year. Also, quarterbacks this season also are on a pace to break the yards-per-attempt record.

Should I-A teams break the points record of 25.5, it would be the sixth consecutive year in which points per game have increased over the previous season.

This will be the 17th consecutive year in which average yards passing per game will be greater than rushing yardage. From 1937 (the first year trends were compiled) until 1981, rushing yardage always exceeded passing yardage. Last year's final average of 158.7 rushing yards per game was the lowest since 1967. Only the Big 12 Conference averages more rushing than passing yards.

Like Division I-A teams, the 119 teams in Division I-AA are on a record pace for passing yardage and just off the mark for points per game.

Passing efficiency in Division I-AA also is at record levels in both completion percentage and yards per attempt, as is yards per rush and yards per play. Rushing yardage is up over eight yards a game compared with the final 1997 average.

In the first three years of Division I-AA competition (1978-1980), teams rushed for more yards than passing, but in each year since, as in Division I-A, passing yards have become the greater part of the offense. Only the Southern Conference and the 15 independent teams produce more rushing than passing yards.

Division I-A midseason trends

(Through games of October 17) -- Per Team, Per Game

Category -- Mid-1998 -- Mid-1997 -- Final 1997 -- Record (Year)

Games Played -- 374 -- 341 -- 646 -- 849 (1977)

Rushing

Carries Per Game -- 40.7 -- 39.9 -- 40.2 -- 51.9 (1975)

Yards Per Carry -- 3.88 -- 3.90 -- 3.94 -- 4.05 (1954)

Yards Per Game -- 157.8 -- 155.5 -- 158.7 -- 204.5 (1975)

Passing

Attempts Per Game -- 29.0 -- 29.1 -- 29.2 -- 29.7 (1995)

Completions Per Game -- 15.7 -- 16.0 -- 15.8 -- 16.3 (1995)

Completion Percentage -- 54.0 -- 54.8 -- 54.3 -- 55.1 (1993) --

Yards Per Attempt -- 7.20 -- 7.11 -- 7.12 -- 7.13 (1993)

Yards Per Game -- 208.8 -- 207.0 -- 207.6 -- 207.6 (1997)

Total Offense

Plays Per game -- 69.7 -- 69.0 -- 69.4 -- 75.1 (1968)

Yards Per Play -- 5.26 -- 5.25 -- 5.28 -- 5.28 (1997)

Yards Per Game -- 366.6 -- 362.5 -- 366.3 -- 372.8 (1995) --

Scoring

Points Per Game -- 25.6 -- 25.1 -- 25.5 -- 25.5 (1997)

[Note: All figures in this chart reflect the average for one team in one game.]

Division I-AA midseason trends

(Through games of October 17) -- Per Team, Per Game

Category -- Mid-1998 -- Mid-1997 -- Final 1997 -- Record (Year)

Games Played -- 438 -- 390 -- 723 -- 736 (1995)

Rushing

Carries Per Game -- 40.5 -- 39.7 -- 40.2 -- 48.4 (1978)

Yards Per Carry -- 3.99 -- 3.81 -- 3.81 -- 3.99 (1992)

Yards Per Game -- 161.6 -- 151.3 -- 153.2 -- 171.8 (1978)

Passing

Attempts Per Game -- 27.5 -- 28.4 -- 27.8 -- 28.9 (1985)

Completions Per Game -- 14.5 -- 14.7 -- 14.3 -- 14.6 (1985)

Completion Percentage -- 52.8 -- 51.8 -- 51.3 -- 51.9 (1991) --

Yards Per Attempt -- 6.90 -- 6.67 -- 6.67 -- 6.90 (1993)

Yards Per Game -- 189.8 -- 189.4 -- 185.2 -- 188.1 (1994)

Total Offense

Plays Per game -- 68.1 -- 68.1 -- 68.0 -- 71.2 (1985)

Yards Per Play -- 5.16 -- 5.00 -- 4.98 -- 5.11 (1993)

Yards Per Game -- 351.4 -- 340.6 -- 338.4 -- 355.3 (1991) --

Scoring

Points Per Game -- 24.1 -- 23.7 -- 23.3 -- 24.2 (1993)

[Note: All figures in this chart reflect the average for one team in one game.]