Kent State at UCF Week 1 College Football Matchup Kent State at UCF Matchup - Week 1
Thu, Aug 31 2023 · Week 1 · 🏟 Bright House Networks Stadium Orlando, FL · Turf · 44,206 cap
Kent State✈ 865 miSame TZ
6 56
Final
UCF
Home
📊 Punt & Rally Projection
Kent State
12
KENT +35
UCF
41
P&R Line UCF -29
P&R Total O/U 53.5
Confidence 86 High
Vegas UCF -35 · O/U 54.0
Matchup Prediction
Toss-up — no clear edge
Neither metric shows a meaningful pre-game edge in this matchup.
Momentum Control
58.4%
Lean
Game Control
50.6%
Toss-up
Vegas Spread
UCF -35
O/U 54.0
William Hill (New Jersey)
Advanced Stats
PPA + Success Rate agree → UCF · 73.9% ATS historically
↓ See full breakdown
Kent State 2023 Schedule
Kent State's 2023 Schedule
DateMatchupSpreadTotalResultO/UCover
Thu 8/31Kent State at UCF+35.0L6–5654.0L6–56ON
Sat 9/9Kent State at Arkansas+38.0L6–2857.5L6–28UY
Sat 9/16Kent State vs Central Connecticut-21.5W38–1046.5W38–10OY
Sat 9/23Kent State at Fresno State+27.5L10–5347.5L10–53ON
Sat 9/30Kent State vs Miami (OH)+14.0L3–2351.5L3–23UN
Sat 10/7Kent State at Ohio+24.5L17–4245.5L17–42ON
Sat 10/14Kent State at Eastern Michigan+7.0L14–2840.0L14–28ON
Sat 10/21Kent State vs Buffalo+6.5L6–2444.0L6–24UN
— Bye Week —
Wed 11/1Kent State at Akron+4.0L27–3139.0L27–31OY
Wed 11/8Kent State vs Bowling Green+10.5L19–4941.5L19–49ON
Sat 11/18Kent State at Ball State+10.5L3–3441.5L3–34UN
Sat 11/25Kent State vs Northern Illinois+20.5L27–3744.5L27–37OY
UCF 2023 Schedule
UCF's 2023 Schedule
DateMatchupSpreadTotalResultO/UCover
Thu 8/31UCF vs Kent State-35.0W56–654.0W56–6OY
Sat 9/9UCF at Boise State-3.0W18–1658.5W18–16UN
Sat 9/16UCF vs Villanova-26.5W48–1454.0W48–14OY
Sat 9/23UCF at Kansas State+6.0L31–4453.5L31–44ON
Sat 9/30UCF vs Baylor-8.0L35–3656.5L35–36ON
Sat 10/7UCF at Kansas-2.0L22–5165.0L22–51ON
— Bye Week —
Sat 10/21UCF at Oklahoma+17.0L29–3167.5L29–31UY
Sat 10/28UCF vs West Virginia-6.5L28–4159.5L28–41ON
Sat 11/4UCF at Cincinnati-3.5W28–2659.5W28–26UN
Sat 11/11UCF vs Oklahoma State+2.5W45–363.5W45–3UY
Sat 11/18UCF at Texas Tech+2.0L23–2459.0L23–24UY
Sat 11/25UCF vs Houston-15.5W27–1361.5W27–13UN
Fri 12/22UCF vs Georgia Tech-6.0L17–3066.5L17–30UN
Advanced Stats
Advanced Analytics Matchup
Matchup-adjusted (offense vs opponent defense) · 2023 season
UCF PPA Edge
Agreement Signals — When All Metrics Agree
Elite · 83.1% ATS
PPA + PPO + SR + Havoc
Split
Metrics disagree
Elite · 82.4% ATS
PPA + PPO + Havoc
Split
Metrics disagree
Elite · 73.9% ATS
PPA + Success Rate
Both Agree
→ UCF
Individual Factors — Ranked by Predictive Strength
PPA Overall
Points added per play · Elite predictor
Kent State #125
+0.216
UCF #16
+0.623
UCF Edge
PPA Passing
Pass efficiency edge · Strong predictor
Kent State #110
+0.328
UCF #12
+0.921
UCF Edge
Havoc Total
Def. disruption rate · Strong predictor
Kent State #122
0.128
UCF #128
0.119
TFLs, sacks, PBUs, forced fumbles — higher is better
Kent State Edge
Points Per Opp
Drive-finishing edge · Strong predictor
Kent State #110
+7.060
UCF #80
+8.636
UCF Edge
Success Rate
Play consistency edge · Solid predictor
Kent State #130
+0.818
UCF #41
+0.899
UCF Edge
Field Position
Avg start (lower=better) · Solid predictor
Kent State #99
71.6
UCF #122
73.4
Avg yards from own endzone to average start — lower is better · longer bar = better field position
Kent State Edge
Advanced stats sourced from CFBD · 2023 season · Edges are matchup-adjusted (offense vs opponent defense)
Power Ratings
Team Power Ratings
Overall · Offense · Defense ratings · Updated as season progresses
UCF Rated Higher
Overall Power Rating
Kent State
-16.7
UCF
4.2
Offense Rating
Kent State
7.5
UCF
17.6
Defense Rating (lower = better defense)
Kent State
24.3
UCF
13.4
Power ratings updated throughout the season as results accumulate
Momentum Control (CSS)
Consecutive Scoring Sequences Who builds scoring momentum? Kent State Edge
Avg sequences created per game
Kent State #119
0.00
UCF #33
0.00
Avg sequences allowed per game (lower is better)
Kent State #126
0.00
UCF #83
0.00
Kent State +0.00
CSS Edge (season-to-date)
Teams with this edge win 58.4% of games historically
Based on 0 games this season
Game Control (GC)
Win Probability Dominance Who controls games start to finish? Kent State Edge
Avg GC score per game (offense)
Kent State #1
0.0
UCF #1
0.0
Avg GC score allowed per game (lower is better)
Kent State #129
0.0
UCF #36
0.0
Kent State +0.0
GC Edge (season-to-date)
Teams with this edge win 50.6% of games historically
Based on 0 games this season
Actual Result
CSS Battle
UCF
2 — 0 sequences
✗ Predicted incorrectly
GC Battle
UCF
98.3 — 0.3 GC score
✗ Predicted incorrectly
Game Result
UCF won by 50
Spread Context
ATS Historical Context
Based on 2021–2025 backtest · FBS vs FBS · Regular season

Both metrics agree on UCF, but the GC edge is small. When metrics agree but GC is near-neutral, the agreed-upon team has covered only 46.7% of the time historically (n=224) — potentially a fade signal.

ATS data is informational only. Past cover rates do not guarantee future results.

Coaching Matchup
Kent State
Kenni Burns #1
1–2 (33%) · Yr 1 at school
OC Matt Johnson Yr 1 #1
DC David Duggan Yr 1 #1
Staff Rating
0.00 #1
UCF
Gus Malzahn #1
21–9 (70%) · Yr 3 at school
OC Darin Hinshaw Yr 1 #1
DC David Gibbs Yr 2 #1
Staff Rating
0.00 #1
About these metrics
Advanced Stats shows matchup-adjusted factor edges (offense vs opponent defense). Combination signals — when PPA, PPO, Success Rate, and Havoc all point the same direction — have historically predicted the SU winner in 95–97% of games and the ATS winner in 82–83% of games (2021–2025, FBS vs FBS, regular season).
Impact: Advanced Stats are the best performance based metric used to predict the outcome of games.

Momentum Control (CSS) measures consecutive scoring sequences — when a team scores, holds the opponent scoreless, then scores again. Teams entering a game with a CSS edge of +1.0 or more have won 71–78% of games historically (2021–2025, FBS vs FBS).
Impact: Momentum Control is a great measure for predicting game outcome but NOT an ATS advantage, data shows this is already considered when lines are set.

Game Control (GC) measures win probability dominance — how thoroughly a team controlled the game from start to finish. Teams with a GC edge of +12 or more have won 67–76% of games historically. When both metrics agree, combined confidence is higher. When they split, treat as a lean at best.
Impact: Game Control is another great measure for predicting game outcome but NOT an ATS advantage, data shows this is already considered when lines are set.

Power Ratings are a custom-built composite of a Teams Talent, Experience & Production, Coaching & Performance Metrics. These are updated constantly with roster changes, performance once the games start for the 2026 season, injuries the team is dealing with and scheduling situations.
Impact: There are a wide range of power ratings available, we think ours is the best, you can decide for yourself