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The Game is finally here. Who’s ready to see what two of the best defenses in college football are bringing to a three-plus-hour brawl with everything on the line?
Michigan remains No. 1 in this week’s updated stop rate standings. And Ohio State is still No. 2. On a week in which key offensive players on both sides of this rivalry are battling injuries, we may get the finest defensive duel of this 2022 season on Saturday afternoon.
What is stop rate? It’s a basic measurement of success: the percentage of a defense’s drives that end in punts, turnovers or a turnover on downs. This simple metric can offer a more accurate reflection of a defense’s effectiveness in today’s faster-tempo game than yards per game or points per game. We’ve been tracking this for each of the past five seasons (here are the final standings for 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017) along with every defense’s points per drive average.
The Wolverines have led the nation in stop rate for more than a month under new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and are getting stops on 83.3 percent of their drives through 11 games. Their College Football Playoff squad had a top-10 defense by this measure a year ago (75.3 percent, good for eighth) and lost some big-time talent to the NFL but only got more efficient when it came to getting stops, cutting their points per drive average from 1.43 to 0.91.
Jim Knowles had the No. 4 defense in stop rate (79.1 percent) at Oklahoma State last season. His Ohio State defense is getting stops at that exact same rate and giving up fewer points per drive (1.19). Sure, Knowles inherited a ton of blue-chip talent with this crew. But his ability to get them playing with more cohesion, consistency and confidence has been impressive. They’ll have a lot to prove against the brutality of Michigan’s O-line and run game.
Which defense has the edge in this showdown? Both are among the FBS leaders at forcing three-and-outs. How many are we actually going to see on Saturday? Michigan’s offense has actually been a little more effective at finishing its drives, scoring on 58 percent of its possessions (No. 3 in the FBS). Ohio State’s offense has been better at reaching the end zone (TDs on 47 percent of drives, also No. 3) and is scoring more points per drive.
Last season in Ann Arbor, the Buckeyes’ defense fell apart in the second half and surrendered touchdowns on all four drives. This year? They’ve allowed a mere 73 points over 71 second-half drives. Michigan has been even better: 62 second-half drives, 62 points. Buckle up for four pressure-packed quarters of physical and tactical excellence from these units.
How are the rest of the defenses across the country performing in stop rate? Here are the full FBS-only stop rate standings through Week 12.
Note: All data is courtesy of TruMedia and Pro Football Focus.
|
Rank
|
Defense
|
G
|
D
|
Stop Rate
|
Pts/D
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
11 |
126 |
83.3% |
0.91 |
|
|
2 |
11 |
143 |
79% |
1.19 |
|
|
3 |
9 |
127 |
78.7% |
1.16 |
|
|
4 |
10 |
122 |
77% |
1.14 |
|
|
5 |
10 |
125 |
76.8% |
1.37 |
|
|
6 |
10 |
112 |
76.8% |
1.04 |
|
|
7 |
11 |
145 |
76.6% |
1.28 |
|
|
8 |
10 |
124 |
75.8% |
1.16 |
|
|
9 |
10 |
123 |
75.6% |
1.32 |
|
|
10 |
10 |
106 |
75.5% |
1.26 |
|
|
11 |
10 |
129 |
75.2% |
1.45 |
|
|
12 |
10 |
135 |
74.8% |
1.40 |
|
|
13 |
11 |
142 |
74.6% |
1.52 |
|
|
14 |
10 |
113 |
74.3% |
1.45 |
|
|
15 |
9 |
107 |
73.8% |
1.59 |
|
|
16 |
10 |
129 |
73.6% |
1.57 |
|
|
16 |
9 |
129 |
73.6% |
1.50 |
|
|
18 |
10 |
98 |
73.5% |
1.42 |
|
|
19 |
11 |
135 |
73.3% |
1.60 |
|
|
20 |
10 |
133 |
72.9% |
1.56 |
|
|
21 |
10 |
124 |
72.6% |
1.79 |
|
|
22 |
10 |
127 |
72.4% |
1.70 |
|
|
23 |
10 |
119 |
71.4% |
1.63 |
|
|
24 |
10 |
118 |
71.2% |
1.66 |
|
|
25 |
10 |
120 |
70.8% |
1.60 |
|
|
26 |
10 |
112 |
70.5% |
1.62 |
|
|
27 |
11 |
135 |
70.4% |
1.68 |
|
|
28 |
10 |
120 |
70% |
1.73 |
|
|
29 |
11 |
143 |
69.9% |
1.68 |
|
|
30 |
10 |
119 |
69.7% |
1.81 |
|
|
31 |
10 |
122 |
69.7% |
1.64 |
|
|
31 |
10 |
122 |
69.7% |
1.72 |
|
|
33 |
10 |
115 |
69.6% |
1.66 |
|
|
34 |
10 |
133 |
69.2% |
1.71 |
|
|
35 |
10 |
113 |
69% |
1.88 |
|
|
36 |
9 |
118 |
68.6% |
1.89 |
|
|
37 |
10 |
117 |
68.4% |
1.77 |
|
|
38 |
10 |
124 |
67.7% |
1.93 |
|
|
39 |
10 |
133 |
67.7% |
1.89 |
|
|
40 |
10 |
123 |
67.5% |
1.89 |
|
|
41 |
10 |
122 |
67.2% |
1.93 |
|
|
42 |
11 |
136 |
66.9% |
1.83 |
|
|
43 |
10 |
132 |
66.7% |
2.08 |
|
|
43 |
10 |
114 |
66.7% |
1.78 |
|
|
43 |
10 |
120 |
66.7% |
1.94 |
|
|
43 |
10 |
129 |
66.7% |
1.98 |
|
|
43 |
10 |
117 |
66.7% |
2.11 |
|
|
43 |
9 |
114 |
66.7% |
1.76 |
|
|
49 |
11 |
149 |
66.4% |
2.04 |
|
|
50 |
10 |
128 |
66.4% |
2.11 |
|
|
51 |
11 |
130 |
66.2% |
2.02 |
|
|
52 |
10 |
124 |
66.1% |
1.99 |
|
|
53 |
10 |
132 |
65.9% |
1.94 |
|
|
54 |
10 |
123 |
65.9% |
2.10 |
|
|
54 |
10 |
123 |
65.9% |
2.04 |
|
|
56 |
10 |
134 |
65.7% |
2.09 |
|
|
57 |
10 |
136 |
65.4% |
2.14 |
|
|
58 |
10 |
127 |
65.4% |
2.13 |
|
|
59 |
10 |
121 |
65.3% |
2.07 |
|
|
60 |
10 |
132 |
65.2% |
1.83 |
|
|
61 |
10 |
109 |
65.1% |
1.88 |
|
|
62 |
10 |
152 |
65.1% |
2.11 |
|
|
63 |
10 |
123 |
65% |
2.05 |
|
|
64 |
11 |
142 |
64.8% |
2.18 |
|
|
65 |
10 |
127 |
64.6% |
2.06 |
|
|
66 |
10 |
129 |
64.3% |
2.19 |
|
|
67 |
11 |
143 |
64.3% |
1.98 |
|
|
68 |
10 |
117 |
64.1% |
2.11 |
|
|
69 |
11 |
150 |
64% |
2.14 |
|
|
70 |
10 |
130 |
63.8% |
2.12 |
|
|
71 |
10 |
124 |
63.7% |
2.25 |
|
|
72 |
11 |
122 |
63.1% |
2.37 |
|
|
73 |
9 |
103 |
63.1% |
2.33 |
|
|
74 |
10 |
119 |
63% |
2.21 |
|
|
74 |
10 |
119 |
63% |
2.25 |
|
|
76 |
10 |
116 |
62.9% |
2.18 |
|
|
76 |
10 |
116 |
62.9% |
2.19 |
|
|
78 |
11 |
132 |
62.9% |
2.17 |
|
|
78 |
11 |
132 |
62.9% |
2.20 |
|
|
80 |
11 |
137 |
62.8% |
2.06 |
|
|
81 |
10 |
144 |
62.5% |
2.32 |
|
|
81 |
11 |
128 |
62.5% |
2.23 |
|
|
81 |
10 |
128 |
62.5% |
2.20 |
|
|
84 |
10 |
117 |
62.4% |
2.29 |
|
|
85 |
10 |
109 |
62.4% |
2.39 |
|
|
86 |
11 |
140 |
62.1% |
2.33 |
|
|
87 |
10 |
124 |
62.1% |
2.26 |
|
|
87 |
10 |
124 |
62.1% |
2.32 |
|
|
89 |
10 |
129 |
62% |
2.08 |
|
|
90 |
10 |
121 |
62% |
2.21 |
|
|
91 |
10 |
115 |
61.7% |
2.11 |
|
|
92 |
10 |
132 |
61.4% |
2.36 |
|
|
93 |
10 |
119 |
61.3% |
2.24 |
|
|
94 |
10 |
121 |
61.2% |
2.16 |
|
|
95 |
10 |
128 |
60.9% |
2.27 |
|
|
96 |
10 |
122 |
60.7% |
2.54 |
|
|
97 |
10 |
127 |
60.6% |
2.23 |
|
|
98 |
10 |
114 |
60.5% |
2.20 |
|
|
99 |
10 |
134 |
60.4% |
2.30 |
|
|
100 |
9 |
103 |
60.2% |
2.28 |
|
|
101 |
10 |
124 |
59.7% |
2.56 |
|
|
101 |
10 |
124 |
59.7% |
2.34 |
|
|
103 |
10 |
123 |
59.3% |
2.36 |
|
|
104 |
10 |
118 |
59.3% |
2.53 |
|
|
105 |
10 |
109 |
58.7% |
2.53 |
|
|
106 |
8 |
87 |
58.6% |
2.52 |
|
|
107 |
10 |
124 |
58.1% |
2.48 |
|
|
108 |
10 |
116 |
57.8% |
2.44 |
|
|
109 |
10 |
129 |
57.4% |
2.43 |
|
|
110 |
10 |
109 |
56.9% |
2.41 |
|
|
111 |
10 |
113 |
56.6% |
2.58 |
|
|
112 |
10 |
127 |
55.1% |
2.62 |
|
|
113 |
10 |
129 |
55% |
2.80 |
|
|
114 |
9 |
100 |
55% |
2.54 |
|
|
115 |
11 |
131 |
55% |
2.68 |
|
|
115 |
10 |
131 |
55% |
2.80 |
|
|
117 |
10 |
119 |
54.6% |
2.74 |
|
|
118 |
9 |
110 |
54.5% |
2.87 |
|
|
118 |
10 |
110 |
54.5% |
2.72 |
|
|
120 |
10 |
121 |
53.7% |
2.98 |
|
|
121 |
10 |
116 |
53.4% |
2.81 |
|
|
122 |
10 |
116 |
52.6% |
2.91 |
|
|
123 |
10 |
119 |
52.1% |
2.84 |
|
|
124 |
10 |
118 |
51.7% |
2.94 |
|
|
125 |
11 |
129 |
51.2% |
2.86 |
|
|
126 |
10 |
114 |
50.9% |
2.89 |
|
|
127 |
10 |
126 |
50% |
3.02 |
|
|
128 |
11 |
127 |
49.6% |
3.13 |
|
|
129 |
10 |
115 |
49.6% |
3.03 |
|
|
130 |
11 |
133 |
47.4% |
3.41 |
|
|
131 |
10 |
120 |
44.2% |
3.43 |
(Photo: Rick Osentoski / USA Today)
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