Comparative Team Scoring Defense Against FCS and G5 Teams

[The-Hack]

We play two G5’s, and one FCS school every year.

Because the 2023 season started with all three of these smaller schools in our first three games, it gives an early glimpse of somewhat meaningful stats.

On another thread, I compared our point total advantage against our three “easy” games for each of Stoops’ seasons.

But Kentucky’s “calling card” is not blowout wins.

Instead, it is a stingy defense. Only three SEC programs have finished in the top 5 in conference for scoring defense the last five seasons: Bama, Georgia and Kentucky.

So, having all the data (scores) by our 2023 G5/FCS opponents this early, how does 2023 stack up for the full Stoops’ tenure?

The list gives total opponents scoring, then divided by 3 for the game average.

2023: 34 points scored; 11.33 average.
2022: 36 points scored: 12.00 average;
2021: 49 points scored: 16.33 average;
2019: 48 points scored: 16.00 average;
2018: 53 points scored: 17.66 average;
2017: 53 points scored: 17.66 average;
2016: 99 points scored: 33.00 average;
2015: 70 points scored: 23.33 average;
2014: 31 points scored: 10.33 average;
2013: 56 points scored: 18.66 average.

 

[Tf2217]

Damn 2016 was rough. 44 to southern miss, 42 to NM state. And 38 to the UL lamar team. You can see that but the other two are hideous.
Interesting that we're giving up less points on average this year than we have during the whole time. Especially since we can't buy a 3rd down stop. We will see if that trend continues into the meat of our schedule

 

[The-Hack]

Damn 2016 was rough.

We had to outscore teams to win . . . yes you always do, but we damn near had to score on every possession to beat U of L, NMS, and others.

I added 2014 and 2013 after your post. Our foes in ‘14 must have been poor: that was narrowly our best scoring defense against G5/FCS, and this year, a close second.

But look at that trend line. We surrendered 33 points average to FCS and G5 schools in 2016, and now down to 11.33. And a fairly linear rate of drop the last 8 years, to get it down to 11.33.

 

[CatWalk]

I have not researched each of those years, but comparing 2023 to 2022 (granted, a bad year for the oline), so far this year we have had 3 sacks and 13 tfl. In 2022 against our 3 weakest opponents (MiamiU, Youngstown St., NIU), we had 13 sacks and 20 tfl. Not saying this year is where we want to be yet, but compared to 2022, we have made dramatic improvements.

 

[CapnBlubs]

We play two G5’s, and one FCS school every year.

Because the 2023 season started with all three of these smaller schools in our first three games, it gives an early glimpse of somewhat meaningful stats.

On another thread, I compared our point total advantage against our three “easy” games for each of Stoops’ seasons.

But Kentucky’s “calling card” is not blowout wins.

Instead, it is a stingy defense. Only three SEC programs have finished in the top 5 in conference for scoring defense the last five seasons: Bama, Georgia and Kentucky.

So, having all the data (scores) by our 2023 G5/FCS opponents this early, how does 2023 stack up for the full Stoops’ tenure?

The list gives total opponents scoring, then divided by 3 for the game average.

2023: 34 points scored; 11.33 average.
2022: 36 points scored: 12.00 average;
2021: 49 points scored: 16.33 average;
2019: 48 points scored: 16.00 average;
2018: 53 points scored: 17.66 average;
2017: 53 points scored: 17.66 average;
2016: 99 points scored: 33.00 average;
2015: 70 points scored: 23.33 average;
2014: 31 points scored: 10.33 average;
2013: 56 points scored: 18.66 average.

Thanks for this. Good to see an apples to apples comparison, or at least close to it.

I like to think/hope we'll find more of our spark against SEC teams. I do worry about the tentativeness and slow pace offensively. Gonna be a tough schedule. This Saturday will tell us a heck of a lot.