Interesting stat called length of virtual field. The shorter the offensive field the more powerful the offense. The longer the defensive field the stronger the defensive.
It was used to power rank the MVFC on the Yotes board a couple years back when things were organized there. The stat measures effectiveness against competition It’s handy for conferences because of the same opponents and is an overall handy and interesting point of comparison
Virtual Fields
NDSU runs on a 78 yd offensive field & 130 yd defensive field. They have scored 465 pts. Of 1st rnd teams only ACU and Montana have scored over 400 pts.
There are lots of equally matched teams participating in the first round. It’s unlikely the champion will come from this rnd
FIRST ROUND POWER RANKING, GAME by GAME:
*DENOTES PROJECTED WINNER
N Arizona* @ Abilene Christian
N Az: O: 94 yards. D: 116 yards. Long defensive field
ACU: O: 96 yds. D: 94 yds. Short defensive fields.
Short fields favor AZ
Cent Con State* @ Rhode Island
CCS: O: 91 yds. D: 207 yds! May be the longest defensive field we have ever seen. They allow 400 yds/game too. Just real tough to score on
RI: O: 99 yds. D: 107 yds
UT Martin* @ New Hampshire
UTM: O: 83 yds. D: 102 yds
NH: O: 90 yds D: 109 yds
Good Match up
Lehigh @ Richmond*
L: O: 80. Yds. D: 97 yrs
R: O: 96 yds. D: 131 yds. Bison like
Ill State @ SE Mo State*
ISU: O: 104 yds. Long. D: 119 yds.
SEMO: O: 91 yds. D: 107 yds
Good match up
Drake @ Tarleton*
D: O: 96 yds. D: 109 yds
Tar: O: 95 yds. D: 113 yds
Could be a yawner
E Kentucky @ Villanova*
EK: O: 108 yds D: 115 yds
V: O: 93 yds D: 118 yds. Long defensive fields signal low scoring game
Ten State* @ Montana
TS: O: 89 yds. D: 103 yds
M: O: 87 yds. D: 101 yds. This is a good match up