Drive Efficiency

Every team gets about a dozen possessions a game. This is what they do with them, and what they give up.

LeagueAll FBSACCAmerican AthleticBig 12Big TenConference USAFBS IndependentsMid-AmericanMountain WestPac-12SECSun Belt

Season2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014

Points per drive, both directions

Scoring across, points allowed up. Fast and slow teams compare fairly here, because it is per possession. Top right is best.

112 teams · dashed lines mark the league medianr = -0.33(r² = 0.11)

Sorted by Points per drive (offense). Every possession is an opportunity; this is what one is worth. Tap any column to re-sort.

#	Team	Conf	PPD	Start	Avail	Opp	PPO	3&out	Expl	TD	TO
1	Alabama	SEC	4.20	own 31.1	72.9%	73.0%	5.75	11.3%	29.1%	56.0%	10.6%
2	BYU	FBS Independents	3.85	own 29.0	68.1%	68.7%	5.61	14.8%	30.4%	51.3%	14.8%
3	Western Michigan	Mid-American	3.52	own 32.0	62.5%	64.2%	5.49	22.4%	23.9%	47.8%	14.9%
4	Buffalo	Mid-American	3.49	own 29.7	62.6%	62.3%	5.75	20.8%	28.6%	50.6%	14.3%
5	North Carolina	ACC	3.43	own 29.0	64.5%	66.4%	5.25	15.6%	22.7%	46.1%	11.7%
6	Coastal Carolina	Sun Belt	3.43	own 33.2	63.3%	63.5%	5.49	16.5%	20.9%	46.1%	13.9%
7	Florida	SEC	3.27	own 28.2	64.3%	69.2%	4.96	15.0%	24.8%	43.6%	13.5%
8	Oklahoma	Big 12	3.23	own 33.3	59.5%	62.8%	5.15	21.7%	24.0%	39.5%	10.8%
9	UCF	American Athletic	3.20	own 29.4	60.2%	61.7%	5.22	23.3%	11.3%	42.1%	15.0%
10	Liberty	FBS Independents	3.17	own 31.0	64.2%	70.1%	4.56	15.5%	18.6%	41.2%	14.4%
11	Clemson	ACC	3.15	own 31.5	58.6%	62.0%	5.16	21.8%	18.3%	41.5%	7.8%
12	Ole Miss	SEC	3.15	own 29.1	65.3%	69.2%	4.80	17.9%	21.4%	45.3%	19.7%
13	Ohio State	Big Ten	3.02	own 29.3	61.0%	64.6%	4.81	19.2%	21.2%	41.4%	13.1%
14	Texas	Big 12	2.98	own 33.8	56.0%	60.5%	4.93	24.6%	23.1%	38.1%	11.9%
15	Texas A&M	SEC	2.93	own 30.5	60.6%	62.0%	4.84	21.0%	18.0%	40.0%	12.0%
16	SMU	American Athletic	2.90	own 29.8	56.8%	62.5%	4.64	17.0%	17.9%	35.7%	17.0%
17	Cincinnati	American Athletic	2.84	own 37.7	62.6%	61.9%	4.58	30.5%	16.2%	38.1%	15.2%
18	Ball State	Mid-American	2.83	own 32.3	62.0%	61.5%	4.61	20.9%	8.8%	36.3%	14.3%
19	Toledo	Mid-American	2.82	own 32.6	60.5%	68.1%	4.14	23.6%	16.7%	36.1%	23.6%
20	Iowa State	Big 12	2.81	own 31.2	57.9%	56.6%	5.23	23.5%	19.1%	38.2%	13.2%
21	Louisiana	Sun Belt	2.79	own 31.2	57.3%	60.8%	4.64	20.0%	14.2%	37.5%	20.0%
22	UCLA	Pac-12	2.79	own 27.5	54.6%	55.6%	5.07	21.0%	13.6%	37.0%	22.2%
23	USC	Pac-12	2.79	own 37.2	56.9%	62.9%	4.59	18.6%	12.9%	35.7%	18.6%
24	Nevada	Mountain West	2.77	own 31.2	57.9%	61.6%	4.53	22.2%	20.2%	33.3%	15.2%
25	Oregon	Pac-12	2.76	own 28.5	54.3%	55.4%	4.98	27.0%	20.3%	36.5%	18.9%
26	Virginia Tech	ACC	2.75	own 30.4	55.8%	61.9%	4.45	21.4%	21.4%	32.5%	12.7%
27	Fresno State	Mountain West	2.74	own 29.8	56.5%	57.5%	4.76	17.8%	17.8%	35.6%	20.5%
28	Notre Dame	FBS Independents	2.73	own 29.3	59.3%	58.3%	4.69	19.7%	15.9%	35.6%	13.6%
29	Georgia	SEC	2.72	own 36.6	73.3%	58.9%	4.62	17.0%	17.0%	33.9%	16.1%
30	Miami	ACC	2.72	own 27.6	52.0%	53.4%	5.10	27.8%	16.5%	33.1%	11.3%
31	Eastern Michigan	Mid-American	2.69	own 35.0	52.7%	54.3%	5.18	18.6%	14.3%	32.9%	22.9%
32	North Texas	Conference USA	2.65	own 28.1	54.3%	56.8%	4.67	25.2%	12.6%	35.1%	21.6%
33	Louisville	ACC	2.64	own 26.8	53.5%	54.2%	4.91	19.2%	15.0%	34.2%	22.5%
34	App State	Sun Belt	2.60	own 29.4	56.0%	58.8%	4.61	21.0%	16.0%	34.4%	16.8%
35	Minnesota	Big Ten	2.60	own 25.0	53.8%	54.2%	4.97	22.2%	9.7%	36.1%	15.3%
36	Tulane	American Athletic	2.55	own 33.7	51.4%	52.7%	4.86	28.0%	13.3%	34.7%	16.7%
37	Boise State	Mountain West	2.54	own 31.8	46.8%	43.4%	5.85	30.3%	9.2%	32.9%	9.2%
38	Arkansas State	Sun Belt	2.50	own 26.4	53.5%	53.7%	4.70	20.3%	17.9%	33.3%	20.3%
39	Oregon State	Pac-12	2.50	own 34.7	189.7%	53.9%	4.80	27.6%	5.3%	34.2%	18.4%
40	Boston College	ACC	2.46	own 30.1	53.7%	57.9%	4.29	25.4%	13.2%	29.8%	16.7%
41	Penn State	Big Ten	2.42	own 28.6	51.6%	54.6%	4.42	25.0%	6.5%	31.5%	22.2%
42	Wake Forest	ACC	2.37	own 28.4	49.7%	50.0%	4.75	22.6%	9.8%	28.4%	15.7%
43	Central Michigan	Mid-American	2.37	own 32.8	49.7%	51.3%	4.63	30.8%	15.4%	29.5%	17.9%
44	Army	FBS Independents	2.37	own 30.5	47.5%	50.6%	4.67	25.9%	7.1%	31.8%	20.0%
45	Iowa	Big Ten	2.35	own 33.1	48.5%	54.6%	4.30	32.0%	10.3%	27.8%	13.4%
46	NC State	ACC	2.34	own 29.5	50.6%	51.4%	4.78	25.0%	10.0%	31.4%	15.7%
47	Indiana	Big Ten	2.33	own 30.7	50.8%	50.0%	4.81	23.4%	13.8%	29.8%	13.8%
48	Michigan	Big Ten	2.33	own 29.1	49.6%	50.7%	4.59	26.9%	10.4%	31.3%	16.4%
49	UTSA	Conference USA	2.33	own 29.5	52.4%	54.0%	4.51	21.4%	15.9%	29.4%	14.3%
50	Georgia Southern	Sun Belt	2.31	own 30.7	48.1%	52.3%	4.51	29.2%	15.4%	28.5%	17.7%
51	San José State	Mountain West	2.29	own 42.0	90.5%	62.5%	3.93	26.1%	11.4%	30.7%	18.2%
52	Missouri	SEC	2.29	own 28.1	52.5%	53.7%	4.38	22.2%	15.7%	26.9%	17.6%
53	Houston	American Athletic	2.28	own 28.7	49.1%	50.0%	4.72	19.6%	13.0%	31.5%	15.2%
54	Georgia State	Sun Belt	2.28	own 34.4	58.1%	51.5%	4.72	29.8%	11.9%	30.6%	16.4%
55	Auburn	SEC	2.27	own 27.9	50.7%	52.2%	4.34	25.7%	8.8%	24.8%	14.2%
56	Memphis	American Athletic	2.26	own 26.8	50.9%	53.0%	4.37	24.8%	13.7%	29.1%	20.5%
57	Marshall	Conference USA	2.25	own 30.6	53.1%	54.7%	4.25	25.3%	14.7%	30.5%	21.1%
58	Purdue	Big Ten	2.22	own 27.6	50.5%	51.5%	4.31	20.6%	10.3%	27.9%	17.6%
59	Southern Miss	Conference USA	2.22	own 28.5	49.1%	52.5%	4.26	23.8%	8.9%	27.7%	20.8%
60	Charlotte	Conference USA	2.20	own 28.2	48.2%	47.8%	4.82	20.3%	14.5%	30.4%	11.6%
61	Virginia	ACC	2.16	own 29.4	48.9%	49.5%	4.49	33.3%	9.0%	27.9%	22.5%
62	TCU	Big 12	2.14	own 30.2	46.5%	52.4%	4.21	32.3%	14.5%	27.4%	11.3%
63	LSU	SEC	2.13	own 28.7	48.0%	50.8%	4.31	29.7%	11.7%	26.6%	13.3%
64	Oklahoma State	Big 12	2.13	own 32.9	52.9%	51.1%	4.17	27.7%	13.5%	25.5%	15.6%
65	Northwestern	Big Ten	2.10	own 29.8	46.4%	46.2%	4.55	29.3%	8.5%	26.4%	19.8%
66	Hawai'i	Mountain West	2.10	own 32.0	54.4%	50.5%	4.15	35.2%	9.5%	27.6%	12.4%
67	UAB	Conference USA	2.08	own 29.8	47.2%	45.3%	4.61	28.4%	13.7%	26.3%	17.9%
68	South Carolina	SEC	2.08	own 26.2	47.9%	48.6%	4.54	28.0%	11.2%	27.1%	15.9%
69	New Mexico	Mountain West	2.07	own 36.6	77.0%	54.8%	3.78	23.8%	10.7%	25.0%	15.5%
70	Texas State	Sun Belt	2.07	own 28.1	47.7%	46.4%	4.68	29.3%	15.0%	29.3%	19.3%
71	Wyoming	Mountain West	2.07	own 30.9	46.5%	49.3%	4.39	28.8%	11.0%	23.3%	15.1%
72	Nebraska	Big Ten	2.07	own 26.4	48.9%	48.9%	4.23	23.3%	6.7%	23.3%	20.0%
73	Troy	Sun Belt	2.06	own 30.3	51.3%	55.9%	3.81	26.1%	12.6%	26.1%	18.9%
74	Northern Illinois	Mid-American	2.03	own 27.5	42.9%	46.7%	4.40	32.0%	16.0%	28.0%	10.7%
75	Kansas State	Big 12	2.01	own 30.7	42.5%	43.7%	4.73	37.8%	13.5%	25.2%	14.3%
76	Utah	Pac-12	1.98	own 31.2	49.0%	51.7%	4.07	31.7%	10.0%	25.0%	30.0%
77	UTEP	Conference USA	1.96	own 29.0	44.9%	42.0%	4.66	26.1%	8.7%	26.1%	23.2%
78	Colorado	Pac-12	1.95	own 28.5	46.3%	46.9%	4.34	29.6%	12.3%	25.9%	17.3%
79	East Carolina	American Athletic	1.95	own 29.4	47.4%	51.3%	4.03	32.5%	8.6%	24.8%	20.5%
80	Rutgers	Big Ten	1.94	own 31.6	40.8%	42.0%	4.66	34.8%	10.7%	24.1%	19.6%
81	Pittsburgh	ACC	1.93	own 30.0	44.8%	49.2%	4.03	33.9%	6.9%	20.8%	18.5%
82	West Virginia	Big 12	1.92	own 29.2	47.9%	51.9%	3.70	24.0%	8.6%	23.1%	14.4%
83	Wisconsin	Big Ten	1.89	own 34.6	47.2%	50.0%	3.95	23.8%	7.1%	26.2%	20.2%
84	Tulsa	American Athletic	1.85	own 31.4	46.6%	50.4%	3.83	25.7%	10.6%	23.9%	21.2%
85	Arkansas	SEC	1.84	own 23.8	43.1%	38.5%	5.28	33.6%	9.8%	26.2%	12.3%
86	San Diego State	Mountain West	1.83	own 31.7	44.6%	50.5%	3.63	29.7%	8.8%	22.0%	19.8%
87	Louisiana Tech	Conference USA	1.83	own 34.1	42.2%	38.9%	4.71	38.9%	6.5%	22.2%	20.4%
88	South Alabama	Sun Belt	1.83	own 27.8	47.9%	50.9%	3.63	27.6%	11.2%	21.6%	25.9%
89	Georgia Tech	ACC	1.82	own 28.6	44.3%	47.2%	4.00	29.1%	11.8%	26.0%	28.3%
90	Illinois	Big Ten	1.79	own 27.4	44.1%	47.8%	3.74	31.1%	8.9%	22.2%	17.8%
91	Florida State	ACC	1.79	own 29.2	44.7%	46.9%	3.96	33.7%	10.2%	23.5%	29.6%
92	Tennessee	SEC	1.78	own 27.1	43.3%	45.8%	4.02	31.8%	10.3%	26.2%	15.9%
93	Middle Tennessee	Conference USA	1.76	own 28.8	44.3%	41.8%	4.42	28.2%	7.8%	24.3%	19.4%
94	Kentucky	SEC	1.75	own 28.6	45.4%	47.0%	4.02	27.4%	8.6%	22.2%	16.2%
95	Maryland	Big Ten	1.74	own 28.2	42.6%	41.9%	4.23	30.6%	17.7%	22.6%	17.7%
96	Texas Tech	Big 12	1.73	own 33.5	52.4%	51.7%	3.49	33.1%	13.6%	25.4%	19.5%
97	Western Kentucky	Conference USA	1.72	own 28.5	41.7%	42.5%	4.19	36.3%	8.0%	21.2%	21.2%
98	Duke	ACC	1.71	own 29.4	43.6%	46.6%	3.78	31.5%	11.0%	21.9%	32.2%
99	Baylor	Big 12	1.64	own 30.8	40.0%	43.5%	3.92	31.5%	3.7%	20.4%	13.9%
100	South Florida	American Athletic	1.60	own 29.0	40.2%	49.0%	3.69	30.0%	6.0%	22.0%	27.0%
101	Florida Atlantic	Conference USA	1.60	own 28.9	43.6%	45.4%	3.73	24.7%	9.3%	20.6%	22.7%
102	Temple	American Athletic	1.60	own 30.3	40.9%	37.9%	4.21	29.9%	4.6%	18.4%	23.0%
103	UNLV	Mountain West	1.56	own 25.9	36.9%	33.8%	4.61	42.6%	4.4%	19.1%	20.6%
104	Navy	American Athletic	1.52	own 27.8	36.8%	33.3%	4.63	40.9%	9.5%	20.0%	19.1%
105	Akron	Mid-American	1.37	own 27.4	38.7%	35.4%	4.48	30.8%	7.7%	20.0%	18.5%
106	Mississippi State	SEC	1.35	own 27.6	40.7%	39.7%	3.81	30.5%	6.9%	19.1%	22.1%
107	Vanderbilt	SEC	1.22	own 25.7	41.7%	42.0%	3.07	25.0%	6.0%	17.0%	22.0%
108	Utah State	Mountain West	1.20	own 28.7	38.0%	36.4%	3.29	37.9%	10.6%	15.2%	21.2%
109	UL Monroe	Sun Belt	1.17	own 27.3	38.1%	38.0%	3.72	42.5%	11.5%	21.2%	23.9%
110	Syracuse	ACC	1.12	own 31.0	31.6%	32.1%	3.79	41.6%	8.8%	14.6%	21.9%
111	Michigan State	Big Ten	0.93	own 25.4	33.6%	33.0%	3.71	34.0%	9.6%	13.8%	23.4%
112	Kansas	Big 12	0.81	own 25.8	28.8%	27.5%	4.06	40.0%	4.2%	14.2%	20.0%

What counts as a drive

210,509 possessions counted. A drive that starts with 24 seconds left and ends in a kneel is a real row in the data and a fake possession; left in, it drags every team’s points per drive down in proportion to how often their games were already decided. Excluded here:

end of half / game / quarter possessions
possessions starting inside 40s of a half
kickoff and uncategorised rows
FBS vs FCS games

CFBD spells the same outcome four ways across seasons — FG / FG GOOD / MADE FG, DOWNS / TURNOVER ON DOWNS / POSS. ON DOWNS — so every result is normalized once at build time rather than string-matched anywhere downstream.