CFB Data Hub

Roster Quality Analysis

Roster quality metrics across all FBS teams: Returning Production (% of prior-year PPA returning), Experience Index (avg career games), and Roster Quality Index (RQI — composite score). RQI reflects a calculated floor based on returning data — not a projection of ceiling. Click any team for a full breakdown.

Preseason projections based on current roster data — updated as rosters change.

Data updated 8/8/2026

Roster Summary — 2025

Rank Team Conference Roster Quality Index ⓘ Returning Production % ⓘ Experience Index ⓘ Transfer Count Prior Year SER
1
Georgia Tech
ACC 0.71 81.1% 19.04 22 10.32
2
Texas A&M
SEC 0.71 75.3% 17.29 14 21.08
3
Georgia Southern
Sun Belt 0.70 92.2% 16.73 16 10.87
4
Penn State
Big Ten 0.69 56.5% 18.94 8 22.45
5
Indiana
Big Ten 0.69 25.1% 21.55 23 29.94
6
LSU
SEC 0.69 66.0% 18.76 18 16.35
7
Liberty
Conference USA 0.69 99.6% 16.33 20 5.94
8
SMU
ACC 0.69 50.1% 20.26 22 18.71
9
Boise State
Mountain West 0.67 57.9% 17.23 14 24.74
10
NC State
ACC 0.67 94.8% 17.34 16 0.77
11
Houston
Big 12 0.66 105.2% 17.76 30 -8.41
12
Navy
American Athletic 0.66 97.3% 11.79 0 22.74
13
Baylor
Big 12 0.65 82.5% 17.35 22 5.98
14
BYU
Big 12 0.65 87.1% 14.96 13 13.83
15
Vanderbilt
SEC 0.65 85.9% 17.19 16 4.13
16
Arizona State
Big 12 0.65 69.5% 17.90 16 10.86
17
Kansas State
Big 12 0.65 69.0% 15.04 14 23.38
18
Clemson
ACC 0.63 82.6% 14.09 5 15.59
19
James Madison
Sun Belt 0.62 78.4% 15.10 25 13.09
20
Jacksonville State
Conference USA 0.62 84.3% 14.68 18 11.33
21
Cincinnati
Big 12 0.62 79.4% 15.70 20 9.33
22
Marshall
Sun Belt 0.62 100.4% 12.50 39 9.88
23
Western Michigan
Mid-American 0.62 99.9% 15.55 25 -3.63
24
Louisville
ACC 0.61 46.4% 16.60 29 24.33
25
Oregon
Big Ten 0.60 18.7% 18.92 11 28.76
26
Pittsburgh
ACC 0.60 74.9% 15.55 15 8.59
27
South Florida
American Athletic 0.59 99.9% 14.59 24 -4.40
28
Ohio State
Big Ten 0.59 30.8% 15.39 13 34.94
29
Iowa State
Big 12 0.59 58.4% 16.17 7 14.06
30
Texas Tech
Big 12 0.59 58.9% 17.34 18 8.03
31
Louisiana
Sun Belt 0.59 57.2% 17.05 6 10.35
32
UConn
FBS Independents 0.58 68.0% 16.84 23 4.09
33
Notre Dame
FBS Independents 0.58 36.8% 14.50 8 34.09
34
Alabama
SEC 0.58 43.3% 14.95 12 27.61
35
Iowa
Big Ten 0.58 48.8% 16.42 10 17.29
36
Texas State
Sun Belt 0.58 92.7% 12.60 35 6.63
37
Northwestern
Big Ten 0.57 68.0% 17.38 13 -0.23
38
Sam Houston
Conference USA 0.57 90.1% 12.86 22 6.36
39
Illinois
Big Ten 0.57 52.5% 17.44 15 8.72
40
South Carolina
SEC 0.57 62.5% 14.26 17 16.61
41
Georgia
SEC 0.57 37.4% 16.57 10 21.78
42
TCU
Big 12 0.57 60.6% 16.74 9 6.35
43
Temple
American Athletic 0.57 99.9% 14.38 20 -8.10
44
Michigan State
Big Ten 0.56 68.7% 16.42 19 1.83
45
Coastal Carolina
Sun Belt 0.56 96.9% 13.00 26 -0.86
46
Old Dominion
Sun Belt 0.56 74.2% 15.15 9 3.51
47
Arkansas
SEC 0.56 36.1% 19.29 30 8.45
48
Virginia Tech
ACC 0.55 49.5% 16.24 26 12.70
49
Oklahoma
SEC 0.55 52.8% 15.57 19 13.17
50
Texas
SEC 0.54 28.3% 16.42 12 23.72
51
Toledo
Mid-American 0.54 68.5% 15.65 20 0.86
52
UTSA
American Athletic 0.53 96.2% 12.36 16 -2.42
53
Michigan
Big Ten 0.53 39.5% 17.30 15 10.33
54
Minnesota
Big Ten 0.53 44.2% 16.49 20 10.25
55
Miami
ACC 0.52 12.5% 17.48 20 24.27
56
Florida
SEC 0.52 55.0% 14.70 7 9.82
57
Rutgers
Big Ten 0.51 67.4% 15.22 17 -1.14
58
Ole Miss
SEC 0.51 17.5% 16.22 31 25.47
59
Washington
Big Ten 0.51 42.4% 17.00 16 6.17
60
Kansas
Big 12 0.50 41.0% 14.95 27 15.01
61
Boston College
ACC 0.50 62.0% 14.14 13 4.90
62
Buffalo
Mid-American 0.50 65.9% 13.89 9 2.63
63
Wisconsin
Big Ten 0.48 40.2% 17.09 21 1.99
64
USC
Big Ten 0.48 36.8% 15.75 16 10.05
65
Rice
American Athletic 0.48 75.1% 13.61 17 -4.32
66
West Virginia
Big 12 0.48 26.1% 18.61 43 3.56
67
Nebraska
Big Ten 0.48 59.3% 14.43 16 1.51
68
Tennessee
SEC 0.48 22.1% 15.18 6 20.94
69
San Diego State
Mountain West 0.48 80.3% 14.96 21 -15.06
70
North Texas
American Athletic 0.48 56.3% 14.77 33 0.75
71
Tulsa
American Athletic 0.47 99.0% 13.89 29 -22.55
72
San José State
Mountain West 0.47 58.7% 14.03 12 1.44
73
Ohio
Mid-American 0.47 64.8% 11.92 16 7.13
74
Arizona
Big 12 0.47 56.1% 16.75 25 -9.83
75
UTEP
Conference USA 0.46 100.0% 11.24 23 -13.30
76
East Carolina
American Athletic 0.46 50.6% 14.58 19 1.71
77
Northern Illinois
Mid-American 0.45 53.1% 13.20 9 5.98
78
Duke
ACC 0.45 17.9% 17.86 8 6.51
79
Middle Tennessee
Conference USA 0.45 99.0% 13.83 13 -26.16
80
UCF
Big 12 0.45 31.0% 17.10 34 1.39
81
UL Monroe
Sun Belt 0.45 78.2% 11.02 15 -0.88
82
Oklahoma State
Big 12 0.45 44.5% 16.16 31 -3.67
83
Missouri
SEC 0.45 20.1% 16.76 19 8.87
84
Colorado
Big 12 0.44 7.3% 18.62 32 8.33
85
Georgia State
Sun Belt 0.44 68.5% 13.84 25 -8.61
86
Arkansas State
Sun Belt 0.44 58.6% 15.34 32 -9.51
87
Utah State
Mountain West 0.44 63.1% 15.44 27 -13.10
88
UAB
American Athletic 0.44 72.7% 12.38 27 -5.34
89
Hawai'i
Mountain West 0.43 45.9% 15.26 13 -3.20
90
Western Kentucky
Conference USA 0.43 33.2% 15.45 37 3.56
91
Army
American Athletic 0.43 25.2% 12.21 0 22.88
92
Kentucky
SEC 0.43 27.0% 16.20 24 3.58
93
Nevada
Mountain West 0.43 65.8% 13.11 19 -6.98
94
Virginia
ACC 0.42 28.0% 16.78 31 0.03
95
Tulane
American Athletic 0.42 14.6% 14.81 32 17.13
96
Memphis
American Athletic 0.42 11.9% 18.12 36 3.75
97
Auburn
SEC 0.41 21.8% 15.82 19 4.70
98
Wyoming
Mountain West 0.40 77.4% 11.60 15 -11.81
99
California
ACC 0.40 22.5% 15.48 35 4.87
100
Colorado State
Mountain West 0.40 50.4% 13.29 20 -3.11
101
Miami (OH)
Mid-American 0.40 48.0% 14.23 15 -6.52
102
Florida International
Conference USA 0.39 42.2% 14.10 24 -2.88
103
Wake Forest
ACC 0.39 26.2% 16.30 34 -3.33
104
Massachusetts
FBS Independents 0.38 76.3% 11.65 30 -14.81
105
North Carolina
ACC 0.38 15.9% 15.62 35 4.84
106
UNLV
Mountain West 0.38 15.2% 14.64 39 8.48
107
UCLA
Big Ten 0.37 21.9% 15.18 32 1.25
108
Syracuse
ACC 0.36 14.3% 15.27 16 4.21
109
Purdue
Big Ten 0.36 54.3% 14.92 46 -19.83
110
Washington State
Pac-12 0.36 24.9% 12.52 24 9.10
111
Louisiana Tech
Conference USA 0.36 54.3% 12.29 9 -8.49
112
Mississippi State
SEC 0.35 41.6% 13.27 29 -7.04
113
Charlotte
American Athletic 0.34 23.8% 13.68 32 1.83
114
New Mexico State
Conference USA 0.34 55.5% 12.29 21 -11.83
115
Oregon State
Pac-12 0.34 52.2% 12.09 14 -8.93
116
Southern Miss
Sun Belt 0.34 52.3% 15.57 53 -24.80
117
Air Force
Mountain West 0.33 63.0% 9.83 0 -8.69
118
Fresno State
Mountain West 0.32 17.2% 13.81 19 0.94
119
South Alabama
Sun Belt 0.32 25.4% 12.36 18 1.96
120
Maryland
Big Ten 0.31 12.8% 12.59 13 8.03
121
App State
Sun Belt 0.31 14.1% 15.65 27 -6.76
122
Florida State
ACC 0.31 13.1% 15.37 22 -5.53
123
Troy
Sun Belt 0.30 33.4% 12.19 17 -5.48
124
Kennesaw State
Conference USA 0.30 45.8% 12.77 27 -16.71
125
Utah
Big 12 0.29 14.0% 13.81 21 -2.22
126
Central Michigan
Mid-American 0.29 10.3% 16.08 6 -10.96
127
Stanford
ACC 0.29 18.9% 15.30 15 -12.91
128
New Mexico
Mountain West 0.27 12.5% 15.28 32 -11.52
129
Bowling Green
Mid-American 0.27 7.9% 12.27 21 3.83
130
Eastern Michigan
Mid-American 0.26 24.9% 11.31 15 -3.26
131
Akron
Mid-American 0.25 37.1% 10.63 20 -10.50
132
Florida Atlantic
American Athletic 0.19 20.8% 11.72 32 -16.45
133
Ball State
Mid-American 0.17 7.7% 13.38 24 -19.40
134
Kent State
Mid-American 0.01 11.3% 8.04 13 -26.29

Experience vs. Returning Production

Roster Quality Index Rankings

Top 25 shown — scroll to see all teams

Experience by Position Group

Top 25 shown — scroll to see all teams

How to Read These Metrics

Roster Quality Index (RQI)

The headline composite score. It combines returning production, roster experience, and the team's prior-year efficiency rating (SER) into a single number. A higher RQI means a team is entering the season with more experienced, proven contributors. There is no fixed scale — interpret it relative to other teams in the table.

Higher = Better prepared roster 2025 values are offseason projections

Important: RQI represents a calculated floor — the minimum expected roster quality based on returning experience and production. It does not account for player development, incoming recruiting classes, coaching changes, or scheme fit. Teams can and do outperform this baseline.

Returning Production %

The share of last season's PPA (Points Per Play Added) that is returning to the roster. PPA weights a player's contribution by actual on-field impact — a star receiver counts more than a backup who rarely touched the ball. This is different from simply counting returning starters. Values can exceed 100%. Incoming transfers bring the production they generated at their previous school, and departing players with negative impact shrink last season's baseline. A number above 100% usually marks a portal-heavy reload — read it alongside Transfer Count.

70 %+ — High retention 50–70 % — Average < 50 % — Significant turnover
Experience Index (EPI)

The average number of career college games played per player on the roster. A true freshman entering with 0 career games pulls the number down; a senior who has played 40+ games pulls it up. This captures roster-wide depth of experience, not just the starters.

12 + games — Highly experienced 7–12 games — Average < 7 games — Young roster
Transfer Count

The number of transfer players currently on the roster. High transfer counts can indicate a team is reloading quickly via the portal rather than through recruiting and player development — which can produce high experience numbers even when returning production is low.

Prior Year SER

The team's Season Efficiency Rating from last season. This gives context to the returning production number: returning 70% of the production from an elite team (high SER) is very different from returning 70% from a bottom-10 team. Shown as a dash if the team has no prior-year SER on record.

Position Group Breakdown

Breaks experience down by unit (Skill Offense, Defense, Special Teams).

All roster data sourced from the CFBD API. Preseason projections based on current roster data — updated as rosters change.