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 8/12/2026

Roster Summary — 2026

Rank Team Conference Roster Quality Index ⓘ Returning Production % ⓘ Experience Index ⓘ Transfer Count Prior Year SER
1
Oregon
Big Ten 0.86 75.3% 21.21 0 27.29
2
Texas Tech
Big 12 0.81 53.4% 21.16 19 27.63
3
Southern Miss
Sun Belt 0.79 90.2% 22.53 0 -2.45
4
Toledo
Mid-American 0.79 66.3% 21.79 0 12.04
5
Western Kentucky
Conference USA 0.78 83.7% 21.69 0 3.73
6
BYU
Big 12 0.78 78.5% 18.64 0 23.05
7
Indiana
Big Ten 0.78 16.6% 21.11 17 37.72
8
Ohio State
Big Ten 0.77 68.3% 16.58 23 37.77
9
Texas A&M
SEC 0.77 72.8% 20.17 20 14.00
10
Northwestern
Big Ten 0.77 88.5% 20.63 0 3.60
11
San Diego State
Mountain West 0.76 98.7% 18.60 0 9.55
12
Western Michigan
Mid-American 0.76 99.7% 20.03 0 0.48
13
Miami
ACC 0.75 36.9% 20.28 12 26.23
14
Washington State
Pac-12 0.75 91.3% 18.33 0 10.68
15
Houston
Big 12 0.74 81.2% 20.26 18 3.89
16
Georgia
SEC 0.73 68.7% 16.87 10 24.97
17
Vanderbilt
SEC 0.72 35.4% 20.04 21 22.24
18
Marshall
Sun Belt 0.71 98.8% 18.60 0 -1.79
19
Oklahoma
SEC 0.71 63.2% 18.18 16 16.81
20
Louisiana
Sun Belt 0.71 91.9% 19.10 0 -2.85
21
Notre Dame
FBS Independents 0.71 51.2% 16.26 8 32.18
22
Ole Miss
SEC 0.70 50.3% 19.01 30 15.94
23
Utah
Big 12 0.70 67.9% 15.33 17 27.92
24
Arizona
Big 12 0.69 64.9% 17.90 23 13.80
25
Texas
SEC 0.69 72.1% 17.27 22 13.46
26
Boise State
Mountain West 0.69 66.3% 17.46 10 13.75
27
Washington
Big Ten 0.68 54.4% 17.67 14 17.24
28
Baylor
Big 12 0.68 60.2% 20.64 0 -3.01
29
SMU
ACC 0.67 56.9% 16.97 18 17.58
30
Illinois
Big Ten 0.67 21.1% 21.33 18 9.23
31
Utah State
Mountain West 0.67 65.2% 18.07 0 6.28
32
USC
Big Ten 0.66 59.2% 14.95 14 26.30
33
Kansas State
Big 12 0.63 71.4% 15.03 25 13.26
34
UCLA
Big Ten 0.63 57.0% 19.34 41 -5.57
35
Florida State
ACC 0.62 40.1% 18.30 22 6.19
36
UTSA
American Athletic 0.62 66.9% 16.30 0 4.13
37
Michigan
Big Ten 0.61 69.2% 14.36 16 13.78
38
Florida
SEC 0.60 69.1% 15.16 0 5.43
39
Texas State
Sun Belt 0.60 76.0% 14.60 18 5.31
39
Ohio
Mid-American 0.60 62.5% 16.33 0 1.96
41
UCF
Big 12 0.59 24.8% 19.93 31 -1.54
42
NC State
ACC 0.59 59.9% 15.10 19 8.96
43
Cincinnati
Big 12 0.59 8.3% 19.66 20 7.68
44
Penn State
Big Ten 0.59 7.6% 18.04 38 17.18
45
Louisville
ACC 0.59 34.8% 16.45 33 12.25
46
South Carolina
SEC 0.59 69.0% 14.66 25 5.92
46
Virginia
ACC 0.59 9.5% 19.41 30 7.35
48
Clemson
ACC 0.59 41.4% 16.51 12 8.55
49
New Mexico
Mountain West 0.58 58.2% 15.26 20 7.16
50
Tulane
American Athletic 0.58 21.0% 18.13 20 8.54
51
Tennessee
SEC 0.58 35.3% 15.99 20 13.34
52
UAB
American Athletic 0.58 79.6% 16.79 0 -12.62
53
Alabama
SEC 0.58 26.4% 15.39 21 20.40
54
App State
Sun Belt 0.58 37.9% 19.32 0 -7.41
55
Mississippi State
SEC 0.58 33.9% 16.90 27 7.66
56
James Madison
Sun Belt 0.57 8.0% 16.60 30 20.91
57
Delaware
CAA 0.57 84.9% 14.87 0 -6.15
58
Pittsburgh
ACC 0.57 39.7% 15.75 18 10.08
59
South Florida
American Athletic 0.57 12.6% 16.22 42 20.27
60
Hawai'i
Mountain West 0.56 64.5% 15.30 20 -1.11
61
Minnesota
Big Ten 0.56 64.9% 15.86 17 -4.77
62
Rutgers
Big Ten 0.56 44.4% 16.57 13 0.52
62
Michigan State
Big Ten 0.56 20.9% 18.71 29 -0.46
64
Arizona State
Big 12 0.56 15.5% 18.07 24 5.55
65
South Alabama
Sun Belt 0.56 78.6% 14.85 0 -6.47
66
Missouri
SEC 0.55 42.0% 14.40 31 12.88
67
California
ACC 0.55 58.3% 15.74 32 -3.39
68
TCU
Big 12 0.55 22.4% 16.46 12 9.17
69
Old Dominion
Sun Belt 0.55 9.2% 16.90 0 12.83
70
Army
American Athletic 0.55 80.2% 12.25 0 5.09
71
Auburn
SEC 0.55 14.4% 16.61 38 11.57
72
LSU
SEC 0.54 21.2% 15.63 41 13.18
73
Akron
Mid-American 0.53 91.8% 13.62 0 -12.24
74
Nebraska
Big Ten 0.53 46.3% 15.19 16 0.43
75
Purdue
Big Ten 0.53 47.5% 15.47 29 -2.09
76
Duke
ACC 0.53 17.1% 16.65 20 5.53
77
UNLV
Mountain West 0.53 15.4% 16.74 19 5.84
78
Kansas
Big 12 0.52 18.1% 16.84 30 3.31
79
Maryland
Big Ten 0.52 54.0% 15.38 14 -6.48
80
Georgia Tech
ACC 0.52 12.6% 16.80 20 5.14
81
Stanford
ACC 0.52 21.3% 17.27 6 -2.23
82
Virginia Tech
ACC 0.51 36.7% 16.88 27 -7.46
83
Florida Atlantic
American Athletic 0.51 68.4% 14.33 29 -8.40
84
Wake Forest
ACC 0.51 14.2% 16.70 23 3.84
85
Troy
Sun Belt 0.51 35.3% 15.40 15 0.71
86
Tulsa
American Athletic 0.50 41.3% 16.05 26 -8.22
87
Liberty
Conference USA 0.50 38.3% 15.42 25 -3.42
88
Wisconsin
Big Ten 0.50 31.0% 15.29 30 0.66
89
Oregon State
Pac-12 0.50 57.9% 14.44 1 -7.62
90
Memphis
American Athletic 0.50 5.6% 16.13 54 7.42
91
East Carolina
American Athletic 0.50 13.6% 14.60 22 12.20
92
Iowa
Big Ten 0.49 34.2% 12.05 14 16.58
93
Eastern Michigan
Mid-American 0.49 72.1% 13.06 12 -7.46
94
North Texas
American Athletic 0.49 2.5% 13.82 45 20.73
95
West Virginia
Big 12 0.48 14.0% 16.87 35 -4.45
96
Temple
American Athletic 0.48 37.0% 14.45 20 -2.59
97
Arkansas
SEC 0.48 14.5% 15.90 47 -0.22
98
Iowa State
Big 12 0.47 1.7% 15.18 44 9.05
99
Central Michigan
Mid-American 0.47 54.0% 12.19 17 0.41
100
Colorado
Big 12 0.47 13.7% 15.86 43 -1.27
101
Fresno State
Mountain West 0.47 38.3% 14.36 12 -4.55
102
Kennesaw State
Conference USA 0.47 6.1% 15.20 26 5.49
103
Jacksonville State
Conference USA 0.46 49.5% 12.49 23 -0.02
104
Louisiana Tech
Conference USA 0.46 63.9% 10.75 9 2.52
105
Arkansas State
Sun Belt 0.46 30.0% 16.12 30 -12.36
106
New Mexico State
Conference USA 0.46 24.4% 15.19 24 -4.69
107
Colorado State
Mountain West 0.46 39.6% 15.77 0 -15.71
108
Kentucky
SEC 0.45 19.3% 14.14 33 1.98
109
Rice
American Athletic 0.45 39.4% 14.62 23 -10.69
110
Florida International
Conference USA 0.44 31.6% 13.02 23 0.49
111
Miami (OH)
Mid-American 0.43 13.9% 14.55 26 -1.82
112
Missouri State
MVFC 0.43 31.3% 12.45 15 1.41
113
UConn
FBS Independents 0.43 2.3% 13.79 54 7.01
114
Air Force
Mountain West 0.41 57.4% 10.23 0 -3.68
115
Syracuse
ACC 0.40 35.0% 13.31 19 -11.25
116
Oklahoma State
Big 12 0.40 0.0% 16.84 56 -14.86
117
Charlotte
American Athletic 0.40 40.9% 14.17 19 -19.98
118
Nevada
Mountain West 0.40 35.5% 12.87 15 -10.95
119
North Carolina
ACC 0.39 27.8% 13.74 18 -13.16
120
Navy
American Athletic 0.39 13.8% 11.49 0 5.17
121
UL Monroe
Sun Belt 0.38 38.7% 12.51 13 -14.06
122
Georgia Southern
Sun Belt 0.38 5.8% 13.54 20 -4.80
123
Kent State
Mid-American 0.37 64.1% 9.38 14 -9.98
124
Buffalo
Mid-American 0.37 -0.8% 14.01 12 -5.30
125
Coastal Carolina
Sun Belt 0.37 15.4% 13.29 39 -9.34
126
Northern Illinois
Mid-American 0.35 43.7% 10.64 10 -11.57
127
Wyoming
Mountain West 0.35 23.0% 11.11 16 -6.52
128
Boston College
ACC 0.34 15.6% 12.34 27 -10.60
129
Georgia State
Sun Belt 0.33 46.5% 10.33 21 -17.73
130
San José State
Mountain West 0.32 3.8% 11.79 22 -6.93
131
Sam Houston
Conference USA 0.31 57.7% 9.71 30 -22.48
132
Middle Tennessee
Conference USA 0.31 32.5% 9.85 15 -11.67
133
UTEP
Conference USA 0.30 -1.1% 12.60 20 -13.43
134
Bowling Green
Mid-American 0.27 -6.2% 10.33 17 -6.05
135
Ball State
Mid-American 0.23 5.7% 9.75 25 -16.72
136
Massachusetts
FBS Independents 0.07 -56.7% 12.00 26 -36.72

Experience vs. Returning Production

Roster Quality Index Rankings

Top 25 shown — scroll to see all teams

Experience by Position Group

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.