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The Football Analytics Show by The Power Rank and Ed Feng

The Football Analytics Show uses data and analytics to make predictions on games and break down match ups. The show covers both college football and the NFL.
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The Football Analytics Show by The Power Rank and Ed Feng
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Now displaying: 2023
Jun 9, 2023

How did professional bettors like Matthew Benham and Haralabos Voulgaris use analytics to win soccer matches? This episode discusses the key concept as told by Ryan O'Hanlon in his book Net Gains.

The Football Analytics Show is presented by The Power Rank, a site devoted to predictive analytics for football betting. To get the free sports betting newsletter, click here:

https://thepowerrank.com/

Support the podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/footballanalytics

May 25, 2023

John Sears, a special advisor to the Los Angeles Dodgers, joins the show for a wide ranging conversation. John has a graduate degree from Stanford and has also worked for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Highlights include: His first experience with applied math (7:48). Working at the Federal Reserve during the financial crisis (12:32). The decision to go to grad school (19:00). The latest baseball data sets that John and the Dodgers are hiring quants to work on (26:09). The 2015 NBA draft with Philadelphia (33:48). Working with the Minnesota Timberwolves and match up problems (45:18). How to break into sports analytics (52:09).

The story about the 2015 NBA draft is an incredible lesson in data driven predictions, and I highly recommend starting at 33:48 and listening to the next seven minutes.

The Football Analytics Show is presented by The Power Rank, a site devoted to predictive analytics for football betting. To get the free sports betting newsletter, click here:

https://thepowerrank.com/

Support the podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/footballanalytics

May 19, 2023

Interceptions play a critical role in football. However, randomness plays a big role, which makes these critical plays difficult to predict. This episode describes my research into how to predict interceptions. The narrative starts in football but then ventures into some ideas about skill vs luck from Michael Maubossian's book The Success Equation. Interceptions are also compared with three pointers in basketball.

May 5, 2023

Kevin Cole, football analytics expert and founder of Unexpected Points, joins the show for a wide ranging conversation. Highlights include: Are NFL teams getting smarter at drafting players? (3:00). Why it's harder to build a team (11:32). Houston and trading up for the 3rd pick (13:56). Arizona, trading down and trading back up (18:50). Why Philadelphia traded up one pick (22:00). Philadelphia and consensus big boards vs actual draft position (26:25). The problem with Jalen Carter, and it's not the legal issues (32:16). The teams with the best grades by Kevin's objective methods (34:55). How Kevin rates this QB class (38:17). A Will Levis comp (40:45). The teams with the worst draft grades (43:43). Detroit, their surprising draft grade and the NFC North market (48:55). How much does the draft matter in predicting the 2023 season? (57:25).

The Football Analytics Show is presented by The Power Rank, a site devoted to predictive analytics for football betting. To get the free sports betting newsletter, click here:

https://thepowerrank.com/

Support the podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/footballanalytics

Apr 21, 2023

Matt Waldman, creator of the Rookie Scouting Portfolio and senior writer for Football Guys, joins the show for a wide ranging conversation. Highlights include: The wildly overrated 1st round QB in the 2023 NFL draft (11:38). Baker Mayfield (17:50). The QB that might seem overrated but isn't (21:10). Anthony Richardson's development (28:57). How NFL players develop skills (35:25). The difference between college and the NFL (39:40). Talent vs hard work (42:16). Mental aspect of playing wide receiver, Kenny Golladay, Gabriel Davis (52:36).

The Football Analytics Show is presented by The Power Rank, a site devoted to predictive analytics for football betting. To get the free sports betting newsletter, click here:

https://thepowerrank.com/

Support the podcast and get a premium episode every month:

https://www.patreon.com/footballanalytics

Apr 13, 2023

Benjamin Robinson, who uses wisdom of crowds to predict the NFL draft at Grinding the Mocks, joins the show for a wide ranging conversation. Highlights include: New research on predicting the NFL draft (6:56). NFL big boards (10:00). When to use wisdom of crowds to bet (15:00). Quarterbacks (19:50). The first pick (30:30). Defensive players (33:47). A surprise prediction (38:24).

The Football Analytics Show is presented by The Power Rank, a site devoted to predictive analytics for football betting. To get the free sports betting newsletter, click here:

https://thepowerrank.com/

Support the podcast and get a premium solo episode every month:

https://www.patreon.com/footballanalytics

Mar 30, 2023

Jeff Haley, a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and the founder of hoop-math.com, joins the show for a wide ranging conversation. Highlights include: The data and insights on hoop-math.com (8:05). The future of college basketball data (13:52). The inspiration behind hoop-math.com (17:12). 3 point defense (19:58).

Jeff also broke down the 2023 Final Four teams: Connecticut (28:58). Miami (33:18). Florida Atlantic (37:19). San Diego State (42:54).

The Football Analytics Show is presented by The Power Rank, a site devoted to predictive analytics for football betting. To get the free sports betting newsletter, click here:

https://thepowerrank.com/

Support the podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/footballanalytics

Mar 15, 2023

The Region of Death is stacked with top teams in the 2023 NCAA tournament. In contrast, the Region of Eternal Life keeps giving poor teams an opportunity to advance. With help from analytics and the markets, Ed Feng breaks down the 2023 bracket.

Mar 12, 2023

You want to win your March Madness pool. The money is nice, but the bragging rights are even better. In this episode, I discuss three topics for the 2023 NCAA tournament: 1. The one thing you must get right to win, even before you use analytics (0:46) 2. Tennessee and their title chances (3:43) 3. How to predict March Madness upsets (6:54)

The Football Analytics Show is presented by The Power Rank, a site devoted to predictive analytics for football betting. To get the free sports betting newsletter, click here:

https://thepowerrank.com/

Support the podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/footballanalytics

Mar 10, 2023

Evan Miyakawa, a statistics Ph.D. and founder of the college basketball analytics site evanmiya.com, joins the show for a wide ranging conversation. Highlights include: His college basketball analytics for teams and players (12:11). Player level analytics with play by play data (19:50). Julian Phillips of Tennessee (24:00). Jaylen Clark of UCLA (26:45). Zakai Zeigler and Tennessee's chances without him (27:54). The use of preseason priors in March (34:22). Houston (38:56). Gonzaga (41:57). Connecticut (46:17). The public favorite (50:07).

The Football Analytics Show is presented by The Power Rank, a site devoted to predictive analytics for football betting. To get the free sports betting newsletter, click here:

https://thepowerrank.com/

Support the podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/footballanalytics

Feb 23, 2023

Andy Molitor, the Director of Content at Betsperts, joins the show for a wide ranging conversations. Highlights include: His contrarian take on college basketball in March (4:28). His data driven process for betting college basketball (10:30). General outlook for the NCAA tournament (26:25). Purdue (29:14). Gonzaga (34:30). Can a defense get better in the NCAA tournament by sheer effort? (38:15). North Carolina (41:04). Alabama (47:22).

The Football Analytics Show is presented by The Power Rank, a site devoted to predictive analytics for football betting. To get the free sports betting newsletter, click here:

https://thepowerrank.com/

Support the podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/footballanalytics

Feb 7, 2023

On the surface, it seems like Jalen Hurts is better at not throwing interceptions than Patrick Mahomes. For the 2022 season, Hurts has thrown 6 picks compared to 12 for Mahomes.

However, randomness plays a big role in interceptions. This episode looks at the data behind this statement and reveals a better way to predict picks.

Finally, I look at the numbers for the two Super Bowl quarterbacks to reveal which team has an edge.

Feb 2, 2023

Hitman, a professional NFL bettor, joins the show for a wide ranging conversation. Highlights include: His evolution as a professional bettor (8:50). Getting bets down, then and now (12:12). His process for betting NFL spreads and totals (19:50). Super Bowl spread bet (27:57). His process for betting NFL player props (33:16). Two Super Bowl props he likes (36:30). More thoughts on the Super Bowl game script (41:34). Why he sells picks (46:07).

The Football Analytics Show is presented by The Power Rank, a site devoted to predictive analytics for football betting. To get the free sports betting newsletter, click here:

https://thepowerrank.com/

Support the podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/footballanalytics

Jan 25, 2023

Dr. Eric Eager, the Vice President of Research and Development at Sumer Sports, joins the show for a wide ranging conversation. Highlights include: His transition from PFF to Sumer Sports (4:20). The problem with a football betting model (12:03). Tampa Bay (14:20). San Francisco at Philadelphia (17:38). Cincinnati at Kansas City (21:33). Overreaction to Cincinnati at Buffalo (26:17). The evolution of the Kansas City offense (28:09). The spread if Patrick Mahomes can't play (35:08). The role of luck in sports (47:08).

The Football Analytics Show is presented by The Power Rank, a site devoted to predictive analytics for football betting. To get the free sports betting newsletter, click here:

https://thepowerrank.com/

Support the podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/footballanalytics

Jan 19, 2023

Chris Bennett, the Director of Risk at Circa Sports Book, joins the show for a wide ranging conversation. Highlights include: His first stoke of luck in his career (10:35). How he got his start in bookmaking (11:30). His edge as a sports bettor (22:06). NFL bookmaking (27:31). The NFL limits at Circa, open and close (33:49). Do big groups wait to bet right before the game? (44:57). Analytics in bookmaking (49:31). Dallas at San Francisco (52:57). Jacksonville at Kansas City (57:53). New York Giants at Philadelphia (59:55). Cincinnati at Buffalo (1:01:58). Super Bowl futures and implied probability (1:04:55). Spread for Kansas vs Buffalo AFC Championship game (1:09:53).

The Football Analytics Show is presented by The Power Rank, a site devoted to predictive analytics for football betting. To get the free sports betting newsletter, click here:

https://thepowerrank.com/

Support the podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/footballanalytics

Jan 12, 2023

Kevin Cole, football analytics expert and creator of the Unexpected Points newsletter and podcast, joins the show for a wide ranging conversion. Highlights include: Chicago Bears and the number one pick in the 2023 draft (5:21). Adjusting QB stats for teammates and Daniel Jones (15:03). Kevin's model for predicting spreads (23:50). Seattle at San Francisco (27:35). Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville (32:35). Miami at Buffalo (35:44). New York Giants at Minnesota (38:05). Baltimore at Cincinnati (40:25). Dallas at Tampa Bay (45:03). The favorite to make the Super Bowl from the AFC (49:23).

The Football Analytics Show is presented by The Power Rank, a site devoted to predictive analytics for football betting. To get the free sports betting newsletter, click here:

https://thepowerrank.com/

Support the podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/footballanalytics

Jan 4, 2023

Jim Sannes, senior writer/analyst at FanDuel and host of the Covering the Spread podcast, joins the show for a wide ranging conversation. Highlights include: The predictive models that Jim uses in his handicapping (9:20). Philadelphia Eagles (15:39). A week 18 NFL bet (17:11). When models are way off market (20:24). His trick for finding NFL player prop bets (22:29). Detroit at Green Bay (26:55). Tennessee at Jacksonville (33:22). Tampa Bay at Atlanta, injury adjustments (36:40). A surprise prediction for the NFL playoffs (43:16).

The Football Analytics Show is presented by The Power Rank, a site devoted to predictive analytics for football betting. To get the free sports betting newsletter, click here:

https://thepowerrank.com/

Support the podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/footballanalytics

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