The MRI
2026 · Week 11

Utah State

Pac-12 · 4–5 · 3–2 in conference · MRI Classic #84

Power-5.8#87 of 138
Résumé-0.76#155 · wins above average
Playoff chance<0.1%out of the picture
Trendrating by week

Who to root for this week

Nothing this weekend moves the needle.

Nothing this weekend moves the needle.

Best winFresno State (17–10)
Worst lossIdaho State (17–29)
Schedule faced-1.6 avg opponent
Schedule ahead-3.2 avg opponent
Roster talent#117 of 127 · worth -7.4, rated -5.8: in line with it
Returning production65% of last year's · #32 of 128
Home field+3.8 pts · 14th of 131

How this rating is built

Power = w × (average margin counted + average opponent rating) + (1 − w) × preseason prior, where w = games ÷ (games + 4). After 9 games, w is 69%, so the preseason prior is 31% of this rating. Every game played shrinks that share.

PartValueWeightAdds
Margin counted-4.3 avg× 69%-3.0
Opponents faced-1.6 avg× 69%-1.1
Preseason prior-5.5× 31%-1.7
Power-5.8

This explains how the model reached the number. The opponent ratings come out of the same fitted model, so it is not independent proof that the rating is right.

Results

Expected is the margin the model's ratings imply for that matchup and site. Perf is how far the actual margin beat it — the result against expectation. Adds is a different question: how many points of Power the game contributes, counting its margin and the strength of the opponent together. A game can beat expectation and still add little, or the reverse. Adds, plus the preseason prior, sum to Power (figures are rounded so the column adds up). Hover an Adds figure for its arithmetic.

WkOpponentResult ExpectedPerfAdds
1 vs Idaho State FCS L 17–29 +30.9 -42.9 -3.5
2 at Washington L 14–16 -17.2 +15.2 +0.7
3 at Utah L 0–33 -29.5 -3.5 -1.0
4 vs Troy W 21–10 +9.6 +1.4 +0.0
5 at Boise State L 18–37 -20.2 +1.2 -0.8
6 vs Washington State W 17–16 +5.3 -4.3 -0.7
8 at Texas State L 17–20 -13.8 +10.8 +0.3
9 vs Colorado State W 31–14 +10.5 +6.5 +0.4
10 vs Fresno State W 17–10 -3.4 +10.4 +0.5
Preseason prior (31% of the rating)-1.7
Power-5.8

Remaining schedule

WkOpponent ProjectedWin prob
11 at San Diego State -1.6 46%
12 at Oregon State -9.6 28%

Coaches

Mean added leaves out 1978–1980, the first seasons rated, which have no preseason prior to measure against.

CoachYearsRecordMean added
Bruce Snyder1978–198230-23-2-8.0
Chris Pella1983–19859-24-3.9
Chuck Shelton1986–199126-39-1-3.4
Charlie Weatherbie1992–199415-19-4.8
John Smith1995–199716-18+0.2
Dave Arslanian1998–19997-15-6.2
Mick Dennehy2000–200419-37-5.6
Brent Guy2005–20089-38-5.4
Gary Andersen2009–201226-24+2.8
Matt Wells2013–201844-34+0.9
Gary Andersen2019–20207-9-10.0
Frank Maile20201-2-12.4
Blake Anderson2021–202423-17-1.0
Bronco Mendenhall2025–202610-12+0.9

Season by season

Best finish: #11 in 2018. 48 seasons rated. The two columns' numbers are not comparable; the rank within each is. Season links open that year's game log.

25 1 150 2003 (MRI Classic): #92 of 117 (3-9)2004 (MRI Classic): #109 of 117 (3-8)2005 (MRI Classic): #105 of 119 (3-8)2006 (MRI Classic): #118 of 119 (1-11)2007 (MRI Classic): #106 of 120 (2-10)2008 (MRI Classic): #97 of 120 (3-9)2009 (MRI Classic): #80 of 120 (4-8)2010 (MRI Classic): #100 of 120 (4-8)2011 (MRI Classic): #49 of 120 (7-6)2012 (MRI Classic): #11 of 124 (11-2)2013 (MRI Classic): #30 of 126 (9-5)2014 (MRI Classic): #33 of 128 (10-4)2015 (MRI Classic): #65 of 128 (6-7)2016 (MRI Classic): #89 of 128 (3-9)2017 (MRI Classic): #74 of 130 (6-7)2018 (MRI Classic): #11 of 130 (11-2)2019 (MRI Classic): #77 of 130 (7-6)1978 (MRI 2.0): #57 of 138 (7-4)1979 (MRI 2.0): #37 of 138 (7-4)1980 (MRI 2.0): #58 of 138 (6-5)1981 (MRI 2.0): #79 of 136 (5-6)1982 (MRI 2.0): #91 of 105 (5-6)1983 (MRI 2.0): #75 of 105 (5-6)1984 (MRI 2.0): #94 of 106 (1-10)1985 (MRI 2.0): #97 of 106 (3-8)1986 (MRI 2.0): #96 of 105 (3-8)1987 (MRI 2.0): #87 of 104 (5-6)1988 (MRI 2.0): #93 of 104 (4-7)1989 (MRI 2.0): #95 of 106 (4-7)1990 (MRI 2.0): #85 of 107 (5-6)1991 (MRI 2.0): #81 of 107 (5-6)1992 (MRI 2.0): #79 of 107 (5-6)1993 (MRI 2.0): #71 of 106 (7-5)1994 (MRI 2.0): #93 of 107 (3-8)1995 (MRI 2.0): #90 of 108 (4-7)1996 (MRI 2.0): #81 of 111 (6-5)1997 (MRI 2.0): #70 of 112 (6-6)1998 (MRI 2.0): #92 of 112 (3-8)1999 (MRI 2.0): #95 of 114 (4-7)2000 (MRI 2.0): #95 of 116 (5-6)2001 (MRI 2.0): #96 of 117 (4-7)2002 (MRI 2.0): #101 of 117 (4-7)2003 (MRI 2.0): #98 of 117 (3-9)2004 (MRI 2.0): #104 of 117 (3-8)2005 (MRI 2.0): #112 of 119 (3-8)2006 (MRI 2.0): #118 of 119 (1-11)2007 (MRI 2.0): #114 of 119 (2-10)2008 (MRI 2.0): #105 of 120 (3-9)2009 (MRI 2.0): #94 of 120 (4-8)2010 (MRI 2.0): #102 of 120 (4-8)2011 (MRI 2.0): #77 of 120 (7-6)2012 (MRI 2.0): #27 of 124 (11-2)2013 (MRI 2.0): #27 of 125 (9-5)2014 (MRI 2.0): #48 of 128 (10-4)2015 (MRI 2.0): #69 of 128 (6-7)2016 (MRI 2.0): #88 of 128 (3-9)2017 (MRI 2.0): #81 of 130 (6-7)2018 (MRI 2.0): #26 of 130 (11-2)2019 (MRI 2.0): #69 of 130 (7-6)2020 (MRI 2.0): #121 of 128 (1-5)2021 (MRI 2.0): #74 of 130 (11-3)2022 (MRI 2.0): #108 of 131 (6-7)2023 (MRI 2.0): #110 of 133 (6-7)2024 (MRI 2.0): #110 of 134 (4-8)2025 (MRI 2.0): #86 of 136 (6-7) MRI 2.0Classic 1978 2025

Finishing rank, best at the top, on an axis running to 150 — this team's own range, not the size of the field. Two lines where both ratings cover a season - MRI 2.0 in red, Classic in grey. Hover a point for the season.

SeasonRec MRI 2.0MRI Classic
2025 6–7 #86 of 136 · -5.46 –
2024 4–8 #110 of 134 · -12.18 –
2023 6–7 #110 of 133 · -10.43 –
2022 6–7 #108 of 131 · -11.81 –
2021 11–3 #74 of 130 · 0.31 –
2020 1–5 #121 of 128 · -19.13 –
2019 7–6 #69 of 130 · -0.90 #77 of 130 · 9.71
2018 11–2 #26 of 130 · 11.49 #11 of 130 · 77.32
2017 6–7 #81 of 130 · -3.30 #74 of 130 · 16.95
2016 3–9 #88 of 128 · -6.37 #89 of 128 · -1.45
2015 6–7 #69 of 128 · 0.70 #65 of 128 · 24.20
2014 10–4 #48 of 128 · 4.50 #33 of 128 · 45.04
2013 9–5 #27 of 125 · 11.59 #30 of 126 · 56.33
2012 11–2 #27 of 124 · 10.35 #11 of 124 · 74.56
2011 7–6 #77 of 120 · -4.27 #49 of 120 · 31.58
2010 4–8 #102 of 120 · -13.69 #100 of 120 · -18.60
2009 4–8 #94 of 120 · -10.74 #80 of 120 · 5.69
2008 3–9 #105 of 120 · -14.41 #97 of 120 · -11.22
2007 2–10 #114 of 119 · -17.83 #106 of 120 · -21.63
2006 1–11 #118 of 119 · -25.59 #118 of 119 · -68.33
2005 3–8 #112 of 119 · -20.16 #105 of 119 · -23.80
2004 3–8 #104 of 117 · -17.81 #109 of 117 · -29.05
2003 3–9 #98 of 117 · -13.07 #92 of 117 · -9.72
2002 4–7 #101 of 117 · -15.12 –
2001 4–7 #96 of 117 · -13.02 –
2000 5–6 #95 of 116 · -13.29 –
1999 4–7 #95 of 114 · -11.36 –
1998 3–8 #92 of 112 · -12.64 –
1997 6–6 #70 of 112 · -3.56 –
1996 6–5 #81 of 111 · -9.09 –
1995 4–7 #90 of 108 · -12.99 –
1994 3–8 #93 of 107 · -16.38 –
1993 7–5 #71 of 106 · -6.33 –
1992 5–6 #79 of 107 · -7.19 –
1991 5–6 #81 of 107 · -8.40 –
1990 5–6 #85 of 107 · -11.61 –
1989 4–7 #95 of 106 · -18.47 –
1988 4–7 #93 of 104 · -18.03 –
1987 5–6 #87 of 104 · -13.18 –
1986 3–8 #96 of 105 · -17.00 –
1985 3–8 #97 of 106 · -15.70 –
1984 1–10 #94 of 106 · -13.47 –
1983 5–6 #75 of 105 · -6.51 –
1982 5–6 #91 of 105 · -13.88 –
1981 5–6 #79 of 136 · -3.10 –
1980 6–5 #58 of 138 · 1.03 –
1979 7–4 #37 of 138 · 6.68 –
1978 7–4 #57 of 138 · 2.53 –