College football key numbers
9.9% of college football games since 2015 ended with a 3-point margin and 8.6% with 7, counted from 7,915 games.
Most common margins
A key number is a final margin that comes up far more often than the ones beside it, because of how scoring works. The margin is the winner’s score minus the loser’s.
| Margin | Games | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 783 | 9.9% |
| 7 | 679 | 8.6% |
| 10 | 371 | 4.7% |
| 14 | 344 | 4.3% |
| 21 | 304 | 3.8% |
| 17 | 289 | 3.6% |
| 1 | 274 | 3.5% |
| 4 | 274 | 3.5% |
| 6 | 267 | 3.4% |
| 24 | 236 | 3.0% |
Margin 3
- Games
- 783
- Share of games
- 9.9%
Margin 7
- Games
- 679
- Share of games
- 8.6%
Margin 10
- Games
- 371
- Share of games
- 4.7%
Margin 14
- Games
- 344
- Share of games
- 4.3%
Margin 21
- Games
- 304
- Share of games
- 3.8%
Margin 17
- Games
- 289
- Share of games
- 3.6%
Margin 1
- Games
- 274
- Share of games
- 3.5%
Margin 4
- Games
- 274
- Share of games
- 3.5%
Margin 6
- Games
- 267
- Share of games
- 3.4%
Margin 24
- Games
- 236
- Share of games
- 3.0%
Most common totals
The total is both teams’ scores added together. Totals spread over more values than margins do, so a single number stands out less.
| Total | Games | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| 55 | 299 | 3.8% |
| 51 | 252 | 3.2% |
| 45 | 221 | 2.8% |
| 41 | 220 | 2.8% |
| 59 | 220 | 2.8% |
| 48 | 218 | 2.8% |
| 58 | 208 | 2.6% |
| 44 | 195 | 2.5% |
| 65 | 194 | 2.5% |
| 52 | 188 | 2.4% |
Total 55
- Games
- 299
- Share of games
- 3.8%
Total 51
- Games
- 252
- Share of games
- 3.2%
Total 45
- Games
- 221
- Share of games
- 2.8%
Total 41
- Games
- 220
- Share of games
- 2.8%
Total 59
- Games
- 220
- Share of games
- 2.8%
Total 48
- Games
- 218
- Share of games
- 2.8%
Total 58
- Games
- 208
- Share of games
- 2.6%
Total 44
- Games
- 195
- Share of games
- 2.5%
Total 65
- Games
- 194
- Share of games
- 2.5%
Total 52
- Games
- 188
- Share of games
- 2.4%
How this was counted
- 7,915 college football games, seasons 2015 to 2025: FBS games with a final score.
- Source: sportsdataverse-data, cfb_matchup_line (CC BY 4.0). Counted on .
- These are plain counts of final scores. Nothing is modeled, and nothing here predicts a game.
To cite this page: Parity Odds, “College football key numbers,” parityodds.com/research/college-football-key-numbers, counted 2026-10-08.
These counts are why half a point matters more near some numbers than others. How Parity Odds prices a bet.