I can't believe I'm going to agree with bamajoe, but there you have it. The world is ending.
On an LSU site I frequent, a formula was put together some years ago which is basically an adjusted ypa....we use it to look at the QBs, since QBR is one of the more mercurial stats, starting with the fact that nobody knows what the units are (i.e. a QBR was 99....okay.....99 whats exactly?) In our case, the number means yards. More specifically, how many yards is a QB worth when the offense calls his number? It's not as simple as YPA, but it is a modified YPA, basically. With my Excel ninja skills, I've been tracking the #s lately on my pimped-out spreadsheet.
We also similarly run a team's opponents' numbers and come up with a defensive productivity # for that team. Since it's a modified YPP, the lower the better for the defense. In said formula, off the top of my head, if a team is down in the low 4's, you're probably looking at an elite defense. For example, coming into November of 2015, Alabama's defense rated a low 4 number....4.1 or 4.2 maybe, I forget. And that week, Florida actually carried the SEC banner with an even 4.0....feel free to speculate about discrepancy of schedule....east/west and all that.
All that to say.....UGA this year has thus far posted a 3.47 in the formula. I've been doing this a few years, and that's a ridiculously good number for a defense. I mean, really, really good.
and yet.....
Alabama is blowing that out of the water with a downright insane 2.85. Two point eight five. Alabama's defense is allowing an adjusted average of less than 3 ypp, and statistically speaking, the gap is somewhat wide between 2.85 and 3.47. I've been doing it long enough to say over half a yard per play is significant.
It could be sos effect, because the SEC is really bad right now compared to the last decade, but I'm just telling you, those numbers are eye-catching.