"Weather" or Not - November Football

As we head into the last full month of the college football season it's the perfect time to talk about the impact of weather on the gridirons. Mother Nature should certainly have a bearing on your decision making when it comes to whether to play on or against a team as the weather can definitely be an issue across much of the country in November. Here is a look at how Mother Nature’s elements can come into play:

Cold

Definitely favors the home team if the other team is coming from South. This may sound elementary but, in the case of College Football, many programs have the core of their rosters come from players in the area. As a result that Southern climate is the only climate that many of them know. A player’s ability to get loose for the game is effected. Additionally, the cold weather can definitely make a difference in the kicking game as the ball generally does not travel as well.

Wind

This is probably the most impacting of all weather features. Of course the kicking game is impacted by the wind not only on field goals but also on punts and the effect it can have on field position. Strong defensive teams might pass up an opportunity for a longer field goal and go with a punt to pin an opponent deep in their territory. Teams with a strong defense can actually be favored by playing in windy conditions.

In the case of a long field goal or “pin them deep” punt a stronger defensive team can keep an opponent in check as they can make the decision to punt. As a result they ultimately will actually benefit from the weather’s impact on their game plan. This is especially true if they can gain field position by forcing their opponent to punt into the wind. This is definitely a case where you want to look at experience in the kicking game as the ball will do tricks in poor weather. A punter and/or kicker with experience in those conditions will certainly have an advantage.

Certainly wind can also significantly hurt a passing team. This is especially true of a vertical air attack that really likes to throw the ball down the field. A spread offense that uses shorter passes won’t see the same effect that a team will if their offense is based on deep outs and post patterns. Of course if a team can’t throw you need to focus on which team runs the ball better so keep this in mind when handicapping a game involving windy conditions.

Rain

Rainy conditions really get overemphasized as a negative impact on the offensive side. While it is true that rain does affect grip some and rain can cause turnovers, in many cases it can actually favor the offense. That is because the offensive players know where they are going whereas the defensive player has to try to follow them! That’s where poor traction and a lack of solid footing can become a significant issue. It certainly is an advantage for the player who knows where he's going. This is why rain, to the surprise of many, can actually favor the passing team! Of course this is the case as long as it's not a downpour but just keep this in mind next time you look at a game involving showers or rain.

Snow

The white stuff really has the same affect as rain in that knowing a route or who needs to be blocked and to where is a huge advantage for the offense over the defense. Keep in mind that in the case of College teams there are many kids from the southern states who have never even seen snow. Just as we discussed above regarding cold weather, the snow can take these players right out of their “game” even before the real “game” starts.

Remember to keep these fearless forecast conditions in mind as you look to add a “bundle” to your bankroll this winter.

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