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2013 college football offensive line rankings: Line yards, opportunity rates, etc.

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Chris Trotman

The 2014 season preview series is underway, and within it I'm once again sharing a series of line stats for both offense and defense. You can find definitions within the 2014 glossary, but I thought it would be useful to post all line rankings in one spot. Below are sortable tables for both run and pass blocking categories.

I'll once again share some definitions as well. Obviously these stats are partially dependent on the skill position talent -- it doesn't matter how well you pass-block if your quarterback doesn't have good pocket presence (or flees the pocket in the wrong way), and it doesn't matter how well you run-block if your backs don't take advantage of the blocks -- but these stats, mostly pilfered from the pro side of Football Outsiders, take us a few steps in the right direction when it comes to properly evaluating line play. Once again, here are the definitions at hand:

Adj. Line Yards: An opponent-adjusted version of the line measure derived from the formula found here. The idea is to divvy credit for a given rush between both the runner and the blockers.

Standard Downs: First downs, second-and-6 or fewer, third-and-4 or fewer, and fourth-and-4 or fewer. These are the downs in which the offense could conceivably either run or pass and therefore has an overall advantage over the defense. Offenses typically run about 60 percent of the time on standard downs.

Passing Downs: Second-and-7 or more, third-and-5 or more, or fourth-and-5 or more. These are downs in which passing is easily the most likely option for gaining the necessary yardage, and defenses hold the upper hand. Offenses typically throw about 67 percent of the time on passing downs.

Opportunity Rate: This is the percentage of carries in which the offensive line "does its job" and produces at least five yards of rushing for the runner. (Generally speaking, the first five yards are considered the line's responsibility, the next five are split evenly between the runner and the line, and anything over 10 yards is all on the runner.) See Highlight Yards and Adj. Line Yards for more information.

Power Success Rate: As used in Football Outsiders' pro line stats, this is the percentage of runs on third or fourth down, two yards or less to go, that achieved a first down or touchdown. Also includes runs on first-and-goal or second-and-goal from the two-yard line or closer.

Stuff Rate: This is the percentage of runs where the runner is tackled at or behind the line of scrimmage. Since being stuffed is bad, offenses are ranked from stuffed least often (No. 1) to most often (No. 125); for defenses, the opposite is true.

Adj. Sack Rate: An opponent-adjusted measure of sack rates.

Note: Adj. Line Yards and Adj. Sack Rate are opponent-adjusted measures. The other stats below are not.

Even while acknowledging that the quality of the runner matters, a few lines pretty clearly stood out from the rest in 2013. Ohio State, Auburn, and Alabama were in the top 20 in every category, while Texas A&M and Missouri were top-20 in five of six. And no list would be complete without an outlier or two; hello, ODU. Nice to make your acquaintance.

(Another note: ODU's measures are only for games against FBS competition. The Monarchs were a provisional FBS team and played seven FCS opponents to only five FBS opponents, so their data is kind of messy for 2013. They're in a lot of the play-by-play stats here and elsewhere, but they didn't have a place in overall F/+.)

Offense Adj LY Rk SD LY/
Carry
Rk PD LY/
Carry
Rk Opp. Rate Rk Power
Succ. Rt.
Rk Stuff Rate Rk
Ohio State 146.6 1 3.86 1 4.06 10 55.7% 1 78.2% 10 11.9% 2
Auburn 131.0 2 3.84 2 3.80 18 48.4% 6 84.5% 3 12.1% 3
Texas A&M 124.9 3 3.64 6 4.03 12 51.4% 2 71.4% 45 16.0% 18
Oregon 122.9 4 3.65 5 3.65 32 49.0% 4 64.7% 83 15.1% 12
Alabama 120.6 5 3.53 7 3.93 16 48.0% 7 78.4% 9 14.0% 9
Missouri 118.3 6 3.36 13 4.10 7 45.5% 13 71.1% 48 15.9% 15
BYU 118.1 7 3.42 9 3.66 30 42.3% 33 76.7% 17 16.6% 23
Old Dominion 117.8 8 2.96 62 4.41 3 41.2% 43 87.5% 2 16.9% 35
Northern Illinois 117.4 9 3.76 3 4.18 5 49.3% 3 73.0% 39 12.6% 4
Miami 116.8 10 3.14 34 3.10 80 42.5% 29 60.0% 102 20.0% 75
Central Florida 115.5 11 2.65 105 4.27 4 37.9% 81 76.1% 20 22.3% 110
Georgia Tech 114.5 12 3.14 34 3.37 50 44.1% 16 71.8% 42 16.4% 20
Stanford 114.5 12 2.98 61 4.07 8 39.4% 67 69.5% 62 15.1% 12
Wisconsin 114.5 12 3.28 16 3.91 17 48.8% 5 70.4% 53 16.8% 31
Kansas State 113.9 15 3.25 21 3.37 50 43.1% 22 68.2% 67 21.1% 89
Arizona 113.1 16 3.28 16 3.70 26 42.7% 24 70.0% 57 13.7% 7
Florida State 113.1 16 3.41 10 3.13 78 47.5% 8 78.6% 8 15.9% 15
Arkansas 113.0 18 3.07 49 3.79 19 42.5% 29 74.2% 31 16.7% 29
Toledo 113.0 18 3.52 8 4.59 1 46.0% 10 74.4% 28 13.4% 6
Duke 112.6 20 3.31 15 3.02 86 39.4% 67 75.9% 22 16.1% 19
Clemson 112.1 21 3.15 32 3.53 38 42.5% 29 74.2% 31 18.8% 59
Notre Dame 111.9 22 2.99 59 3.01 88 42.7% 24 64.9% 82 19.4% 69
Northwestern 111.5 23 3.23 23 2.95 95 41.1% 47 64.3% 89 17.8% 45
Washington 111.5 23 2.76 89 4.50 2 41.9% 37 77.4% 13 17.4% 39
Navy 111.3 25 3.76 3 3.74 22 46.0% 10 76.2% 18 10.1% 1
UCLA 110.9 26 2.90 73 3.98 15 39.9% 61 66.7% 71 18.5% 55
New Mexico 110.3 27 3.39 11 3.51 41 46.5% 9 75.0% 26 17.8% 45
Syracuse 110.3 27 3.03 51 2.62 113 36.8% 93 81.0% 4 17.9% 47
Temple 110.0 29 3.19 25 3.26 65 41.6% 40 67.3% 70 20.5% 78
Washington State 109.8 30 3.11 42 2.96 92 43.6% 19 76.9% 16 16.6% 23
Oklahoma 109.5 31 3.05 50 3.47 42 41.8% 38 66.7% 71 19.5% 72
Tennessee 109.4 32 3.32 14 3.41 47 44.3% 15 71.0% 51 16.6% 23
Louisville 108.9 33 3.01 55 3.53 38 42.6% 27 71.4% 45 21.2% 92
LSU 108.7 34 3.14 34 3.27 63 42.6% 27 76.2% 18 17.3% 38
Baylor 108.3 35 3.15 32 3.25 66 43.0% 23 69.2% 64 16.5% 22
Texas 108.3 35 3.14 34 2.92 98 36.0% 98 63.0% 95 16.8% 31
South Carolina 107.7 37 3.09 46 3.27 63 40.8% 50 66.7% 71 16.9% 35
Nebraska 107.4 38 3.09 46 3.24 68 42.5% 29 71.1% 48 16.6% 23
USC 107.3 39 3.00 57 2.50 117 38.4% 75 67.7% 69 21.2% 92
Boston College 106.9 40 2.95 66 2.89 100 38.1% 80 55.6% 113 18.8% 59
Middle Tennessee 106.7 41 3.17 29 3.67 28 37.2% 86 64.3% 89 18.0% 48
Fresno State 106.4 42 3.12 38 3.46 43 40.5% 54 62.7% 97 15.9% 15
UTSA 105.9 43 2.91 72 3.75 21 41.5% 41 73.8% 35 23.5% 118
Maryland 105.7 44 2.53 117 3.31 56 37.2% 86 61.5% 100 25.2% 123
Arizona State 105.6 45 2.81 80 3.74 22 41.5% 41 65.2% 79 18.5% 55
San Jose State 105.2 46 3.00 57 3.20 71 40.6% 52 69.4% 63 17.5% 40
Boise State 104.6 47 3.08 48 3.67 28 39.5% 64 74.1% 33 19.0% 64
Wyoming 104.4 48 3.18 27 3.45 44 40.1% 60 70.7% 52 16.6% 23
Georgia 104.1 49 2.93 70 3.28 61 39.5% 64 81.0% 4 19.2% 68
Army 103.9 50 3.27 18 3.52 40 41.2% 43 79.3% 6 13.3% 5
Ole Miss 103.3 51 3.17 29 3.36 53 40.2% 58 66.1% 76 17.7% 43
North Carolina 103.1 52 3.12 38 2.71 110 40.5% 54 65.1% 80 16.8% 31
Arkansas State 102.7 53 3.12 38 3.76 20 42.7% 24 69.7% 59 18.0% 48
Nevada 102.4 54 2.74 93 4.07 8 35.5% 101 71.7% 44 18.9% 63
UL-Lafayette 102.4 54 3.20 24 3.61 33 43.9% 18 77.8% 11 16.8% 31
East Carolina 101.9 56 2.77 88 4.15 6 38.2% 78 62.5% 98 21.5% 99
Iowa 101.9 56 3.11 42 3.25 66 39.5% 64 69.6% 60 16.6% 23
Air Force 101.8 58 3.27 18 3.42 46 42.3% 33 76.1% 20 14.6% 11
Bowling Green 101.7 59 3.19 25 4.02 13 45.6% 12 64.6% 86 18.6% 57
Minnesota 101.7 59 2.93 70 3.21 70 38.9% 70 65.4% 78 19.1% 66
Florida Atlantic 101.6 61 2.76 89 3.69 27 35.0% 105 71.8% 42 18.1% 51
Houston 101.5 62 2.69 97 3.19 72 45.0% 14 58.1% 109 22.9% 115
Marshall 101.3 63 3.11 42 3.18 74 40.6% 52 79.2% 7 17.6% 42
Texas Tech 101.3 63 2.70 96 3.74 22 38.8% 71 53.3% 117 20.6% 80
Colorado State 101.0 65 3.18 27 3.38 48 40.9% 48 73.1% 38 16.4% 20
SMU 101.0 65 2.61 111 3.03 84 38.7% 74 77.3% 14 20.8% 83
Iowa State 100.9 67 2.71 94 3.38 48 35.3% 102 65.1% 80 18.8% 59
Rice 100.7 68 3.17 29 3.14 77 41.7% 39 71.9% 41 16.7% 29
Indiana 100.5 69 3.03 51 2.43 122 42.0% 36 64.7% 83 20.9% 86
UAB 100.5 69 2.95 66 3.73 25 42.3% 33 58.6% 106 17.7% 43
Cincinnati 100.3 71 2.84 79 3.59 35 38.8% 71 66.1% 76 19.8% 74
Utah 100.3 71 2.63 107 2.88 101 33.3% 117 64.7% 83 21.8% 105
Western Kentucky 100.3 71 3.39 11 3.66 30 43.4% 21 69.6% 60 13.8% 8
Illinois 100.2 74 2.94 69 2.96 92 40.7% 51 77.3% 14 19.4% 69
Mississippi State 100.0 75 3.03 51 3.04 83 40.4% 56 71.1% 48 21.2% 92
Penn State 99.8 76 3.12 38 3.12 79 40.4% 56 63.8% 92 15.4% 14
Michigan State 99.3 77 2.96 62 3.05 82 40.9% 48 74.5% 27 19.4% 69
Tulsa 99.2 78 2.81 80 2.93 97 34.6% 109 74.4% 28 20.3% 76
NC State 99.0 79 2.99 59 2.47 119 38.3% 77 57.5% 111 18.1% 51
UTEP 98.7 80 3.11 42 3.30 58 33.7% 114 73.7% 36 14.0% 9
Oklahoma State 97.8 81 2.68 99 4.04 11 37.8% 82 64.3% 89 22.2% 109
Kentucky 97.4 82 2.88 76 2.83 106 39.8% 62 70.2% 54 21.0% 87
Oregon State 96.6 83 2.65 105 2.52 116 41.2% 43 70.0% 57 22.4% 112
Pittsburgh 96.6 83 3.01 55 3.03 84 43.5% 20 71.4% 45 18.8% 59
Eastern Michigan 96.5 85 3.27 18 3.02 86 38.4% 75 69.0% 65 18.3% 54
Kansas 96.3 86 2.63 107 3.29 60 37.2% 86 50.0% 121 23.6% 120
Ball State 95.8 87 3.25 21 3.24 68 39.6% 63 48.6% 123 18.2% 53
Hawaii 95.1 88 2.85 77 3.31 56 35.8% 100 74.1% 33 19.0% 64
South Alabama 94.6 89 3.02 54 2.75 109 40.2% 58 45.2% 126 21.9% 106
Virginia 94.4 90 2.89 75 2.33 123 34.8% 108 69.0% 65 20.4% 77
Connecticut 93.6 91 2.32 123 2.87 103 33.0% 120 55.0% 114 26.9% 125
Colorado 92.8 92 2.60 113 3.30 58 33.4% 116 60.0% 102 17.5% 40
Memphis 92.6 93 2.66 102 2.84 105 37.4% 84 54.1% 116 23.4% 117
UNLV 92.6 93 2.96 62 2.88 101 35.3% 102 70.2% 54 20.8% 83
Louisiana Tech 92.5 95 2.67 100 4.00 14 44.0% 17 64.5% 87 23.2% 116
TCU 92.5 95 2.66 102 3.36 53 36.0% 98 55.0% 114 21.1% 89
Rutgers 92.0 97 2.55 115 3.16 76 36.1% 96 63.4% 93 21.2% 92
Utah State 92.0 97 2.69 97 3.19 72 37.3% 85 62.8% 96 23.5% 118
Kent State 91.7 99 2.96 62 3.61 33 35.0% 105 66.7% 71 17.1% 37
Idaho 91.4 100 2.95 66 2.95 95 39.1% 69 60.0% 102 21.0% 87
Vanderbilt 90.0 101 2.76 89 2.70 112 36.4% 95 75.9% 22 18.0% 48
Florida 89.6 102 2.85 77 2.62 113 37.2% 86 74.3% 30 21.5% 99
New Mexico State 89.1 103 2.71 94 3.55 36 36.8% 93 53.3% 117 20.7% 82
North Texas 89.0 104 2.78 86 3.00 89 35.2% 104 75.9% 22 19.6% 73
Purdue 89.0 104 2.78 86 1.26 126 33.5% 115 46.9% 125 23.6% 120
South Florida 88.9 106 2.37 122 2.04 125 27.3% 126 57.9% 110 22.3% 110
Georgia State 87.9 107 2.81 80 2.77 108 33.2% 118 68.0% 68 20.5% 78
Wake Forest 87.8 108 2.90 73 2.32 124 32.4% 123 66.7% 71 21.4% 98
Virginia Tech 87.7 109 2.63 107 2.46 121 32.7% 121 48.0% 124 21.7% 102
Tulane 87.6 110 2.53 117 3.45 44 37.5% 83 77.8% 11 21.9% 106
Texas State 87.0 111 2.80 83 3.32 55 41.2% 43 57.5% 111 21.7% 102
Troy 87.0 111 2.59 114 3.55 36 38.2% 78 70.2% 54 19.1% 66
West Virginia 86.9 113 2.39 121 3.28 61 34.9% 107 63.3% 94 22.1% 108
Ohio 84.8 114 2.80 83 2.50 117 34.6% 109 52.8% 119 18.7% 58
UL-Monroe 84.8 114 2.61 111 2.47 119 32.6% 122 88.0% 1 21.3% 97
Western Michigan 84.1 116 2.79 85 2.96 92 37.0% 91 61.9% 99 21.5% 99
Buffalo 84.0 117 2.67 100 3.07 81 37.2% 86 61.4% 101 21.2% 92
Michigan 83.2 118 2.19 126 2.80 107 34.5% 111 52.0% 120 29.9% 126
Miami (Ohio) 82.6 119 2.63 107 2.99 91 33.2% 118 58.3% 107 20.6% 80
San Diego State 82.5 120 2.66 102 3.37 50 36.1% 96 75.4% 25 20.8% 83
California 82.1 121 2.48 120 2.91 99 38.8% 71 50.0% 121 21.1% 89
Florida International 81.8 122 2.25 125 2.87 103 31.2% 125 58.3% 107 24.7% 122
Central Michigan 79.1 123 2.76 89 3.17 75 33.8% 113 58.8% 105 22.4% 112
Akron 77.2 124 2.55 115 3.00 89 37.0% 91 64.4% 88 22.8% 114
Southern Miss 75.8 125 2.26 124 2.71 110 31.3% 124 72.7% 40 26.4% 124
Massachusetts 75.2 126 2.49 119 2.53 115 33.9% 112 73.7% 36 21.7% 102

Offense Adj Sack Rate Rk SD Sack Rate Rk PD Sack Rate Rk
Tulsa 330.6 1 0.6% 1 2.8% 8
Notre Dame 308.0 2 1.2% 2 2.8% 8
Northern Illinois 282.4 3 2.9% 23 0.7% 1
Toledo 277.2 4 1.5% 4 2.5% 6
Fresno State 267.2 5 2.3% 11 1.5% 4
Oklahoma State 256.6 6 1.6% 5 2.8% 8
Ball State 245.6 7 1.6% 5 3.7% 16
North Texas 210.0 8 2.6% 15 3.3% 11
Arkansas 205.5 9 4.1% 51 0.7% 1
North Carolina 172.4 10 3.1% 26 4.7% 38
Miami 166.6 11 3.9% 43 4.2% 25
Duke 166.2 12 2.8% 20 4.5% 33
Middle Tennessee 157.7 13 3.7% 40 3.3% 11
Kent State 153.6 14 5.2% 79 2.4% 5
UTSA 149.0 15 4.6% 62 2.7% 7
Michigan State 147.9 16 3.9% 43 3.5% 14
Massachusetts 147.8 17 2.9% 23 4.5% 33
Tennessee 147.3 18 2.2% 10 6.6% 60
Oklahoma 147.0 19 3.3% 30 3.6% 15
Texas A&M 145.6 20 2.4% 12 6.2% 55
Western Michigan 144.0 21 3.1% 26 5.3% 44
Ohio 143.8 22 4.0% 46 4.0% 21
Virginia 143.6 23 4.8% 70 4.4% 28
Indiana 143.5 24 2.4% 12 5.3% 44
Cincinnati 143.3 25 3.9% 43 3.8% 17
Wisconsin 143.1 26 2.6% 15 6.1% 53
Texas Tech 142.2 27 1.9% 8 6.6% 60
San Jose State 142.1 28 2.6% 15 5.4% 46
Iowa 141.2 29 3.8% 41 4.4% 28
Oregon State 138.1 30 4.0% 46 4.4% 28
Baylor 136.2 31 3.8% 41 4.9% 41
Syracuse 136.1 32 2.6% 15 6.4% 57
Arizona 132.2 33 1.6% 5 7.7% 75
Colorado 132.1 34 4.0% 46 4.8% 39
Old Dominion 132.0 35 4.1% 51 6.0% 51
Georgia 131.8 36 5.4% 84 4.3% 26
East Carolina 130.8 37 5.1% 78 5.1% 42
Stanford 129.2 38 5.6% 88 3.8% 17
Marshall 127.3 39 5.0% 76 4.8% 39
Washington State 126.6 40 3.6% 37 6.4% 57
Texas 122.9 41 3.1% 26 4.5% 33
Troy 121.8 42 4.0% 46 3.8% 17
Akron 121.7 43 4.2% 55 4.6% 37
Colorado State 121.1 44 4.0% 46 4.3% 26
Alabama 120.9 45 5.4% 84 4.1% 23
Buffalo 120.5 46 4.7% 66 4.0% 21
Nebraska 120.2 47 3.5% 35 5.5% 49
Wyoming 119.3 48 3.0% 25 7.1% 69
Western Kentucky 119.2 49 4.8% 70 3.8% 17
Ole Miss 116.1 50 2.8% 20 7.4% 74
South Alabama 115.0 51 4.4% 59 4.1% 23
Georgia Tech 114.8 52 6.2% 102 5.6% 50
Central Florida 113.8 53 7.4% 111 1.3% 3
Mississippi State 113.1 54 4.1% 51 5.4% 46
South Carolina 111.2 55 5.5% 87 6.1% 53
Oregon 109.7 56 4.4% 59 6.9% 68
Penn State 109.6 57 7.1% 109 3.3% 11
Wake Forest 108.9 58 2.8% 20 8.5% 88
Texas State 107.6 59 5.2% 79 4.4% 28
Clemson 107.1 60 5.6% 88 6.6% 60
UNLV 107.1 60 2.4% 12 8.4% 86
Louisville 106.7 62 5.2% 79 5.4% 46
West Virginia 104.0 63 3.6% 37 6.8% 66
California 104.0 63 2.7% 19 8.4% 86
New Mexico State 103.0 65 5.8% 93 5.2% 43
Boise State 102.4 66 4.6% 62 6.6% 60
Houston 102.3 67 3.3% 30 8.0% 80
Florida State 101.2 68 5.4% 84 7.2% 71
UL-Monroe 100.0 69 6.3% 106 4.5% 33
Maryland 98.6 70 3.5% 35 9.6% 101
Ohio State 98.1 71 5.0% 76 8.5% 88
Utah 98.1 71 4.7% 66 6.8% 66
Missouri 97.3 73 4.1% 51 8.1% 83
Illinois 94.4 74 3.3% 30 11.2% 111
Arizona State 94.3 75 6.2% 102 6.6% 60
TCU 94.3 75 6.1% 98 4.4% 28
Southern Miss 94.2 77 5.8% 93 6.5% 59
Tulane 91.5 78 4.9% 74 8.8% 93
Virginia Tech 91.2 79 4.8% 70 8.9% 97
Memphis 90.9 80 4.6% 62 8.3% 85
Boston College 88.6 81 3.3% 30 10.3% 105
Nevada 88.3 82 6.0% 96 6.0% 51
LSU 85.9 83 6.9% 108 6.2% 55
Louisiana Tech 85.4 84 3.6% 37 9.7% 102
Florida Atlantic 85.1 85 4.7% 66 8.8% 93
Iowa State 85.0 86 4.2% 55 9.3% 100
SMU 84.1 87 4.4% 59 9.7% 102
Utah State 84.0 88 6.1% 98 7.7% 75
Temple 83.3 89 4.9% 74 8.8% 93
San Diego State 83.2 90 5.7% 92 7.2% 71
Washington 82.4 91 4.3% 58 9.1% 99
Air Force 82.0 92 1.3% 3 11.6% 114
Purdue 81.6 93 5.6% 88 8.8% 93
Vanderbilt 81.2 94 4.8% 70 8.5% 88
BYU 79.9 95 7.5% 112 8.7% 91
USC 79.0 96 8.2% 115 7.1% 69
South Florida 77.9 97 9.0% 119 6.6% 60
Eastern Michigan 77.7 98 3.2% 29 11.6% 114
NC State 77.6 99 8.9% 118 7.7% 75
Florida 76.5 100 9.3% 120 8.0% 80
Rutgers 76.2 101 8.3% 116 7.8% 78
Auburn 75.2 102 6.8% 107 7.8% 78
Kentucky 73.7 103 5.2% 79 11.6% 114
Central Michigan 73.5 104 2.1% 9 11.7% 117
Connecticut 73.1 105 3.3% 30 14.3% 122
UAB 72.8 106 7.7% 113 8.0% 80
Arkansas State 72.6 107 4.2% 55 11.2% 111
Georgia State 71.5 108 6.1% 98 7.3% 73
UCLA 70.8 109 8.7% 117 8.9% 97
UL-Lafayette 69.1 110 4.6% 62 11.7% 117
Kansas 68.8 111 4.7% 66 11.1% 110
Michigan 68.5 112 6.2% 102 10.8% 107
Hawaii 67.1 113 5.6% 88 11.0% 108
Bowling Green 64.7 114 8.0% 114 11.3% 113
Rice 64.1 115 6.2% 102 12.4% 121
Northwestern 63.1 116 6.0% 96 11.7% 117
UTEP 62.5 117 7.3% 110 10.7% 106
Kansas State 62.4 118 6.1% 98 11.0% 108
Pittsburgh 62.0 119 10.5% 121 10.0% 104
Army 61.8 120 5.9% 95 11.7% 117
Minnesota 61.5 121 11.2% 125 8.7% 91
Navy 51.8 122 10.6% 122 14.9% 123
Idaho 50.0 123 11.0% 124 8.1% 83
New Mexico 46.6 124 5.3% 83 17.8% 124
Florida International 38.9 125 12.8% 126 17.8% 124
Miami (Ohio) 37.3 126 10.8% 123 20.0% 126