Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 12-13@ Michigan | 4 | 16 | 4.0 | 0 | 8 | |
| Wk 2 | W 49-14vs Monmouth | 4 | 28 | 7.0 | 0 | 16 | Season-high 28 yds |
| Total | 8 | 44 | 5.5 | 0 | 16 |
#24
Ofa Mataele
Senior running back for Western Michigan. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 219 lb · East Palo Alto, CA
CFB Index 35 · #276 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to Western Michigan for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
44
rushing yards · 2026
5.5 per carry
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 28 rush yds, vs Monmouth
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 running back for Western Michigan. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed with Western Michigan in 2025.
Ofa Mataele
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. This is his second year in the same backfield at Western Michigan. The receipt: 28 rush yds, 1 tackles against Monmouth — Week 2, 2026.
44 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 8 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
202512 games
- Signed with Western Michiganout of College of San Mateo
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Western Michigan
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Lance Taylor — 11-5 over that span.
2025Western Michigan10-4HC: Lance Taylor · Run-heavy
2026Western Michigan1-1HC: Lance Taylor · Run-heavy, fast tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 22.0 YDS/g, 5.5 YPC, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lance Taylor
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-MAC
Based on 2025: #22 of 30 Mid-American RBs
How the All-MAC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Western Michigan | 8 | 44 | 5.5 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Western Michigan | 57 | 252 | 4.4 | 3 | -- |
| Career | 65 | 296 | 4.6 | 3 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Western Michigan | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Western Michigan | 5 | 8 | 1.6 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 5 | 8 | 1.6 | 0 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 49–14
vs Monmouth
28 rush yds (4 car)
Dominant 35-point win at home against Monmouth.
With B. Lowry — 212 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 56.4 · 40 rush yds (4 car) · R. Millmore — 48 AVG · 56 LONG · 4 NO
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 1 · Michigan · 2&2 · Q4 · EPA -1.03(06:51) Shotgun #24 O.Mataele rush middle for 1 yard gain to the UOM48 (#9 C.Brandt; #7 C.Bracy)
- Week 1 · Michigan · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA +0.98(07:37) Shotgun #24 O.Mataele rush middle for 8 yards gain to the UOM49 (#0 J.Hill; #4 C.Taylor)
- Week 1 · Michigan · 2&6 · Q2 · EPA -0.70(13:03) Shotgun #24 O.Mataele rush middle for 1 yard gain to the WMU36 (#17 E.Etta)
- Week 2 · Monmouth · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +0.39#24 O.Mataele rush left for 7 yards gain to the MON28 (#26 D.Fey)
- Week 1 · Michigan · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +0.29(07:11) Shotgun #24 O.Mataele rush left for 6 yards gain to the WMU26 (#17 E.Etta; #7 C.Bracy)
- Week 2 · Monmouth · 2&10 · Q4 · EPA -0.23Shotgun #24 O.Mataele rush middle for 2 yards gain to the WMU27 (#16 J.McLendon Parker)
- Week 2 · Monmouth · 2&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.09Shotgun #24 O.Mataele rush middle for 3 yards gain to the WMU18 (#1 R.Russo; #26 D.Fey)
- Week 2 · Monmouth · 2&3 · Q3 · EPA +0.05#24 O.Mataele rush middle for 16 yards gain to the MON12 (#23 M.Haskett), 1ST DOWN
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Western Michigan
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Western Michigan
Returning around him
- 100% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
- Transfer portal: +1 net (14 in / 13 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Western Michigan · Last season: 10-4 · Talent rank #108 · 2026 recruiting class #112
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Chez Mellusi’s 2024 season.
Matches Chez on
Weight
Yards / reception
Receiving share
Through 1 college season, his career arc tracks closest to Gerrid Doaks’s path through Cincinnati.
97%match
All-AACNFL Rd 7
#4
Kierre Crossley
94%
Matches Gerrid on
Yards per carry
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Jambres Dubar's freshman season at Boise State (2023).
84%match
Matches Jambres on
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Yards / carry
Receiving share
Differs from Jambres on
Rush TD rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Ofa Mataele
The backfield · Western Michigan
- #6Jalen Buckley1,003 rushing yards · 2025
- #5Devin Miles425 rushing yards · 2025
- #24Ofa Mataele252 rushing yards · 2025
- #26Tre' Hartwell34 rushing yards · 2025
- #4Cole Cabana18 rushing yards · 2025
4 more on the roster · Western Michigan team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology