Going for it: 4th down makes fuel football scoring surge

Major college football teams are on a record scoring pace this season and a more aggressive approach on fourth down is helping to fuel the surge.

Through eight weeks of the season, FBS teams are averaging 30.23 points per game, up almost a point and a half from last season and just ahead of the record 30.0 set in 2016.

The cause for this season's uptick appears to be — at least in part — tied to fourth-down decisions. According to Championship Analytics Inc., a company that provides dozens of FBS schools weekly metrics of their upcoming game, teams are going for it on fourth down more frequently and turning more scoring opportunities into touchdowns.