Franklin & Marshall and Carnegie Mellon meet again in a projected nail-biter

Franklin & Marshall edged Carnegie Mellon 31-24 when the two last met in November 2025, and this season's version of the game looks just as tight. The two also share a result worth noting: Carnegie Mellon beat Muhlenberg by 27 points this year while Franklin & Marshall lost to the Diplomats' namesake rival by 3, a gap that hints at how differently these two have built their records.

Carnegie Mellon comes in at 5-3 with an A- grade on both sides of the ball and a power rank of 40, but a strength of schedule rank of 77 tags that profile as somewhat untested. The Tartans have not been beaten by more than 10 points all season and have won 4 of their 8 games by 21 or more, a sign of a team that handles the opponents it is supposed to beat.

Franklin & Marshall is 7-1 and graded A overall with an A defense, ranked 31st in Division III to Carnegie Mellon's 65th, though its own strength of schedule rank of 130 sits well behind its record. The Diplomats have held six of their eight opponents at least 25% below their scoring average, the kind of defensive profile that keeps close games close.

Versus projects Franklin & Marshall as a 1-point favorite, 24-23, with a 53% win probability. The result counts in the Centennial Conference standings for both programs.