Schedule strength separates Alfred and Alfred State in Empire 8 test

The most lopsided number in this Empire 8 matchup is not the records but the schedules each team has played. Alfred State sits 94th in Division III for strength of schedule, while Alfred has faced the 10th toughest slate in the division despite carrying a 2-6 mark. Versus still rates Alfred the better team overall, with a B- grade against Alfred State's B and a higher power grade, and favors the Saxons at home, 29-21.

That projection comes with context on both sides. Alfred State has gone just 2-3 over its last five games even after climbing to its highest Versus ranking ever at No. 78 in Division III. Alfred has fared no better lately, dropping six of its last eight, though every one of its six losses this season has come against a team with a winning record, which lines up with that difficult schedule.

The two have history worth noting. Alfred State won the last meeting in November 2025, 35-28, and Versus still ranks Alfred State 28 spots ahead of Alfred in Division III, at No. 78 to No. 106. Both teams also met Cortland St this season and lost, Alfred State by 73 and Alfred by a more modest 38. This game counts in the Empire 8 standings, and Versus gives Alfred the edge at home despite the gap in both rankings and recent form.