McPherson's tougher schedule carries weight in KCAC test with Kansas Wesleyan

The ranks for this KCAC matchup are close, but the schedules behind them are not. McPherson carries a strength of schedule rank of 28 in NAIA, while Kansas Wesleyan sits at 56, and that gap does more to explain Versus's lean toward the Bulldogs than the win-loss records alone.

McPherson enters at 7-2 and graded A overall, with an A- offense and an A- defense that both rank 16th in NAIA. The Bulldogs have climbed from 33rd to 13th in the Versus NAIA rankings this season, a 20-spot jump that reflects how much their profile has sharpened as the schedule has gone on.

Kansas Wesleyan is 6-3 and graded B across the board, ranking 35th on offense and 36th on defense. The Coyotes have won three of their nine games this season by 21 points or more, but they have also been dramatically better at home than away, averaging 28.0 more points per game in home contests. That split matters here since this game is on McPherson's field.

Versus projects McPherson to win 37-19, giving the Bulldogs an 85 percent chance, with the game counting in the KCAC standings for both sides.