Holy Cross favored to extend recent command of Fordham series

A 6-5 record for Holy Cross and a 4-7 mark for Fordham might suggest a modest gap, but Versus has the two teams much further apart than the standings imply. Holy Cross sits 43rd in FCS, a full 44 spots ahead of Fordham at 87th, and the model's projection of a 29-22 Holy Cross win with a 65 percent chance of victory reflects that wider separation rather than the one-game-closer won-loss columns.

Holy Cross carries a B overall grade against Fordham's C- across the board, with an edge in offensive rank (69th to 86th) and defensive rank (75th to 86th) as well. The Crusaders have also improved their power rating in each of the last four weeks and have lost only to teams with winning records this season, a sign the program is trending in the right direction even with a middling C power grade.

Fordham is not without its moments. The Rams' biggest result this season came against Richmond, ranked 22 spots ahead of them in FCS, and they've won three of their eleven games by 21 points or more. Still, in a series Holy Cross leads 12-7 in 19 meetings since 2007, and having taken 8 of the last 10 meetings, the Crusaders carry both recent history and Versus's ratings into this Patriot League matchup, which counts in the conference standings.