Black Hills State's defense gives it the edge over New Mexico Highlands

The clearest gap in this Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference matchup is on defense, where Black Hills State sits 78th in Division II and New Mexico Highlands sits 136th, a 58 spot difference that is the widest split between the two rosters. Versus projects Black Hills State, No. 54 in Division II, to win 35-25 over New Mexico Highlands at No. 98, giving the Yellow Jackets a 72 percent chance in a game that counts in the conference standings.

Black Hills State comes in at 3-0 and graded B overall, riding a five game winning streak that stretches back to last November. The Yellow Jackets' most notable result this season was a win over Dakota St, who rank 25 spots better than they do in Division II, and their most lopsided win since that same stretch came last week, a 44-8 result over Adams St.

New Mexico Highlands enters at 2-1 and graded C overall, having just lost to an unranked Fort Lewis team for its first defeat of the season against a team outside the rankings. With a defensive grade of D and a strength of schedule ranked 147th, the Cowboys will need their offense, graded C-, to keep pace with a Black Hills State attack that carries a B- grade of its own.