Kansas Wesleyan favored at Tabor despite a much softer schedule

The gap between these two Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference teams looks different depending on the number in question. Kansas Wesleyan sits 39th in NAIA and Tabor 63rd, but Tabor's strength of schedule ranks 22nd against Kansas Wesleyan's 90th, meaning the Coyotes' record has come against considerably lighter competition. That context matters since this is a conference game with standings implications for both sides.

Kansas Wesleyan carries a 3-1 record and a B grade on both sides of the ball, and it has been on a scoring tear over its last four games while climbing in Versus's power rating each of the last three weeks. Tabor, at 1-3, has struggled to keep pace with opponents over that same stretch, though all three of its losses have come against teams with winning records, evidence that its record has come the hard way.

Versus projects Kansas Wesleyan to win 31-23, giving the Coyotes a 67 percent chance against Tabor's 33. Kansas Wesleyan also leads the all-time series 13-6 and has taken eight of the last ten meetings, but Tabor's tougher schedule and steadier defensive grade of B- suggest this margin could be closer than the ranks alone imply.