Delaware State projected to hold off Franklin Pierce by just 2

Versus projects a 29-27 final here, with Delaware State favored at 55 percent, which is as close to a toss-up as this model gets. That tight margin lines up with the larger picture: Delaware State sits at No. 378 nationally, Franklin Pierce at No. 432, a gap of 54 spots that explains the slight edge without making this look lopsided.

This is a non-conference game pitting an FCS team in Delaware State against a D2 team in Franklin Pierce, and it catches the Hornets in an uneven stretch. They have been outscored on average over their last five games, going 2-3 in that span, though they do average 20 more points per game at home than on the road, which matters with this one hosted in Delaware. Their offense is graded D and the defense D+ within FCS, modest marks for a team still looking to find consistency.

Franklin Pierce arrives having opened 3-1, its best start through four games in Versus's records dating to 2019, and the Ravens have not finished a season below .500 since 2023. Within D2 they carry a B+ offense and sit as the No. 2 ranked team in the Northeast-10 Conference, even though their own strength of schedule rank of 153 is a soft spot in the profile. Against a Delaware State team that just upset a higher ranked Stony Brook squad, Franklin Pierce's road form will be the real test of how much that hot start should be trusted.