Wayland Baptist's ratings edge outweighs Langston's home record

A 3-3 mark for Wayland Baptist and 2-3 for Langston look close enough to call this even, but Versus does not see it that way. The Pioneers sit 32nd in NAIA with a B overall grade, while the Lions check in at 62nd and a C, a 30-spot gap that the win-loss columns hide. Both play in the Sooner Athletic Conference and this one counts in the standings.

Wayland Baptist has actually been a different team away from home, averaging 24 more points per game on the road than at home this season, which lines up well with a trip to Langston. All three of the Pioneers' losses have come against teams with winning records, suggesting the dip to 3-3 says more about schedule than ability.

Langston, meanwhile, has slid for four straight weeks in Versus's power ratings and has been outscored badly over its last five games despite going 2-3 in that stretch. A D offensive grade and D+ on defense make it hard to find where the Lions flip the current series trend in their favor.

Versus projects Wayland Baptist to win 35-20, giving the Pioneers an 81 percent chance, with the final margin pointing toward the ratings gap rather than the records settling this one.