Lewis & Clark OR projected to outscore Whitworth in NWC tilt

Versus projects a 31-26 final here, a five-point margin that gives Lewis & Clark OR a 62 percent chance to win on the road against Whitworth. That projection fits a team built to score: the Pioneers carry an A offense ranked 30th in D3, even though their defense checks in at a more modest 72nd and graded B+. Lewis & Clark OR has won four of six games this season by 21 points or more and has outscored its opponents by a wide margin over its last five games while going 4-1 in that stretch.

Whitworth brings a steadier overall profile, graded B+ with balanced B and B+ marks on offense and defense, and a power rank of 79 to Lewis & Clark OR's 50. The Pirates' three-game winning streak snapped last time out in a 19-32 loss to Linfield, and they will need their defense, ranked 71st in D3, to slow down a Pioneers attack that has made a habit of pulling away.

This is a Northwest Conference game and it counts in the standings, with Lewis & Clark OR at 5-1 and Whitworth at 3-2 entering the week. Lewis & Clark OR also carries a strength of schedule rank of 130, well behind Whitworth's 87, which tempers how much its gaudy scoring margins should be trusted against a Pirates team that has faced tougher competition.