Lamar's 31-spot FCS edge over Houston Christian headlines Southland test

The single biggest number in this game is the 31 spots separating Lamar at No. 13 in FCS from Houston Christian at No. 44, and Versus's projection leans hard on that gap, giving the Cardinals a 70 percent chance to win at home by a projected 32-23 margin.

Lamar comes in graded A overall, with A- marks on both sides of the ball, and has climbed 12 spots in the Versus FCS rankings this season after opening at No. 25. The Cardinals are also 3-1 in one-score games, suggesting they hold up when contests tighten. Houston Christian is graded B overall with a B+ offense, but its defense ranks 46th in FCS and its strength of schedule rank of 65 raises questions about the level of competition behind its results, even with a win over a SE Louisiana team ranked 12 spots ahead of it in FCS.

Houston Christian's defense ranking 46th stands in contrast to Lamar's offense and defense, which both sit at 24th in FCS, a balance that should make this a difficult road test for the Huskies. The matchup counts in the Southland Conference standings, with Lamar holding a 5-3 edge in the eight-game series since 2014.