Poor Kansas. The Kansas Jayhawks have just one FBS win in the past three seasons and are set to get steamrolled again on Saturday. Kansas will be facing an Oklahoma Sooners team that knows it needs to win and win big in its last two games in order to feel confident about a spot in the College Football Playoff. The Jayhawks have yet to stay within 10 points of any FBS opponent yet this season and know that they will likely extend that streak here. With so much going against Kansas and basketball season underway, you have to wonder how many fans will even bother showing up for this one.
Watch this regular season Week 12 matchup live on Saturday, November 18, 2017, at 3:30 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas. This game will be broadcast on ESPN.
College Football Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Oklahoma -35
Kansas +35
Odds Analysis
The Jayhawks haven’t done much better against the number this season. Kansas is 3-7 ATS, but has covered two of its last three after better than expected performances against both Kansas State and Texas. Over cashed in each of the Jayhawks first five outings, but the under has cashed in four of the last five.
It was touch and go for a little bit for Oklahoma, but after a rough patch to start Big 12 play, the Sooners have turned the corner at just the right time. Lincoln Riley’s bunch has covered three in a row and knocked off the Big 12’s other two top teams during that time in TCU and Oklahoma State. The Sooners won both of those games by double digits.
Player to Watch
The last few letters of Baker Mayfield’s name are being engraved on the Heisman Trophy as we speak. Mayfield has pretty much locked the trophy up and will be lifting it in a few weeks provided he doesn’t have a total collapse these final two weeks.
Mayfield is putting up bonkers stats this season and is only turning up the heat as the pressure mounts. He is completing over 71 percent of his passes and averaging nearly 12 yards per pass. That’s despite not having nearly the weapons he did last year when Samaje Perine, Joe Mixon, and DeDe Westbrook were on campus and with an offensive line that has allowed him to be sacked much more often.
Mayfield has an outside shot to eclipse 5,000 yards and that would be incredible even in the Big 12. Oklahoma actually does run the ball and doesn’t just throw it all over the place like Air Raid offenses do. Against Oklahoma State and TCU these past two weeks he has combined to complete 66.7 percent of his passes for 931 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. He is averaging 14.8 yards per pass over those last two.
Key Stats
Looking at the stat sheet, it’s hard to see how Kansas has much of a chance. The Jayhawks are outside of the top 100 in total offense and total defense and aren’t good in any phase of the game.
There are glimmers of hope though. Kansas has had some success at hitting big plays through the air these last few weeks. Steve Sims Jr. hauled in nine passes for 233 yards and a score against Kansas State and the team averaged almost 10 yards per reception against Texas last week. It’s not much, but with Kansas football you have to go digging if you want to be optimistic.
Free ATS Pick
Although everything screams Oklahoma blowout, this is still a 35-point road favorite we’re talking about. You almost never see that in a power conference game in college football and although the Sooners will win handily, I just don’t think they will be determined to keep lighting up the scoreboard. Oklahoma’s defense is susceptible to the pass and Kansas will score some points.
College Football Odds: Oklahoma 45, Kansas 20
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