Kansas is hosting No. 13 Utah on Friday afternoon of Week 14. The game will take place at 12 p.m. ET in Lawrence, Kansas.
The Utes are 10.5-point road favorites in this game on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the game’s total set at 60.5 points. This is a preview, prediction, and pick for this Big 12 matchup.
Kansas vs. Utah Preview
Kansas Preview
It has been a disappointing season for the Jayhawks. Lance Leipold has turned into a victim of his own success with the disappointment around Lawrence. This was one of the worst programs in college football that Leipold turned into a winner. However, Kansas missed out on a bowl game last season, and they need to win today to avoid making it two straight seasons without a bowl game appearance. Jalon Daniels is one of the most experienced and successful quarterbacks in college football, but Kansas has been unable to turn that leadership into wins. The Jayhawks’ defense has been dreadful, and the offense has not been quite good enough to counteract that defense.
Utah Preview
Utah ranks 13th in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings. The Utes are on the outside looking in, but a win here puts them in contention for a playoff spot if some teams ahead of them lose. Devon Dampier was not completely healthy at the beginning of the season, but this offense now looks remarkable. Since losing to Texas Tech in Week 4, the Utes are averaging a remarkable 45.7 points per game. The Utes have scored at least 45 points in each of their past four games. This is a team that could do real damage if they manage to sneak into the College Football Playoff.
Kansas vs. Utah Pick, Best Bet
My best bet for this game is for Utah to cover the 10.5-point spread. The Utes have been steamrolling competition over the past few weeks. That should continue against a poor Kansas defense. The Jayhawks’ defense ranks 107th in EPA/rush and 102nd in EPA/dropback. When Utah can establish the ground game, then use that to hit explosives through the air, the Utes are incredibly dangerous. They rank seventh in the nation in offensive EPA/play and should continue their trend of scoring at least 45 points.
When Utah wins, it’s almost always in dominant fashion. Eight of their nine wins this season have come by at least 25 points. The Utes should steamroll the Jayhawks and try to put up style points as they pursue a potential College Football Playoff spot.
