The Kansas Jayhawks (6-6) and Arkansas Razorbacks (6-6) meet in the Liberty Bowl Wednesday in Memphis. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Kansas vs. Arkansas odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
Kansas is back in a bowl for the first time since 2008 when it topped Minnesota in the Insight Bowl with Mark Mangino as coach.
The Jayhawks started out 5-0 SU/ATS, and everything was hunky-dory. ESPN Gameday showed up in Lawrence on Oct. 8 against TCU, and the Jayhawks suffered their 1st loss, 38-31. And since that hot start, the Jayhawks went just 1-6 SU and 2-4-1 ATS in the final 7 games of the regular season.
The good news is that the Jayhawks have just 2 reserve players headed to the transfer portal, so no real notable losses.
Arkansas was nipped 29-27 in the regular-season finale at Mizzou, going just 1-3 SU and 2-2 ATS in the final 4 games of the season. The Razorbacks did score a nice win over a ranked Ole Miss team in Fayetteville, and it had a narrow 13-10 loss against LSU, so nothing to be ashamed about.
QB KJ Jefferson, who passed for 2,361 yards, 22 TD and 4 INT, while also running for 510 yards and 7 TD, will play. He’ll be without WR Jadon Haselwood, the 2nd-leading receiver, as he has elected to opt out.
On defense, LBs Drew Sanders and Bumper Pool also have elected to opt out, which means the team is without its top 2 tacklers. Sanders had 40 total stops, an interception, 10 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, while Pool was good for 37 total stops, 2 sacks and 3 passes defensed.
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Kansas vs. Arkansas odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:31 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Kansas +120 (bet $100 to win $120) | Arkansas -140 (bet $140 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Kansas +2.5 (-104) | Arkansas -2.5 (-116)
- Over/Under (O/U): 69 (O: -107 | U: -113)
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Kansas vs. Arkansas picks and predictions
Prediction
Arkansas 43, Kansas 29
Moneyline
There is concern backing ARKANSAS (-140) due to the opt outs, especially on the defensive side of the football. But the truth of the matter is that Jefferson is far and away the best player on either side, and he’ll not only make things happen with his arm, but he is a dual threat who can take it to the house with his feet, too.
Kansas (+120) struggled defensively, allowing 33.8 PPG to rank 120th in the nation, while coughing up 450.8 total yards per game, and 193.8 rushing yards per contest.
Against the spread
ARKANSAS -2.5 (-116) is a strong play, especially since this hasn’t crept higher than a flat 3 yet. Even then, I’d play this all the way up to 4 and still feel more than comfortable.
Kansas +2.5 (-104) closed out the season 1-4 ATS in the final 5 games, and it is just 9-22-1 ATS in the previous 32 games outside of the conference.
Arkansas has plenty of bowl experience, and it is 4-1 ATS in the past 5 bowl games, while going 9-2 ATS in the past 11 games against Big 12 foes.
Over/Under
OVER 69 (-107) is the lean here, as Kansas has an atrocious defense, and Jefferson and the Arkansas offense will be able to move the ball at will.
The Over is 5-1 in the last 6 games overall for KU, while cashing at a 4-1 clip in the last 5 games outside of the Big 12.
And while the Under is 9-1 in the past 10 bowls for Arkansas, hardly any of the players for a majority of that trend are on this current team. More important, Arkansas has cashed the Over in 6 of the last 8 games overall.
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