College Football Picks: Kansas vs. Colorado Week 13

No. 17 Colorado Buffaloes (8-2 SU, 8-2 ATS) vs. Kansas Jayhawks (4-6 SU, 4-6 ATS)
NCAA Football Week 13
Date/Time: Saturday, November 23rd, 2024, 3:30PM (EST)
Where: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium Kansas, MO.
TV: FOX

Betting Odds

Point Spread: COL -2.5/KU +2.5
Moneyline: COL -150/KU +130
Total: 59.5

After a dismal 1-5 SU start to the season, the Kansas Jayhawks have found signs of life in recent weeks with three wins over their last four contests. The latest Jayhawks’ victory was the biggest of the season by way of a 17-13 upset over the no. 6 BYU which handed the Cougars their first loss of the season. In the last two weeks, the Jayhawks have knocked off two top 20 ranked opponents in wins over no. 17 Iowa State and no. 6 BYU. On Saturday, the Jayhawks will have another opportunity to deliver an upset when they host the no. 17 Colorado Buffaloes at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium

The visiting Buffaloes have become one of the country’s biggest headlines. Coach Prime entered the coaching spotlight with a bang in 2023 but is now delivering all of his promises. At 8-2 SU, the Buffaloes are knocking on the door for the college football playoffs, which many did not even believe was a possibility before the year began. The Buffaloes are led by QB Shadeur Sanders and WR/CB Travis Hunter, who appears to be on his way to win the prestigious Heisman Trophy. Additionally, at 8-2 ATS, Colorado has also been one of the best teams in the country against the spread. However, Colorado’s breakout season and playoff hopes will ultimately be decided over the next two games, with the biggest challenge coming in this Saturday’s road trip to Kansas.

Colorado Buffaloes vs. Kansas Jayhawks Betting Analysis

Love them or hate them, Colorado has been playing very good football in recent weeks, with each of their last four wins coming by wide double-digit margins. The offensive line play has improved, and Sanders has been able to spread the ball around effectively. In fact, Sanders’ current numbers for the season are very impressive, as the star quarterback has hit 72% passing for 3,222 yards with 27 touchdowns and seven picks. Superstar WR/CB Travis Hunter leads the team with 911 receiving yards with nine touchdowns, but wideouts LaJohntay Wester and Will Sheppard have become bigger threats in the passing game in recent weeks, which is making the entire Buffalo passing offense very dangerous.

The interesting dynamic to the Jayhawks’ success in recent weeks revolves around the running game. The Kansas offense has been able to run the ball well in recent weeks, which has taken the pressure off the defense and allowed some of these opposing Big 12 offenses off the field. RB Devin Neal has accounted for seven touchdowns in the last four games and is approaching the 1,000-yard plateau on the season. As everyone knows, the best recipe against a dangerous offense is to keep them off the field, and I would fully expect the Jayhawks’ rushing attack to take that path again on Saturday. The problem with that is if Kansas does not control the ground game and/or falls behind early, I am extremely less confident in the Jayhawks’ ability to play from behind. QB Jalon Daniels has been plagued with turnover issues and inconsistency. Needless to say, Kansas has to get a big effort on the ground to create scoring opportunities and limit the amount of touches Colorado has on offense because they will not win in a shootout scenario.

Colorado Buffaloes vs. Kansas Jayhawks Betting Trends

• Colorado is 8-0 ATS in the last eight games.
• Colorado is 7-1 SU in the last eight games.
• Colorado has hit the “over” in five of the last seven games.
• Colorado is 5-1 ATS in the last six games on the road.
• Kansas is 4-1 ATS in the last five games.
• Kansas has hit the “over” in six of the last seven games.
• Kansas has hit the “over” in seven of the last ten games against Colorado.
• Kansas is 4-1 ATS in the last five games against Colorado.

Colorado Buffaloes vs. Kansas Jayhawks Betting Prediction

The reason this betting line is so narrow is because the Colorado defense has been vulnerable at times against the run, and there are also protection concerns because the Jayhawks’ defensive front does get to the quarterback pretty well. With those concerns considered, I still believe Colorado is playing much better football, and they have a much bigger ceiling in terms of output. I’ll take my chances with the Buffaloes, who have covered eight straight games!

Jay’s Pick: Take Colorado -2.5

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