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We're set for another betting prediction and pick for College Football Week 8 as we head to the Big 12 Conference for this next tilt. The No. 17 Kansas State Wildcats (5-1) will visit the West Virginia Mountaineers (3-3) in a closely contested game on the betting lines. It is time to continue our college football odds series with a Kansas State-West Virginia prediction and pick.
The Kansas State Wildcats advanced to 2-1 in the Big 12 following their most recent 31-28 win over Colorado. They bounced back nicely following their tough loss against BYU and took down Oklahoma State in the process. Now, they'll look to add another conference win as short road favorites.
The West Virginia Mountaineers are currently 2-1 in the Big 12 following their most recent 28-16 loss against No. 11 Iowa State. It was a tough loss to break a two-game winning streak as the Mountaineers failed to cover the +3 betting spread. Now, they'll hope to notch an upset with another close betting spread at home.
Here are the Kansas State-West Virginia College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Kansas State-West Virginia Odds
Kansas State: -3.5 (-102)
Moneyline: -156
West Virginia: +3.5 (-120)
Moneyline: +130
Over: 55.5 (-110)
Under: 55.5 (-110)
How to Watch Kansas State vs. West Virginia
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. PT
TV: FOX
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Kansas State Could Cover The Spread/Win
Kansas State comes into this tilt with their heads held high following an impressive win over surging Colorado. Quarterback Avery Johnson had yet another productive day through the air with two touchdowns and 224 yards passing. Running back DJ Giddens was once again the benefactor of a massive day on the ground, totaling 182 yards on 25 carries. He's emerged as one of the most explosive runners in the country and if he's able to find daylight against the Mountaineers, expect another huge performance out of him in this one.
DJ GIDDENS MADE SHILO SANDERS TOUCH EARTH 😳 pic.twitter.com/Nqy6wI1zmY
— ESPN (@espn) October 13, 2024
The Wildcats are 6-4 against the spread in their last 10 meetings and have split 5-5 against the Mountaineers. However, this Kansas State team features a unique, balanced attack of running and throwing the football, so expect them to make all the adjustments throughout this game. Avery Johnson will look to cut back on his turnovers and if he's successful, this Kansas State team should have no issues pushing the ball down field and forcing WVU into a shootout.
Why West Virginia Could Cover The Spread/Win
Despite their loss last weekend, the Mountaineers put forth a valiant effort against 11-ranked Iowa State. They managed 354 yards of total offense and 23 first downs against the Cyclones, but two costly interceptions cost them the game and turned momentum on the other side. They can stand to have another promising performance at home, but taking care of the football and converting on their third downs will be crucial in beating the Wildcats.
This one just means more.
West Virginia vs #11 Iowa State at 8pm.
Expect updates and highlights throughout the game!#CoalRush #WVU pic.twitter.com/RmncZKselJ
— WDTV 5 Sports (@WDTVSports) October 12, 2024
West Virginia had an impressive performance in taking down Oklahoma State as underdogs, so they're fully capable of coming out strong and punching this Kansas State squad in the mouth early. Linebacker Josiah Trotter has been the lifeblood of this defense all season and his 46 tackles leads the team. He's very efficient with the way he tracks the ball down and if he's able to come up with big stops in crucial moments, it'll be key for giving the Mountaineers a chance during this one.
Final Kansas State-West Virginia Prediction & Pick
Kansas State will visit West Virginia for yet another Big 12 Conference tilt and both teams are looking to continue their strong play to start the season. The Kansas State offense has been a well-oiled machine behind Avery Johnson and DJ Giddens, so expect them to continue their success if they're able to pinpoint the holes in WVU's defense. The Mountaineers defense has been known to be stiff at points this season, so finding early stops will be essential in keeping their home crowd engaged in this game.
Still, Kansas State has been the far more productive team on offense and it'll be tough for WVU to stop the rushing attack of DJ Giddens. If they key in on the run game, Avery Johnson stands to have a solid day through the air and can find openings with his own legs throughout broken plays.
For our final prediction, we have to side with Kansas State to get the win and cover the spread. Both teams are just 2-4 ATS on the season so far, but Kansas State has shown more promise against better competition and they've been known to go on streaky scoring runs. This game will be all about West Virginia's defense stopping the rush and I don't expect them to do so enough to cover this spread.
Final Kansas State-West Virginia Prediction & Pick: Kansas State -3.5 (-102)
