We are in the middle of college football bowl season and there have been some entertaining games so far. Kansas and Arkansas meet for the Liberty Bowl in Memphis Tennessee. It's time to continue our college football odds series with a Kansas-Arkansas prediction and pick.
For the first time in a really long time, Kansas is bowl-eligible after finishing with a (6-6) record. They have been one of the worst power-5 teams in recent memory but turned things around this season largely in part of Jalon Daniels. Sadly, Daniels suffered an injury after leading his squad to a (5-0) record to begin the season. Things fell apart quickly and Kansas managed to only win one game after that.
Arkansas played very well in 2021 and were one of the better SEC teams. This year was not the case. Quarterback KJ Jefferson played well, but did not have the season he had the year prior. The offense struggled and they only managed to finish (6-6) after having high expectations to begin the campaign. These two schools will face off for the first time since 1906. That is crazy to think about.
Here are the Kansas-Arkansas college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Liberty Bowl Odds: Kansas-Arkansas Odds
Kansas Jayhawks: +2.5 (+100)
Arkansas Razorbacks: -2.5 (-122)
Over: 68.5 (-110)
Under: 68.5 (-110)
Why Kansas Could Cover The Spread
It's going to be tough for Kansas to cover this spread considering how they ended the season. They lost their last three games in a row and allowed a combined 145 points during that span. The offense averaged 34.2 points per game but allowed 33.8 which is not great at all.
Starting at QB for the Jayhawks will be Daniels, but he hasn't picked up where he left off from before the injury. He finished his last game against Kansas State throwing for just 168 yards. Kansas State ended up winning the Big 12 so they were a tough opponent for Daniels and that Jayhawks' offense to compete against.
The ground game will be what turns the tide for this offense. They must continue to do what they do best which is getting their playmakers in space with the ball. Devin Neal averaged 6.2 yards per carry and they will need that type of explosiveness Wednesday night. Daniels is just two yards shy of 400 for the season but would have had close to a thousand if he wasn't injured. Let's see if the Jayhawks can control the game on the ground.
Why Arkansas Could Cover The Spread
The Razorbacks are looking to finish the season on a high note. They did not play as well as they had hoped but in fairness, they had one of the tougher schedules in all of CFB. This team faced No. 23 Cincinnati to start the season, and eventually played No. 23 Texas A&M, No. 2 Alabama, No. 23 Mississippi State, No. 7 LSU, and then No. 14 Ole Miss. After starting the season 3-0, Arkansas lost six of their last nine games and their rock-bottom moment was a 21-19 loss to Liberty … at home. Luckily for them, they have a favorable opponent for this game.
The Razorbacks average 30.7 points per game and allow 28.8. The defense has been shaky this year but they improved after the loss to Liberty. Funny for them, they now will play in the Liberty Bowl in what could be a boring game if Jefferson doesn't put on a performance. Jefferson said he will return to the program next season so this is a game that he needs to build on for 2023. Jefferson threw for 2,361 yards and 22 touchdowns this year while throwing only four interceptions. His 78.1 QBR was 16th in the nation as it wasn't his fault the Razorbacks struggled. Going off that point, the defense must limit Daniels on the other side and not let him outperform Jefferson.
Final Kansas-Arkansas Prediction & Pick
I like Arkansas to cover this spread as the favorite. It won't be a pretty game, but they should win by at least a field goal.
Final Kansas-Arkansas Prediction & Pick: Arkansas -2.5 (-122)
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