Kansas vs Oklahoma State Preview: No. 23 Jayhawks Road Favorites

The No. 23 Kansas Jayhawks (5-1) look to punch their ticket to a bowl game with a victory at Oklahoma State on Saturday. The Jayhawks picked up their fifth win of the season in a dominating 51-22 win over Central Florida last week. The Cowboys (3-2) are still in the hunt for a bowl berth. But losses to South Alabama and Iowa State aren’t going to help. The NCAAF schedule isn’t too bad for Oklahoma State the rest of the way. So, six wins is a definite possibility. But this week will be a tough one. The Kansas vs Oklahoma State preview shows the Jayhawks are favored by 3.5 points, and the total on the game is 57.5.

Kansas Running Attack Gets Job Done

No Jalon Daniels, no problem for the Kansas Jayhawks against UCF. Kansas unleashed a devastating running game that overwhelmed the Knights in a 51-22 victory. The Jayhawks rushed the ball for 399 yards and 7.8 yards per carry in the win over the Knights.

Kansas held the ball for 34:25 and led 24-0 at the half in a lopsided game from the start. The Jayhawks were a solid rushing team entering the game. But they certainly padded their running stats in the contest. The NCAA football line went through a significant line movement on the new Daniels wasn’t going to play. But it didn’t matter in this one, as Kansas won easily as 3-point underdogs after opening as the favorite.

For the season, Kansas is averaging 232.7 rushing yards per game and gaining 6.0 yards per carry. The Jayhawks’ foes allow 4.9 yards per rush, so Kansas isn’t quite as dominant there as it may appear at first glance. The Kansas passing stats have taken a bit of a hit the past few weeks, but as long as the team wins, it doesn’t matter how it moves the ball. The Jayhawks are 3-3 against the point spread this season and 3-3 in totals.

The defense played well against UCF when the game was in doubt. It may have lost focus a little bit with a large lead. But the defense has been pretty average for the most part, allowing 25.5 points per game to teams averaging 25.4 points on offense. Kansas has been slightly better against the pass than the rush defensively.

Cowboys Off Big Win vs. Kansas State

Oklahoma State comes into the game off a solid 29-21 win against Kansas State as 11.5-point underdogs. The Cowboys are now 2-3 against the NCAAF scores and odds and 1-4 in totals. Oklahoma State also covered the spread against Arizona State.

Oklahoma State used a balanced offense to pull off the upset of Kansas State, throwing for 238 yards and rushing for 174. The Cowboys are averaging 133 rushing yards and 225 yards through the air per game. Oklahoma State averages 23.4 points per game against teams, allowing 24 points per game. The Cowboys have won both games where they rushed for at least 150 yards.

Defensively, the Cowboys allow 23.2 points to teams that average 24.3 points. Oklahoma State has been a little better at defending the pass than the run, although that may not come into play too terribly much here. A lot of it has to do if Daniels is able to go for Kansas or not.

What to Expect

The Kansas vs Oklahoma State preview shows Daniels still listed as questionable for the Jayhawks. He was considered “week to week” before the UCF game. With Kansas having a bye next week, the Jayhawks may elect to rest Daniels another week. But Kansas isn’t going to reveal anything for a while.

Either way, the Jayhawks are going to look to run the ball. Oklahoma State is allowing 4.3 yards per rush. Kansas is running the ball 39 times per game and running 23 times, so they’d like to keep that ratio, especially if Jason Bean makes his third straight start. Bean only attempted 12 passes in the win over Central Florida, completing eight for 91 yards and a touchdown.

Oklahoma State throws 40 times per game and rushes 31 times. But the Cowboys have been at their best when running the football well. Oklahoma State is also one of the better home teams around, going 19-2 straight-up in Stillwater since the start of the 2020 season. The Cowboys have been home underdogs three times in that span and won all three games outright.

Who to Bet On?

The Kansas vs Oklahoma State preview notes the Cowboys’ record at home is enough to keep one off of Kansas in this game. The Cowboys have proven to be a demanding customer in front of the home fans. But the wager that offers the most value is the under 58.5. Kansas is going to come out and try and run the football. While Oklahoma State throws more than it runs, the Cowboys will stick with the run if they’re having some success.

Oklahoma State is better against the run than UCF, so it shouldn’t be easy for Kansas to move the ball. This one should land under the number, and that’s the way to go in this one.

For NCAAF betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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