Two teams without bowl victories for over a decade square off in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl as the Kansas Jayhawks take on the UNLV Rebels, and we offer our best Kansas vs. UNLV prediction based on the best college football odds at the top college football betting sites.
The Kansas Jayhawks are in a promising position with an 8-4 record, aiming to break a long bowl win drought that stretches back to 2008. While their season saw a mixed performance after a strong 4-0 start, a pivotal moment came with their crucial win against the formidable then-No. 6 Oklahoma late in the campaign. That victory not only ended an 18-game losing streak against Oklahoma but also spotlighted the Jayhawks' potential for a significant postseason triumph, showcasing their ability to secure crucial wins in the latter part of the season.
The win against Oklahoma marked a turning point for the Jayhawks, highlig hting their resilience and setting the stage for a determined push in their upcoming bowl game. It not only broke a longstanding losing streak but also demonstrated their capacity to rise to the occasion in critical moments, bolstering their confidence and fueling their momentum heading into the postseason.
On the other side, the UNLV Rebels, boasting a 9-4 record, enjoyed a stellar season under the guidance of first-year head coach Barry Odom. However, their quest for a maiden Mountain West championship fell short with a 44-20 loss to Boise State. Now, the Rebels aim to secure their first bowl victory since 2000.
As part of our look at all college bowl game odds, here is our best Kansas vs. UNLV prediction and our college football picks for Tuesday's Guaranteed Rate Bowl (odds via our best college football betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Kansas vs. UNLV prediction: Guaran teed Rate Bowl
UNLV's schedule amped up down the stretch, with four of its final five games coming against teams that finished in the top five of the Mountain West standings. As a result, the scoring went up in its games, as the Over cashed in four of those five, and that has us expecting another shootout when facing a dynamic Kansas offense.
The Jayhawks have a great offensive system, ranking in the top 29 nationally in points per game and yards per game, despite starting quarterback Jalon Daniels only appearing in three games this season. And since the start of last season, Kansas ranks sixth in yards per play (6.99) and 22nd in scoring (34.6 points per game). Much of that is due to the stellar play of backup quarterback Jason Bean, who comes in on a high note with a 63.6% completion percentage, 12.5 yards per attempt average, and a 3-0 TD-INT in November, all his best of any month this season. Bean has an 184.9 passer rating and completed 78.6% of his passes against non-conference opponents this season.
He should overwhelm a UNLV secondary that entered the Mountain West Championship Game ranked 124th in Pass Success and 118th in PFF's Coverage rankings. That should also help overcome the loss of offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, who took the same job at Penn State.
We are only making the Over a three-star play at the college football betting sites as UNLV quarterback Jayden Maiava was picked off four times combined and had a QBR of 45 or worse in two of the final three games against Air Force, San Jose State, and Boise State.
However, the Rebels still averaged 27.3 points per game in those contests, as the “GoGo” offense is difficult to prepare for, given its unique formations and the fact that the Rebels go no-huddle on more than half of their snaps. Thus, we expect UNLV to do its part in scoring against a Kansas defense that entered its regular season finale against Cincinnati ranked 99th or worse in Rush Success, Finishing Drives, and Quality Drives Allowed.
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Kansas vs. UNLV best odds
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | bet365 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Over 67 | Over 65.5 | Over 66.5 | Over 66.5 | Over 66.5 |
| -110 | -115 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
As Over backers, FanDuel is our go-to shop since it offers a total of at least a full point lower than the other competitors. Thus, it is worth paying the slightly higher juice for the extra value, as taking the alternate totals at 65.5 at the other college football betting sites would likely result in paying more.
UNLV has an O/U record of 8-4-1, while the Over has cashed in six of Kansas's 12 games.
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Kansas vs. UNLV odds
Kansas vs. UNLV odds analysis
All line movement at the&nbs p;college football betting sites has gone toward the Over, as FanDuel and BetMGM opened with totals of 63.5, while all the other best sports betting apps opened slightly higher at 64.5. DraftKings and bet365 saw line jumps of at least one point last Friday afternoon.
FanDuel and BetMGM are the only college football betting sites offering a spread of Kansas -12.5, while all other competitors are at -13. FanDuel returned to its opening number of -12.5 after briefly dipping to -11.5 in the first week of December. Caesars and DraftKings have seen the biggest fluctuation, ranging from a low of -10.5 to a high of -13.
Guaranteed Rate Bowl game info
- When: Tuesday, Dec. 26 at 9 p.m. ET
- Where: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
- How to watch: ESPN/ESPN+
- Weather: Indoors
Kansas-UNLV prediction made 12/23/2023 at 7:01 a.m. ET.
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