The Colorado Buffaloes lead the all-time series against the Kansas Jayhawks 42-23-3, but the two programs haven’t faced off since their unforgettable 52-45 showdown in 2010. While Kansas enters this Week 13 contest at 4-6, the Jayhawks are hitting their stride at just the right time. Meanwhile, Colorado, sitting at 8-2 and leading the conference, aims to keep their momentum rolling.
Our Colorado vs. Kansas prediction breaks down this intriguing matchup, delivering essential betting insights to help you make informed picks.
Colorado vs. Kansas Betting Preview
All Colorado vs. Kansas odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. The CFN spread comes from College Football Network’s Football Playoff Meter.
- CFN FPM Spread
Colorado -7.5 - Spread
Colorado -2.5 - Moneyline
Colorado -142, Kansas +120 - Over/Under
59.5 points - Game Time
3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, Nov. 23 - Location
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City, Mo. - Predicted Weather at Kick
45 degrees, 6 mph winds, partly cloudy - How To Watch
Fox
Kansas’ overall record isn’t all that impressive, but the program is 4-1 against the spread in the last five games. Colorado is also red-hot, going 8-0 ATS since the first week of September.
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With a 59.5-point total, this matchup promises plenty of fireworks. The over has cashed in five of the Buffaloes’ last seven games and six of the Jayhawks’ past seven.
Colorado’s Winning Probability
The Buffs control their own destiny toward the Big 12 Championship — win out, and you’re in; lose one, and you’ll need some help. Luckily, they play two teams toward the bottom of the conference, including the Oklahoma State Cowboys, who have yet to defeat a league opponent this year.
- at Kansas: 73.0%
- vs. Oklahoma State: 89.9%
Kansas’ Winning Probability
Despite the 1-5 start to the season, the Jayhawks still have a shot at bowl eligibility — albeit a small one. To go bowling for the third straight year, Kansas needs to upset both Colorado and the Baylor Bears — queue the “So you’re telling me there’s a chance?” clip from Dumb and Dumber.
- vs. Colorado: 27.0%
- at Baylor: 34.3%
Prediction for Colorado vs. Kansas
Lance Leipold’s program has found its groove at just the right time—poised to play spoiler to Colorado’s remarkable season. With QB Jalon Daniels back at full strength after last year’s back injury, Kansas’ offense is thriving, ranking 19th in both EPA per play and success rate.
Meanwhile, Colorado’s resurgence has been powered by a defense that’s undergone a dramatic transformation under DC Robert Livingston. After giving up a dreadful 34.8 points per game last year, the Buffs have slashed that to 22.7 this season.
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The numbers back up Colorado’s turnaround. The defense ranks 25th in EPA per play and 28th in success rate, holding opponents to just 314 total yards per game over their last four contests.
Kansas’ methodical offense, ranked 107th in plays per minute and built around its ground game, faces a stiff challenge in Colorado’s defense, which sits 15th nationally in rush success rate.
Kansas thrives on grinding out efficient drives but struggles to create explosive plays (55th in explosiveness). That could hinder the Jayhawks’ ability to exploit Colorado’s one glaring defensive weakness: preventing big plays (94th in explosiveness allowed).
On the other side of the ball, Colorado leans heavily on the dynamic duo of QB Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter. Yet, despite their star power, the Buffs’ offensive production has been solid rather than spectacular, ranking 42nd in EPA per play and 50th in explosiveness. They’ve topped 400 total yards in just two of their last five games.
Kansas’ defense isn’t elite, but corners Cobee Bryant and Mello Dotson bring the physicality to disrupt Colorado’s screen-heavy attack, which could put pressure on Sanders to connect on intermediate and deep throws.
This game is shaping up to be a strength-on-strength battle between Kansas’ efficient, ground-heavy offense and Colorado’s resurgent defense. With both teams having success against the spread this season, the outcome may hinge on which breaks first—Kansas’ rushing attack or Colorado’s ability to shut it down.
Ultimately, I’ll lean toward Sanders and Hunter to keep their Heisman-worthy campaigns rolling in what should be a lower-scoring contest than Colorado’s usual pace.
Prediction: Colorado 31, Kansas 24
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