Kansas vs. BYU Prediction: Will Cougars Stay Undefeated?

    Another week, another close BYU spread. Can the Cougars once agian emerge victorious? Find out what we think in this Kansas vs. BYU prediction.

    The BYU Cougars are playing with fire, but while they’ve come close to putting their hand on the stove, they have yet to be burned. The Cougars survived a third one-score game in six weeks, coming perilously close to losing against rival Utah.

    But the Cougars remain undefeated, with just three more tests standing in the way of regular-season perfection. Will the Kansas Jayhawks be the team to stop the Cougars, or just the next losers in the middle of a long BYU winning streak? Find out what we think in this Kansas vs. BYU prediction.

    CFN CFB Playoff Predictor
    College Football Network’s College Football Playoff Predictor is a tool that allows you to play out various weekly scenarios to see how the CFP picture changes with each scenario.

    Kansas vs. BYU Betting Preview

    All Kansas vs. BYU odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. The CFN Spread comes from College Football Network’s Football Playoff Meter.

    • CFN FPM Spread
      BYU -15
    • Spread
      BYU -3.5
    • Moneyline
      BYU -170, Kansas +142
    • Over/Under
      55.5 points
    • Game Time
      Nov. 16, 10:15 p.m. ET
    • Location
      LaVell Edwards Stadium | Provo, Utah
    • Predicted Weather at Kick
      34 degrees, cloudy, 3 mph winds
    • How To Watch
      ESPN

    Vegas continues to fade BYU, as the Cougars have been more than a touchdown favorite over just two FBS opponents this year. Yet, the Cougars are 7-2 against the spread. Kansas, on the other hand, has covered in three straight after starting 0-6 against the spread.

    MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor

    With a total of 55.5 points and a spread of 3.5 points, Vegas implies a final score close to 29-26 in favor of the Cougars.

    Kansas’ Winning Probability

    Despite their recent success, the CFN’s Football Playoff Meter still doesn’t give them much value. While bowl eligibility is technically possible, it’d take three fairly sizable upsets to get there. The Jayhawks have just a 12.2% chance to win, per the metric.

    • at BYU: 12.2%
    • vs. Colorado: 26.6%
    • at Baylor: 35.9%

    BYU’s Winning Probability

    Conversely, BYU has an 87.8% chance of beating the Jayhawks at home. The formula is simple — keep winning. While the Cougars could likely afford a single slip-up while still making the Big 12 Championship, a regular-season loss would hurt their chances of an at-large bid to the College Football Playoff if they were to lose again in the championship.

    • vs. Kansas: 87.8%
    • at Arizona State: 65.7%
    • vs. Houston: 91.1%

    Prediction for Kansas vs. BYU

    It’s been too little far too late for Kansas, as the Jayhawks limped out to a 1-5 start before finally figuring things out against Houston and playing rival Kansas State to a near win.

    Then the Jayhawks dismantled Iowa State to prove their recent form isn’t just a fluke.

    But can they beat the Cougars? Once again, Vegas thinks BYU could go down. So far, in these spots, the Cougars have passed.

    FREE: Sign up for the College Football Network Newsletter to receive unique stories from the world of college football directly to your inbox!

    I don’t plan on being the person who’s “first” to predict BYU’s downfall. Sure, there’s an element of luck involved in winning close games, but there’s also a skill and culture that allows the Cougars to never be truly out of any game.

    I think the Cougars were a bit caught off-guard against Utah, as Kyle Whittingham and the Utes rolled with a brand-new starter at quarterback. The Cougars went into halftime down 21-10 before battling back for a last-second field goal to win it.

    There was certainly an element of luck to how it went down, but good teams put themselves in the position to win.

    You could talk me into a Kansas upset here, but I’m sticking with the Cougars. While Utah took away BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff’s legs, I think the Cougars will figure out how to get him on the move where he’s most comfortable.

    I see this Jayhawks front as one the Cougars can run on and control the clock like they want to do.

    Two of the last three opponents have surprised BYU with something the Cougars weren’t ready for. I don’t think Kansas has enough up its sleeve (or a backup quarterback worth starting out of nowhere) to do that to the Cougars.

    Take the Cougars and the points as they pull away late like they have so many times this year. Vegas may try to tell you that the Cougars aren’t as good as the record says, but Vegas has also been wrong about BYU all season.

    I think BYU wants to score a lot in this one after a few sluggish offensive performances, pushing it over. Kansas will hit a big play or two, but the Cougars can force Jalon Daniels into some bad throws and find success in all three phases

    Prediction: BYU 35, Kansas 27

    College Football Network has you covered with the latest from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and every Group of Five conference and FBS Independent program.

    EA Sports College Football: Everything You Need For the Game’s Historic Return

    After a decade-long hiatus, EA Sports College Football has made its return to glory. The popular college football video game is here to stay, radically changing the video game landscape forever.

    Related Articles