Baylor heads to Lawrence on Saturday looking to bounce back from a 17-6 loss to TCU, and the betting market expects a tight one. The Bears are favored by FanDuel over Kansas, though the margin is slim, which fits a matchup between two teams coming off rivalry losses and trying to steady themselves in Big 12 play.
The kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m. CT, with the game airing on TNT, TruTV, and HBO Max.
Baylor enters at 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the Big 12, while Kansas is 2-4 overall and 0-3 in conference play. The Jayhawks are also coming off a road loss to Kansas State.
The numbers point to a game that could hinge on whether Baylor’s offense can get back on track. The Bears are averaging 150.2 rushing yards per game, good for 80th in FBS, while Kansas is allowing 174.3 rushing yards per game, which ranks 106th in FBS. That makes Baylor’s offensive line a major storyline after the TCU setback.
Baylor is scoring 30 points per game and giving up a little more than 14, while Kansas is putting up 32 points per game and allowing 24. That gives the game a split personality from a betting angle: if both offenses hit their average, the Over has appeal, but if the defenses dictate the pace, the Under comes into play.
The Bears will likely try to push tempo early, but Kansas’ defense will have to find a way to slow that down. Baylor’s defense, meanwhile, has been the steadier side of the ball. The Bears have opened the season with six straight games of holding opponents under 20 points, something that has never happened before at Baylor, and Coach Klanderman and that defense will be trying to make it seven in a row.
That defensive front could have plenty to work with against a Kansas team that likes to run. Traevon "Slug" Mitchell, Hosea Wheeler, Travion Barnes, Garrick Ponder, Kyland Reed, and the rest of the Baylor front should be in position to make life difficult in the backfield.
Baylor also brings a heavy historical edge into the matchup. The Bears lead the all-time series 19-4 and have won the last 14 meetings against Kansas.
On the money line, Baylor would require a $140 bet to return $100 in profit, while a $100 bet on Kansas would return $116 in profit. The final prediction given for the game is Baylor 38 - Kansas 10.
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