Kansas vs. UNLV: Prediction, Preview, Spread and Betting Odds
Week three of the college football season is here. Kansas plays UNLV and Heartland College Sports has your game prediction, preview and betting odds ahead of the match up.
GAME INFO
Friday, Sept. 13; 6 p.m. (CT); Children’s Mercy Stadium; Kansas City, Kan.
TV: ESPN
Records: Kansas, 1-1; UNLV, 2-0.
Last Week: Kansas lost to Illinois, 23-17; UNLV def. Utah Tech, 72-14.
Series History: Kansas leads series, 2-1.
Last Meeting: Kansas def. UNLV, 49-36 (Dec. 26, 2023).
Fun Fact: This is the fourth time the two teams have faced each other and fourth different city in which they’ve played. Friday’s game is in Kansas City as Memorial Stadium is being renovated. Before that, the Jayhawks and Rebels have played in Phoenix, Lawrence and Las Vegas.
Kansas vs ULV Betting Lines and Odds
Opening Line: Kansas minus-7
Over/Under: 57.5
UNLV
QB Matthew Sluka
He’s the triggerman for the Rebels’ undefeated start. The huge win over Utah Tech skews the numbers a little bit because he didn’t play a full game. But he’s thrown for 232 yards and five touchdowns in two games. He’s also rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown. Keep an eye on his completion percentage. He is 14-for-30 in two games and that’s a percentage that will have to improve.
The Holy Cross transfer ranked second in career rushing yards (3,583), second in career rushing touchdowns (38), fifth in career passing yards (5,916) and fifth in career passing touchdowns (59). He may just need a little time to settle in.
LB Jackson Woodard
In two games he has 12 tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks. So, yeah, he can be a one-man wrecking crew at times. The senior linebacker from Little Rock, Ark., transferred from Arkansas before the 2023 season and made an impact. He finished second in the Mountain West Conference with 117 total tackles, earned First Team All-Mountain West and was named Mountain West Defensive Newcomer of the Year by the College Football Network.
Kansas
WR Luke Grimm
Quarterback Jalon Daniels has some accuracy issues to smooth out (he’s under 60% in two games), Grimm has clearly remained his top target. In two games Grimm has 15 receptions with 151 yards and two touchdowns. The Raymore, Mo., product bought in at Kansas from the start, joining the program in 2020 and entering his fifth season.
The career numbers speak for themselves — 141 receptions for 1,933 yards and 19 touchdowns. He’s on his way to a potential All-Big 12 season.
LB Cornell Wheeler
He put together a huge game against Illinois, as he had eight tackles (five solo), three tackles for loss and a forced fumble. He leads the team with 13 tackles after two games.
The West Bloomfield (Mich.) High School product played one season for Michigan and Jim Harbaugh in 2020 before transferring to Kansas. Since he arrived he’s steadily received more playing time. Last season he generated 28 tackles, so he’s already set to blow that away this season.
KEY STORYLINES
UNLV
The Rebels haven’t hired a head coach that left UNLV with a winning record since Tony Knap (1976-81). Each of the nine coaches after him had pockets of success, but never built anything consistent. Barry Odom, the former Missouri coach, is trying to change that. With the Tigers he left with a .500 record and two bowl losses. After a three-year break to serve as Arkansas’ defensive coordinator, he took over the Rebels and had an impact in Year 1, as they went 9-5, reached the Mountain West title game and lost a shootout with Kansas in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.
UNLV has picked up where it left off and it opened the season by beating Big 12 member Houston in Willie Fritz’s debut as head coach. There is no fear in these Rebels.
Kansas
The Jayhawks let their game with Illinois get away. The defense played well enough to win the game, giving up fewer than 300 yards. But the Kansas offense put the defense in bad positions late, thanks to the unit’s inability to sustain drive. Then, behind by six points, Daniels and the Jayhawks couldn’t move the ball.
Daniels’ efficiency in the game was concerning. Several throws didn’t seem on time. It may have been the rust of not playing an entire game against Lindenwood. But Kansas needs more accuracy from him going into the UNLV game. Running back Devin Neal, along with Grimm and wide receiver Lawrence Arnold all appear to be in good shape. If Daniels plays to their level, this offense will fire away.
PREDICTION: Kansas 28, UNLV 24
I think Kansas will make the adjustments after the Illinois loss and Daniels will elevate his play. But the Jayhawks better take the Rebels seriously. UNLV has already stolen a win over a Big 12 team on the road — and did it with a dominating 27-7 win.
