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The UNLV Rebels (2-0) and the Kansas Jayhawks (1-1) meet Friday at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s college football odds around the UNLV vs. Kansas odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
The Rebels have already rolled a Big 12 opponent this season on the road, topping the Houston Cougars 27-7 on Aug. 31 as a 3.5-point favorite. UNLV was so dominant in that game, that it nearly had the shutout before the Cougars scored with 60 seconds left to avoid the goose egg.
UNLV routed Utah Tech of the FCS 72-14 last week, easily covering as a 41.5-point favorite to move to 2-0 against the spread (ATS). The Rebels defense has been strong, and that’s an area to watch.
Kansas spanked FCS Lindenwood 48-3 in the opener Aug. 29 as a 49.5-point favorite as the Under (63.5) connected. However, a ranked Jayhawks team went to Illinois last week and suffered a 23-17 setback as a 5-point favorite as the Under (58.5) cashed for a 2nd straight outing. Kansas didn’t help itself with 4 turnovers committed.
– US LBM Coaches Poll: Conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports
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UNLV at Kansas odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of college football odds. Lines last updated at 12:34 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): UNLV +260 (bet $100 to win $260) | Kansas -350 (bet $350 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): UNLV +8.5 (-105) | Kansas -8.5 (-115)
- Over/Under (O/U): 58.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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UNLV at Kansas picks and predictions
Prediction
Kansas 30, UNLV 24
Moneyline
Kansas (-350) will set you back 3 1/2 times your return, if you don’t want to mess around with the points. But, that’s way too much risk, and not enough return, especially for a team which was handled by Illinois last week, a mid-tier Big Ten team.
If anything, betting UNLV (+275) is a worthwhile play. At BetMGM, the line is +260, but FanDuel Sportsbook will pay you a little more straight up, if you want to roll the dice there. To avoid any confusion, we’re not officially suggesting it, just giving you options if you’re interested in backing the Rebels while shopping around for the best price.
PASS.
Against the spread
UNLV +8.5 (-105) is a solid play, as it should keep this game within 1-score, at the very least.
This Rebels team has been underrated a bit, and Kansas -8.5 (-115) might have been a bit overrated coming into the season. The books don’t appear to have adjusted, so take advantage.
Over/Under
UNDER 58.5 (-115) is the way to go here.
Both teams have shown off some decent defense, especially against FBS opponents.
Kansas lost at Illinois, but it held the Illini to just 79 rushing yards on 34 attempts, while allowing 192 passing yards.
UNLV limited Houston to just 38 rushing yards on 26 attempts in the opener, while posting a plus-1 turnover ratio in the opener. It dominated the FCS opponent last week, too, but we’ll focus more on efforts against FBS foes only.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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