College Football is officially back in Lawrence, Kansas, as last year David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium was under renovation, forcing the Jayhawks to play at Arrowhead Stadium. This will be Kansas’s first game back in Lawrence since November of 2023, and they’ll be opening against Fresno State for the first time in program history. Kansas is coming off a disappointing 5-7 season when expectations were a bit higher for the program, while Fresno State is coming off a 6-6 regular season and looking to take a step forward under new head coach Matt Entz. Heading into this game, Kansas is currently listed at -12.5 (-112) to Fresno State +12.5 (-108), with the over/under at 50.5 (over -112; under -108) (per DraftKings).

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Team Overviews

As no surprise in today’s college football landscape, Kansas has several projected starters who transferred in this year. The Jayhawks will feature four transfers on both offense and defense, while remaining very young in the secondary. The good news is they’ve retained quarterback Jalon Daniels, who is entering his second season as the full-time starter. With a full year of experience and plenty of reps behind him, he should be able to confidently command the offense heading into this season.

For Fresno State, it’s a blend of continuity and new faces. The Bulldogs will start senior transfer E.J. Warner at quarterback, who benefits from having veteran receivers on the perimeter. However, there are key spots on offense with limited experience, and the offensive line lacks depth. The defense carries more tenure overall, though four incoming transfers are expected to start and will need to quickly build chemistry, especially at the linebacker position.

ATS & O/U Trends

Last season the Kansas Jayhawks went 5-7 ATS, and most notably in relation to this matchup they were just 1-5 ATS when listed as the favorite. As for their over/under record, the Jayhawks split evenly with 5 overs and 5 unders. In games as the favorite, their over record stood at 2-3-1, while as the home favorite specifically they went 2-2-0.

Fresno State finished last season 6-6-1 ATS, with a winning record as an away underdog at 2-1-0. However, as an underdog overall they were just 2-3-0. From the over/under perspective, the Bulldogs ended with a 6-7-0 mark, including 1-2-0 as an away underdog, and 2-3-0 as an underdog overall.

Final Thoughts

This is a valuable opportunity for both programs to start the season strong. For Kansas, any non-conference win will not only boost confidence but also help them carry momentum into Big 12 play, where they’ll certainly need it. Fresno State enters with a clean slate under new head coach Matt Entz from North Dakota State, though they’ll rely on several new pieces that must adapt quickly. The Bulldogs are also entering their final season as a Mountain West member before moving to the Pac-12, and they’ll be determined to make one last run at a Mountain West title.