Rutgers at Kansas

Opening point spread (according to BetOnline.ag): Kansas -3

Gut reaction:

This is about where I expected this line to open up at. With Kansas notching their first road win since 2009 on Saturday Central Michigan and Rutgers getting taken to the woodshed by the Buckeyes yet again, it makes sense for Kansas to open as a small favorite for next week. The injury situation surrounding Art Sitkowski is no doubt playing a role in this line as well. I think if Sitkowski was cleared the line would be a little lower, maybe -2 or -2.5.

These two teams last met for the first time in each program’s history in 2015 at High Point Solutions Stadium where Rutgers was able to win 27-14. That Kansas team went winless in 2015 under David Beatty who is still the Jayhawks head coach. Kansas looks to be turning things around a bit with their football program as they haven’t looked like the laughing stock that they have been in the recent past, although they did drop their home opener in overtime to 1AA Nicholls State.

It is hard for me to properly analyze this game without some more information about the Rutgers quarterback situation. If Art Sitkowski plays, I would feel comfortable taking the points here despite how putrid the team looked in Columbus last week. Hopefully I will have more information on Tuesday when I record the On the Banks podcast. Kansas will be led by highly touted true freshman RB Pooka Williams who had a great game in Central Michigan on Saturday.

If I Were a Betting Man:

I’m going to need to hedge a bit and say I need more information before I lay any money down on this one. If I knew Sitkowski was healthy, I would feel good taking Rutgers +3 right now however if it’s going to be Giovanni Rescigno or Johnathan Lewis taking snaps under center, I would be hard pressed not to take Kansas -3 at home after how impressive they looked on the road on Saturday.

Stay tuned to the podcast where I will expand on some of this information a bit and I may update this article as more information becomes available.