HomeRight ArrowNCAAF

College Football Predictions, Picks: Our Early Bet for West Virginia vs Kansas in Week 4

College Football Predictions, Picks: Our Early Bet for West Virginia vs Kansas in Week 4 article feature image
1 min read
Credit:

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images. Pictured: Kansas QB Jalon Daniels.

College football Week 4 is here, so it's time to take a look at the board and see what kind of value we can find.

Action Network senior writer Collin Wilson once again cashed his early bet last week, as Arkansas and Ole Miss went over the total. Now, he's back with a spread pick in West Virginia vs. Kansas.

With a solid situational spot and some key matchup advantages, Wilson thinks the favorite holds value.

Let's dive into Wilson's college football picks and NCAAF predictions for Week 4 below.

Playbook

West Virginia vs Kansas Odds, Lines, Spread

West Virginia Logo
Saturday, September 20
6 p.m. ET
FS1
Kansas Logo
West Virginia Odds
SpreadTotalMoneyline
+12.5
-105
54.5
-115o / -105u
+375
Kansas Odds
SpreadTotalMoneyline
-12.5
-115
54.5
-115o / -105u
-500
Odds via BetMGM. Get up-to-the-minute NCAAF odds here.
BetMGM Logo

Kansas head coach Lance Leipold has been excellent with extra time during his tenure in Lawrence. Since 2022, the Jayhawks are 5-1 against the spread when coming off a bye week.

After a Week 2 loss to Missouri, the bye could not have come at a better time after the season started in Week 0.

Kansas will find one of the most advantageous spots on the betting card, having extra rest against an emotionally spent West Virginia team that won the Backyard Brawl as a touchdown underdog.

The resumes of West Virginia and Kansas explain why the Jayhawks' number is in the double digits.

Against a top-35 strength of schedule, Kansas ranks top-15 in pass efficiency and Stuff Rate. West Virginia has a strength of schedule rank of 89th, failing to produce a Defensive Stuff Rate or pass rush in the top 90.

The biggest issue may come on the other side of the ball, as WVU's run-heavy Rich Rodriguez offense could find many hurdles.

Kansas defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald has owned the trench, ranking top-25 in rush efficiency and Havoc.

West Virginia runs a heavy amount of inside zone with quarterback Nicco Marchiol and running back Tye Edwards. The Jayhawks boast an above-average 48% Success Rate against inside zone and have specialized in limiting explosives on the ground.

With two weeks of rest, look for Leipold and Co. to take advantage of a good situational spot against the Mountaineers.

Pick: Kansas -13 or Better

Author Profile
About the Author

Collin is a senior writer for the Action Network, but serves in various roles behind the scenes as well. As someone who specializes in data visualization of probabilities, power ratings, and head-to-head matchups, Collin’s work within the college football space powers the Action Network’s PRO projections throughout the college football season, and has done so since the birth of the app in 2017. Collin contributes similarly to the college basketball vertical, and his passion for predictive analytics have led him to become a key force in finding betting edges in more niche markets such as professional wrestling and entertainment awards.

This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Action Network makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.