Kansas Jayhawks football vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights: Prediction, kickoff time, TV

The details

Kickoff: 11 a.m. Saturday

Where: Memorial Stadium, Lawrence

TV: Fox Sports KC

Radio: WHB (810 AM) in Kansas City, KFH (1240 AM) in Wichita

Line: KU by 4

Prediction

If we learned anything from last week, it’s to not take too much from previous-game results, especially early in the season. After a dreadful effort in the season opener against Nicholls State, KU was much improved in Week 2, dominating Central Michigan in a 31-7 victory that ended the longest road losing streak in FBS history.

So one needs to be cautious with this pick. Just because KU looked better — and Rutgers was awful in a 52-3 road loss to No. 4 Ohio State — doesn’t mean these two teams are far off what we thought about them before the season. And then, I believed Rutgers was likely a slightly better team, with KU having the advantage of playing at home.

A few weeks ago, I had the Jayhawks winning a close one here, and I don’t see any reason to go away from that pick. One thing that needs adjusting, though, is the score projection. Both teams, on a play-by-play basis, have shown to be much better on defense than offense this year, so expect lots of punts and few scoring opportunities.

Though the Vegas spread seems about right here, the 44 1/2 over-under line, to me, is a few points too high.

KU 20, Rutgers 17

Jesse Newell

Jesse Newell covers University of Kansas athletics for The Star.