KU Jayhawks football vs. Nevada: Prediction, time, TV info for Saturday night’s game
The Kansas Jayhawks travel to Reno for their first road game of the season against Nevada on Saturday.
After the Jayhawks (2-0) defeated Illinois 34-23 in prime time, KU faces the struggling Wolf Pack (0-2) for a late, late, late-night showdown.
The game between the Jayhawks and the Wolf Pack will be the first ever between the two teams. It will be Kansas’ first trip to the Pacific time zone since Sept. 7, 2002, vs. UNLV.
Nevada is led by second-year head coach Ken Wilson. The Wolf Pack have struggled to begin the 2023 season with back-to-back losses to USC (66-14) and FCS Idaho (33-6) and. The Wolf Pack have lost their last 12 games overall.
Kansas passed a much tougher test last week. Let’s break down this matchup...
Game details
Kickoff: 9:30 p.m. Central, Saturday
Where: Mackay Stadium, Reno, Nevada
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: Jayhawk Radio Network; WHB (810) in Kansas City
Betting line: Kansas (-28)
Prediction
This game should be over by halftime. The Wolf Pack don’t do anything particularly well.
The Nevada defense has allowed an average of 49.5 points and 565.5 yards per game while surrendering an average of 10 yards per play to opposing offenses.
The offense is not much better. Nevada quarterbacks Brendon Lewis and AJ Bianco have combined for one touchdown this season with fewer than 500 passing yards combined in two games. They each have one interception.
KU sacked Illinois — a much better team — six times last week. That number might hit double-digits against the Wolf Pack, who lost to an FCS team by double-digits the previous week.
The hardest thing about the game might be adjusting to the altitude in Reno, as this may end up as the easiest test Kansas faces all year. Also working in favor of the Jayhawks: Coach Lance Leipold and his staff won’t let the Jayhawks underestimate the Wolf Pack.
So I don’t expect the Jayhawks to come out flat-footed — expect a blowout.
If all goes right, this will start Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels’ 2023 Heisman campaign or, at the very least, give him some plays for his highlight reel.
Perhaps we even see third-string QB Cole Ballard, who I’ve heard has impressed at practice.
Prediction: Kansas 52, Nevada 10
Shreyas’ pick to cover: Kansas (-28)
Shreyas’ record: 2-0
Shreyas’ record against the spread: 2-0
This story was originally published September 15, 2023 at 7:00 AM.
