Take the over or under on KU Jayhawks football wins? Our game-by-game predictions

Oddsmakers have set the over-under in victories for Kansas’ football team at 2.5 entering the 2022 season.

Translated … those who bet over need the Jayhawks to win three games to collect at their favorite sportsbook. Those who bet the under will cash in if the Jayhawks claim, two, one or zero wins.

Whose wallets will be fatter at season’s end? Those who bet the over, we think.

The Jayhawks, who have brought in 14 transfers from the NCAA portal to join the likes of quarterbacks Jalon Daniels and Jason Bean, running backs Devin Neal and Daniel Hishaw, offensive tackle Earl Bostick Jr., corner Kenny Logan Jr., and defensive lineman Malcolm Lee, figure to post three wins in Lance Leipold’s second season in Lawrence. Even four victories appear possible, but we won’t go that far in this space. KU last won as many as four games in 2009, Mark Mangino’s final season in Lawrence.

KU, which went 2-10 in Lance Leipold’s debut season, has won as many as three games just twice in the past seven seasons with an 11-70 overall mark in that span.

2022 SCHEDULE AND GAME-BY-GAME PREDICTIONS

Friday vs. Tennessee Tech (7 p.m., ESPN+): The Jayhawks should roll to victory over the Golden Eagles, who are picked to finish fifth of seven teams in the Ohio Valley Conference after recording a 3-8 record a year ago. In its last game against a Power Five program, Tennessee Tech fell to SEC school Tennessee, 56-0. KU needs a lopsided victory to give the Jayhawks much-needed momentum heading into road games vs. West Virginia and Houston. KU 44-17

Sept 10 at West Virginia (5 p.m., ESPN+): The Mountaineers, who open with Pitt on the road, were picked to finish eighth in the Big 12, two slots ahead of KU. Suffice it to say a Jayhawks victory is not out of the question. West Virginia 35-28

Sept. 17 at Houston (3 p.m., ESPNU): The Cougars, who were picked to finish first in the American Athletic Conference preseason poll, will be fired up playing at home after opening at UTSA and Texas Tech. Houston will want to make a strong showing against a team in the Big 12, a league the Cougars enter in 2023. Houston 51-37

Sept. 24 vs. Duke: The Jayhawks return home for the first time in three weeks to play a Blue Devils team picked to finish last in the ACC’s Coastal Division. A .500 record through four games would be a nice start for the Jayhawks heading into a home game against Iowa State. KU 42-23.

Oct. 1 vs. Iowa State: The Cyclones have put together five straight winning seasons and have a 2-3 record in bowl games in that span. ISU’s first four games are against Southeast Missouri, Iowa, Ohio and Baylor. One could envision the ISU game coming at a good time in the schedule for KU. The Cyclones could take the field at Booth Memorial Stadium overconfident if they defeat BU the previous week in Ames. The Cyclones could be deflated if they lose to both Iowa and Baylor and travel to Lawrence stinging from two early-season defeats. ISU was picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 preseason poll, but did receive one first-place vote. Iowa State 31-20

Oct. 8 vs. TCU KU’s schedule grows noticeably tougher after this contest. TCU has been picked to finish seventh in the Big 12. The Jayhawks played the Horned Frogs tough last year in Fort Worth and have a good shot at snaring a Big 12 victory in this matchup. Sonny Dykes, who has had stops at SMU, Cal and Louisiana Tech, is first-year coach at TCU. KU 30-20

Oct. 15 at Oklahoma: The Sooners figure to remember last year’s scare in Lawrence, in which KU fell, 35-23. The Jayhawks led 10-0 at halftime and 17-7 in the third quarter. Oklahoma 47-10

Oct. 22 at Baylor: The Bears were picked to win the league and won’t look past KU in this one. Baylor 51-13

Nov. 5 vs. Oklahoma State: After a bye week, the Jayhawks could conceivably be rejuvenated and pull off the surprise win of their season. Then again, OSU has been a powerhouse of late. Oklahoma State 38-21

Nov. 12 at Texas Tech: Coach Joey McGuire’s first Red Raiders team was picked to finish ninth in the league preseason poll. This is another game KU could conceivably win and push its victory total to four on the season. Texas Tech 47-39

Nov. 19 vs. Texas: The Longhorns will have revenge on their minds after falling to KU last season in Austin. Texas 33-24

Nov. 26 at Kansas State: Snowy, icy weather could play a factor in the regular-season finale for both teams. A win by KU would do wonders for Leipold’s program. However K-State has won 13 straight in the series. Kansas State 42-27

Final record: 3-9 (1-8 Big 12)