A full slate of NFL games kicks off this Sunday, and in the meantime, college football is back in action. There are dozens of marquee matchups on Saturday and a little appetizer tonight with Illinois and Kansas. It is a perfect spot to either keep the momentum going after a successful Thursday Night Football game or, in my case, (thanks, Lions first half) rebound after a disappointing loss. The Illini hit the road as slight underdogs, and there is a clear side to take in this matchup. Let’s get into the best CFB bets today, accompanied by a FanDuel Promo Code
Best CFB Bets Today: Illinois-Kansas Pick
Looking to OddsShopper, Kansas -3 is sitting at -110 on FanDuel. That is the line and side to take, so it is the best of both worlds. Other books have moved to 3.5 or juiced up their -3, and that absolutely impacts the bottom line. Seeing Illinois struggle with Toledo last week at home was not inspiring, even if Toledo is a solid MAC team. The Illini gave up 186 yards on the ground and now have to go on the road to face an explosive Kansas offense.
The big question for Kansas is, what is the status of its quarterback? Jalon Daniels did not play in Week 1, but it looks like he is good to go for tonight. It is not a shock Kansas held him out against Missouri State, which is an FCS school, and one the Jayhawks easily handled 48-17. This Kansas offense returns a ton of production from a team that shocked the nation last year by starting 5-0. If Daniels plays, it is an immediate boost to Kansas, but even if he does not, the Jayhawks have a reliable, experienced backup in Jason Bean.
Stylistically, this matchup is a little unknown, but the Kansas offense inspires the most confidence. Illinois showed some serious liabilities against Toledo at home, giving up 28 points, so going on the road against a more dynamic squad could really test the Illini early in the year. Add in that the Kansas coaching staff is one of the best in the country and did not have any shakeups, and it is a team that should be ahead of others that underwent major changes.
It is still just Week 2 of college football, and many will overestimate the importance of a one-game sample size. The good thing about Kansas is it did not show anything playing an FCS school that it could beat without putting something major on tape. Add in that its star quarterback looks like he is set to return, and Kansas should protect home field with an impressive win tonight. Lay the 3 with the Jayhawks to stay undefeated early in the season.
Kansas-Illinois Pick For Our Best CFB Bets Today: Kansas -3 (-110, FanDuel Promo Code)