UT Martin vs. Kansas State prediction, odds, pick for College Football Week 1
College football season is about to begin, and UT Martin will visit Kansas State. We’re live from Bill Snyder Family Stadium, sharing our college football odds series and making a UT Martin-Kansas State prediction and pick.
UT Martin went 8-3 last season, including 4-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Also, they went 5-0 at home and 3-3 on the road. But they will have a tougher time this season, as they lost running back Sam Franklin to Oklahoma. Franklin was great last season, rushing 223 times for 1,378 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 6.2 yards per carry. Now, they will have to find someone to replace that production.
Kansas State went 9-4 last season, including 6-3 in the Big 12 Conference. Likewise, they went 6-1 at home and 2-3 on the road. The Jayhawks lost quarterback Will Howard to Ohio State and Ben Sinnot to the Washington Commanders. Furthermore, they will have a new starting quarterback, with Avery Johnson making his second career start.
This will be the first overall meeting between the teams. Amazingly, Kansas State is the heavy favorite and there is no official money line. Let’s take a look at both teams.
Here are the College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: UT Martin-Kansas State Odds
UT Martin: +37.5 (-105)
Moneyline: N/A
Kansas State: -37.5 (-115)
Moneyline: N/A
Over: 56.5 (-110)
Under: 56.5 (-110)
How to Watch UT Martin vs. Kansas State
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: ESPN+
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why UT Martin Could Cover The Spread/Win
UT Martin plays in a significantly weaker conference, and there will be numerous obstacles for them to overcome in this game and throughout the season. Yet, they have some offensive pieces who can make a difference in this one.
Kinkead Dent is their quarterback and returns after passing for 2,304 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He expects to take that next step in his development and will get the toughest challenge in the first week. However, he will need his running game to make a mark and make some strides.
Narkel LeFlore is their top option. Significantly, he rushed 70 times for 382 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 5.5 yards per carry last season. Corey Harris Jr. is another option, and he rushed nine times for 60 yards.
The receiving core will also have a chance to make an impact. First, there is Devone Taksley. He had 54 receptions for 698 yards and four scores. Thus, he has a lot of potential to take that next step. Trevonte Rucker had 37 catches for 37 catches for 469 yards and two scores last season. Meanwhile, Zoe Roberts had 29 receptions for 337 yards and six touchdowns.
The defense does not have much going for them. Yet, they still have some players who can make a difference. Defensive end Charles Perkins had nine solo tackles and 2.5 sacks. Meanwhile, cornerback JaMichael McGoy Jr. had 23 solo tackles, two interceptions, and one forced fumble.
UT Martin will cover the spread if the offense can explode and start scoring early. Then, they need their defense to make stops and avoid letting Kansas State run all over them.
Why Kansas State Could Cover The Spread/Win
Johnson is one of the top players on this squad and will look to make some plays in his second career start. Ultimately, there is so much optimism about Johnson and what this offense can do. Johnson had 479 yards and five touchdowns in limited play last season. Now, it’s his offense.
D.J. Giddens is one of the most dynamic runners in college football. Amazingly, he rushed 223 times for 1,226 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Giddens also caught 29 passes for 323 yards and three touchdowns. Significantly, he is making a case for himself as a future NFL running back if he can keep the pace. The wide receiving core is solid. Substantially, Jayce Brown had 27 catches for 437 yards and three touchdowns last season, while Jaden Jackson had 19 receptions for 252 yards and two scores.
The Jayhawks are in a better conference now and will have to play at a high level to contend with some of the better teams. Therefore, it starts with the defense. Linebacker Desmond Pumell had 51 tackles, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one interception, and half a sack. Consequently, many offenses struggled to do anything when he was near them,
Kansas State will cover the spread if Giddens can run the ball well and make life easier for Johnson in his second start. Then, the defense must cover their assignments and make stops.
Final UT Martin-Kansas State Prediction & Pick
UT Martin gets the worst possible first game to start their season. Somehow, there is no official money line, and no one expects UT Martin to even have a chance. But can they cover? That would require the offense to step up to the challenge and score early and often. Unfortunately, we don’t see that as a reality. This game has 48-7 written all over it. That would mean that Kansas State will do enough to win this game handily and cover the spread.
Final UT Martin-Kansas State Prediction & Pick: Kansas State: -37.5 (-115)
The post UT Martin vs. Kansas State prediction, odds, pick for College Football Week 1 appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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