West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Kansas Jayhawks Picks and Prediction - September 20, 2025
Big 12 teams open up conference play and we’re taking you to Lawrence with our West Virginia vs. Kansas Picks and Prediction. The Mountaineers (2-1 SU, 2-1 ATS) beat up on rival Pitt, 31-24, as +7 underdogs at home last week. The Jayhawks (2-1 SU, 1-2 ATS) fell at Missouri, 42-31, as +5.5 underdogs. Opening kickoff from Kansas Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 6:00 EST and If you are struggling to pick winners, we have the strongest NCAAF Predictions.
West Virginia collects a big win
After being upset in week two versus Ohio, the Mountaineers were able to bounce back with a big win over Pitt in the Backyard Brawl. Trailing by 10 points with just over five minutes remaining, West Virginia was able to get a field goal and then scored a touchdown with 11 seconds left to force overtime. The team had 434 total yards of offense in the win while the defense kept Pitt to 349 total yards with just 46 on the ground.
Through three games, the West Virginia offense is averaging 28.7 points and 436.3 total yards per game. The rushing attack averages 213 yards per game, 31st best in the nation and sixth among Big 12 teams. In the wake of Jaheim White going down for possibly the season, Tye Edwards rumbled for 141 yards and 3 TDs last week, including the game-winner, in his first action of the season last week. Nicco Marchiol has led the passing game with 594 yards with 2 TDs and an interception. The offensive line has been a bit porous, allowing eight sacks.
West Virginia’s defense is allowing 300.3 total yards and 14.7 points per game. Against the run they’ve given up 93.7 yards, the sixth-best mark among Big 12 defenses. Among conference teams, their 12 sacks are most and also rank fourth in the country. They are also 12th in the country with four interceptions. Chase Wilson has 13 tackles, three sacks, an interception and a pass deflection. Darrian Lewis is responsible for half of the team’s interceptions.
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Team notes
- The Mountaineers are tied for No. 1in the nation in red zone offense, scoring in each of their 10 times there.
- The defense ranks 19th on third downs, allowing opponents to convert only 26.1% of the time.
- Preston Fox ranks 17th in the country with 172 combined kick return yards.
- UTSA transfer Jimmori Robinson, who had 10.5 sacks last season, is expected to make his Mountaineers debut in this game.
Kansas has extra time to mull over loss
The Jayhawks are coming off of their first bye week after catching their first loss of the season in the week prior. In the game against Missouri, the Kansas offense exploded in the first quarter, scoring 21 points, but they gained only 31 rushing yards in the loss as part of their 254 total yards and 13 first downs. The defense allowed 595 total yards, 28 first downs and Missouri scored against them in all four quarters.
Heading into their Big 12 opener, the Kansas offense is averaging 36 points and 422.7 total yards per game. They’ve gained 67 first downs and were 9-for-31 on third down chances. Jalon Daniels is under center for a balanced offense that averages 248.3 passing yards a game. Daniels has 679 passing yards, 9 TDs and two interceptions, and has added a touchdown and 90 yards via a rushing attack that’s averaging 174.3 yards per game. Daniel Hishaw averages 5.1 yards per carry and has 169 yards and a TD. Jayhawk blockers have only allowed three sacks.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Jayhawks are allowing 318 total yards and 18.7 points per game. Opponents are averaging 201 passing yards, and 117 rushing yards, and Kansas has yielded 47 first downs. They are third among Big 12 defenses with 10 sacks and they’ve picked off two opponent passes. Nine players have had at least a piece of a sack and Leroy Harris leads the team and is tied for sixth in the country with 3.5 sacks.
Team notes
- West Virginia transfer Trey Lathan leads the team with 25 tackles, with a half sack.
- Daniels is one of four quarterbacks in the nation with 7,000+ passing yards and 50+ passing TDs with one school.
- The defense has 26 tackles for loss, 12th in the nation.
- DeShawn Hanika has three touchdown catches, tied for the most in the country by a tight end.
West Virginia vs. Kansas Picks
Spread Pick for West Virginia vs. Kansas
- Kansas -13.5 (4 units)
This is the 14th meeting between the programs and West Virginia owns an 11-2 SU lead in the series. They met last season in Morgantown and the Mountaineers eked out a four-point victory as -1 favorites. The Jayhawks come into this game coming off of a bye week, so they are well rested, and they’ve had plenty of time to review the tape of their loss to Missouri, a game they had firm control of early on. They have one of the most veteran signal callers around, and I expect Daniels to get things back in check following their loss. West Virginia doesn’t have enough offense to stay in this one. It took a yeoman’s effort to even push for overtime versus Pitt but it’s their 10-point effort versus Ohio was an eye opener. Kansas has an intense front on their defense, and they’ll be in the West Virginia backfield a ton. The Mountaineers will eventually fold to that pressure. Kansas is 7-2-1 ATS in its last ten games versus West Virginia.
Take the Jayhawks giving the points at home.
Over/Under Pick for West Virginia vs. Kansas
- Over 55.5
In last season’s meeting, the two teams combined for 60 points to hit the over against a 55-point total. Noted above, the West Virginia offense is a bit of a question mark for this aspect of things. Can they contribute enough here? They did put 31 points up against a power conference defense, but 17 points came very late. Still, they were able to move the ball and get in position to score. Kansas, on the other hand, has a good enough offense to handle the bulk of the work here. They’ve scored at least 31 points in every game thus far and Daniels has gotten better each week. The over has hit in four straight meetings and is 6-2 in the last eight games between the programs.
Take the over.
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