The 2025 college football season opens on Saturday with Week 0. The Fresno State Bulldogs will travel to face the Kansas Jayhawks at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in one of the five games on the schedule that day. Kansas enters as a heavy favorite behind QB Jalon Daniels and Fresno State debuts a new head coach and quarterback. Before kickoff from Kansas, keep reading to get my Fresno State vs Kansas prediction.
Our Fresno State vs Kansas Pick
- Pick: Fresno State +12.5
- Confidence: 3/5
- Week 0 Bonus Bets: Use BetMGM promo code ATSBONUS to bet on Week 0 and get up to $1,500 in bonus bets if your first bet doesn’t win!
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Fresno State Bulldogs vs Kansas Jayhawks
- Date & Time: Saturday, August 23, at 6:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, KS
- Broadcast: FOX
Fresno State vs Kansas Odds
| Odds | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno State | +12.5 | +350 | Over 50.5 |
| Kansas | –12.5 | –455 | Under 50.5 |
Key Storylines
Season Outlook
Things are exciting for Fresno State heading into this year. They are playing under new head coach Matt Entz starting with this game. Entz has won multiple FCS national championships at North Dakota State and will look to prove that he belongs in the big time with a strong performance here.
Kansas is expected to be explosive on offense this year under Lance Leipold. The Jayhawks brought in some talent at the skill positions that is expected to make things go smoothly on offense as the Jayhawks look to get back to prominence in the Big 12.
Quarterback Play
Fresno State’s new signal-caller is E.J. Warner. He brings a quick release and is coming off a strong season at Rice with over 2,700 passing yards and 17 touchdowns. Kansas will go with Jalon Daniels at quarterback. Daniels is experienced and has played well at Kansas in the past. The question in this game will be how well he works with his new weapons in their first competitive game as a group.
Betting Trends & H2H
- This is the first time that these teams have played each other in college football.
- Fresno State went 6-6-1 against the spread last season.
- Kansas was a 5-7 team against the spread in 2024.
Fresno State vs Kansas Model Projection
- Score Projection: Fresno State 24 – Kansas 34
- Win Probability: Fresno State 30%, Kansas 70%
Final Thoughts
Kansas should be able to get the win at home in their season opener over Fresno State. The only question will be whether that win comes by enough to cover the point spread. I’m intrigued by what Fresno State is doing in bringing in a quality coach from the FCS ranks and pairing him with a quarterback that has had success elsewhere in the FBS.
Do I expect Fresno State to pull off an upset in this game? I do not expect that. But do I expect Fresno State to keep things respectable and cover the number as a double-digit underdog? Yes, and I am taking the points with the Bulldogs.
