Liberty Bowl Betting 2023 Odds, Predictions, Preview

The Arkansas Razorbacks defeated the Kansas Jayhawks 55-53 in the 2022 Liberty Bowl.

Check out last year's coverage here below and tune back in with us soon for the 2023 Liberty Bowl Odds, Picks and Predictions.

The most downtrodden Power Five program in the country just posted its best season since 2008. Although the Kansas Jayhawks finished at 6-6 and lost six of its last seven games, Lance Leipold has created a palpable buzz around this program.

Kansas didn’t win more than three games in any season during the 2010s, and some boosters even suggested that the Jayhawks drop football as a program. Now, the Jayhawks can post a winning record with a victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

For the first time since 1906, the Kansas Jayhawks will take on the Arkansas Razorbacks. These programs will meet in the Liberty Bowl on Wednesday, December 28, 2022, at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN from Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee.

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Betting Prediction

Arkansas would have more of an edge if these teams met in the regular season, but Kansas can take advantage of this meeting happening in a bowl game. The Razorbacks will be without more of their talented players as several Arkansas starters are either opting out or entering the transfer portal. Additionally, there has been a shakeup among the Arkansas coaching staff, so the Razorbacks are unlikely to be at their highest level of readiness.

Score Prediction: Kansas 36, Arkansas 30
Best Bet: Kansas +2.5 (-105)

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Betting Odds

Liberty Bowl Betting Resources

• Date: Wednesday, December 28, 2022
• TV-Time: ESPN, 5:30 p.m. ET
• Venue: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
• Location: Memphis, Tennessee
• Expert Picks

Kansas Jayhawks Betting Analysis

After a 5-0 start to the season, Kansas fell apart in mid-October. Starting quarterback Jalon Daniels went down with an injury in the narrow loss to TCU on College Gameday, and that kept the Jayhawks from being as dynamic on offense. While Jason Bean is a little better passer than Daniels, he wasn’t the same kind of running threat.

Daniels started the last two games for Kansas. During the season, he completed 65.7% of his passes for 1,470 yards (8.4 YPA) and threw 13 touchdown passes compared to just two interceptions. He was also the second-leading rusher on the Jayhawks, picking up 398 yards and six touchdowns on the ground while averaging 6.3 YPC.

Devin Neal ran for 1,061 yards (6.2 YPC) and nine touchdowns as the go-to back in this offense. Backup Daniel Hishaw Jr. was supposed to help carry the load, but he was injured in October and will not be available for this game either.

Leading receiver Lawrence Arnold is expected to play after suffering an injury in the season finale against Kansas State, and that’s good news considering Luke Grimm is the only other player with more than 30 receptions on the roster. Still, Kansas ranked 13th in Offensive SP+ as Leipold has been able to have a lot of success with this hybrid offense.

The Jayhawks do not have a good defense though. Kansas ranked 107th in Defensive SP+ and ranked outside the top 100 in most defensive categories. They allowed 36.0 PPG and 474.5 YPG in the regular season, so this game could turn into a shootout.

Sophomore Cobee Bryant was a First Team All-Big 12 selection though with eight passes defensed and three interceptions. Lonnie Phelps was a Second Team All-Big 12 selection and led the Jayhawks with seven sacks.

Arkansas Razorbacks Betting Analysis

K.J. Jefferson will be playing in this game, and that’s enormous for Arkansas. The Razorbacks don’t have their second- and third-string quarterbacks available due to injury and transfer, and four of the top six receivers during the regular season are either opting out or in the transfer portal.

Jefferson completed 68.3% of his passes for 2,361 yards (8.7 YPA) with 22 touchdowns and four interceptions in the regular season. Matt Landers (44 receptions, 780 yards, 7 TDs) and running back Raheim Sanders (28 receptions, 271 yards, 2 TDs) are the only two players on the roster with more than 10 receptions on the year.

Sanders was a Second Team All-SEC running back this season. He was one of the most explosive runners in the conference, picking up 1,426 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground while averaging 6.5 YPC.

His decision to take part in this bowl game is huge as the next leading rushers (A.J. Green - 4.2 YPC, Rashod Dubinion - 3.5 YPC) aren’t nearly as effective. First Team All-SEC center Ricky Stromberg decided to opt out of this game in order to focus on the NFL Draft.

Arkansas is ranked 64th in Defensive SP+. The Razorbacks allowed a whopping 6.3 yards per play this season, as SEC West opponents could do whatever they wanted on offense against this unit.

They are going to be without their best players in this bowl game as linebackers Drew Sanders and Bumper Pool are both opting out after finishing first and second on the team in tackles.

Both Sanders and Pool were All-SEC selections, and Sanders was excellent with 9.5 sacks. The secondary is in disarray right now too as Jalen Catalon is still injured and three other defensive backs hit the transfer portal.

Liberty Bowl History

The Liberty Bowl began in 1959 and the matchup currently features schools from the SEC and Big 12. This game takes place at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium from Memphis, Tennessee and is played in December or January.

Arkansas has the most appearances in this game with six but owns a losing record at 2-4. The Ole Miss Rebels have captured the most Liberty Bowl victories, winning all four of their postseason visits to Memphis.

The 'under' has hit in three consecutive Liberty Bowls, capped off by Navy's 20-17 triumph over Kansas State in 2019, while snapping a three-game winning streak by underdogs in this game.

With a reduced capacity due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, West Virginia edged Army 24-21 as the underdog cashed. The 'over' also connected.

On Dec. 28, 2021, Mississippi State of the SEC was matched up with Texas Tech of the Big 12. It was head coach Mike Leach's current team, the Bulldogs, against his former team, the Red Raiders. Texas Tech was a 10-point underdog, cashing easily on the money line at +300 with a 38-7 win as the 'under' cashed. The underdog is now 5-1 ATS across the past six Liberty Bowls.