Colorado will battle Arizona this week for some Big 12 action. It will be a fantastic battle in the desert as we share our college football odds series while making a Colorado-Arizona prediction and pick.

Colorado lost 31-28 to 18th-ranked Kansas last weekend. Ultimately, the Buffaloes rallied from a 24-14 deficit, taking the lead with 3:18 left. But they allowed the go-ahead touchdown with 2:21 left in the game.

Arizona lost 41-19 to 14th-ranked BYU. Initially, the Wildcats led 7-0 after the first quarter. But Arizona was outscored 41-12 the rest of the way and could barely muster any offense while the defense struggled.

Here are the Colorado-Arizona College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Football Odds: Colorado-Arizona Odds

Colorado: +3.5 (-124)

Moneyline: +125

Arizona: -3.5 (+102)

Moneyline: -150

Over: 58.5 (-110)

Under: 58.5 (-110)

How to Watch Colorado vs. Arizona 

Time: 4 PM ET/ 1 PM PT

TV: FOX Sports

Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)

Why Colorado Could Cover The Spread/Win

  • Colorado is averaging 35.5 points per game.
  • Colorado has allowed 23 points per game over their past four games while going 3-1 in that stretch.
  • Travis Hunter has a touchdown in five consecutive games.

Deion Sanders went off on the poor play of his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Yet, the quarterback is still doing relatively well this season with 2,018 yards, 17 touchdowns, and four interceptions. Isaiah Augustave leads the backfield. So far, he has rushed 27 times for 127 yards with one touchdown.

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The receivers have been the stars of this offense. Amazingly, Travis Hunter has 49 receptions with 587 yards and six touchdowns. Jimmy Horn Jr. has also done well, with 26 catches for 347 yards and one score. Likewise, Will Sheppard has added 22 receptions for 330 yards and two touchdowns. Lajohntay Wester has also had a good season, with 26 catches for 318 yards and seven touchdowns.

The defense has been solid. Ultimately, five players pace this team. Hunter is a fantastic two-way player, notching 11 solo tackles and two interceptions on defense. Meanwhile, BJ Green has added three solo tackles and two sacks. Dayon Hayes has tallied 10 solo tackles and two sacks. Likewise, Taje McCoy has added five solo tackles and three sacks. Preston Hodge has also been solid in the secondary, adding eight solo tackles and two interceptions.

Colorado will cover the spread if Sanders bounces back from his poor performance and finds his receivers open. Then, the defense must avoid giving up too many big plays.

Why Arizona Could Cover The Spread/Win

  • Arizona is averaging 21.3 points per game over their past three contests.
  • Noah Fifita is averaging 272.2 passing yards per game.
  • The Wildcats have won two in a row against the Buffaloes.

The offense has struggled this season, and it has cost them dearly. Unfortunately, Fifita has passed for 1,636 yards, eight touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Quali Conley will be the key factor in helping Fifita. So far, he has rushed 82 times for 458 yards and six touchdowns. Tetairoa McMillan has been good, catching 42 passes for 742 yards and four touchdowns. Also, tight end Keyan Burnett has caught 16 catches for 205 yards and one score.

The defense has had its moments this season as it has done a lot to try and stay competitive. Substantially, four players cover the field well. Stanley Ta'ufo'ou has tallied five solo tackles and two sacks. Also, Isaiah Johnson has added two solo tackles and two sacks. Taye Brown has added nine solo tackles and two sacks. Meanwhile, Genesis Smith has added eight solo tackles and two interceptions.

Arizona will cover the spread if they can establish the ground game and lessen the pressure on the quarterback. Then, the defense must put all the pressure on Sanders and force him into making mistakes that flip the field position around.

Final Colorado-Arizona Prediction & Pick

Colorado leads the head-to-head series 16-10. Recently, the Wildcats defeated the Buffaloes 34-31 last season in Colorado. But Colorado is 10-5 in Arizona.

Colorado is 4-2 against the spread this season, while Arizona is just 1-5. Likewise, the Buffaloes are 2-1 against the spread on the road, while the Wildcats are only 0-3 against the odds at home. Colorado is 3-0 against the spread against the Big 12, while Arizona is 1-3 against the odds. Additionally, Colorado is 1-0 against the spread on the road as the favorite. This will be the first time Arizona is the underdog at home.

This feels like a classic game that will go down to the wire. Therefore, expect some intense action as Colorado looks to unleash more offense and make plays on defense. The Wildcats may win this game. However, I expect this game to be close and for Colorado to hang around. Expect the Buffaloes to cover the spread on the road, with plenty of excitement until the very end.

Final Colorado-Arizona Prediction & Pick: Colorado +3.5 (-124)