It's an American football interstate showdown as Colorado battles Colorado State. The Rocky Mountain rivalry is here as we share our college football odds series and make a Colorado-Colorado State prediction and pick.
Colorado lost 28-10 to Nebraska last weekend. They fell behind 14-0 after the first quarter, and it was 28-0 at halftime. Shedeur Sanders got banged up and struggled in this one, going 23 for 38, passing for 244 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Meanwhile, Dallan Hayden only rushed five times for 32 yards as the Buffaloes fell behind too big. Travis Hunter caught 10 passes for 110 yards. Additionally, Will Sheppard had three receptions for 59 yards.
The Buffaloes went 4 for 14 on third-down conversions and 1 for 3 on fourth downs. Also, they had only 260 total yards. Colorado also had two turnovers, six sacks allowed, and nine penalties.
Colorado State defeated Northern Colorado 38-17. They were up 10-7 after the first quarter and 24-7 at halftime. Brandon Fowler-Nicolosi went 18 for 17 for 202 yards passing with one touchdown. Meanwhile, Keegan Holles rushed 10 times for 89 yards and one touchdown. Justin Marshall added 10 rushes for 67 yards, while Avery Morrow rushed five times for 27 yards. Likewise, Tory Horton had three receptions for 65 yards, while Caleb Goodie had three catches for 52 yards and one score.
The Rams had 21 first downs. Moreover, they went 7 for 14 on third downs and finished with 426 total yards. Colorado State also had one turnover and allowed one sack. Somehow, they won despite not forcing a single turnover or garnering any sacks.
Colorado leads the head-to-head series 68-22-2. Amazingly, the Buffaloes have dominated this series recently, winning six games in a row, including a 43-35 overtime win last season.
Here are the College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Colorado-Colorado State Odds
Colorado: -7.5 (+100)
Moneyline: -265
Colorado State: +7.5 (-122)
Moneyline: +215
Over: 57.5 (-110)
Under: 57.5 (-110)
How to Watch Colorado vs. Colorado State
Time: 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT
TV: CBS
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Colorado Could Cover The Spread/Win
Head coach Deion Sanders got real when talking about the loss to Nebraska. Now, he must quickly recover and guide the Buffaloes to a victory over their in-state rivals. They will need the offense to put things together.
Sanders has passed for 689 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. Ultimately, he must do more to help the Buffaloes get on the board. Hayden needs more chances. Significantly, he just had 14 rushes for 52 yards. Hunter has been a solid contributor, catching 17 passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, Jimmy Horn Jr. has also been solid, with 10 catches for 224 yards and one touchdown.
Safety Shilo Sanders is out for two-to-three weeks. Unfortunately, that will hurt a defense that still does not have a single interception, which is ironic, given who their coach is. Lavonta Bentley has been the best defensive player, with eight solo tackles and one sack.
Colorado will cover the spread if Sanders can make plays and Hayden can get more touches and run the ball. Then, the defense must create more opportunities and force turnovers.
Why Colorado State Could Cover The Spread/Win
Colorado State came up big last weekend. Now, the goal is to keep it going as they face off against their in-state rivals and attempt to build an early lead.
Fowler-Nicolosi has struggled this season. So far, he has passed for just 261 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Fowler-Nicolosi needs to do better and continue to gain support from his running backs. Ultimately, that means there will be two players to watch. Marshall has rushed 35 times for 173 yards, while Hollies has rushed 12 times for 93 yards and a touchdown. Therefore, running the ball has become critical for the Rams to beat their rivals. Horton has been the best receiver. Significantly, he has caught eight passes for 96 yards.
The Rams' defense has been solid so far and might hold the key to victory. Gabe Kirschike has been good, with two solo tackles and one sack. Meanwhile, Chase Wilson has tallied three solo tackles and one interception. Expect both players to play a significant role in this one as they attempt to contain an offense that has attempted to air it out consistently.
Colorado State will cover the spread if it can consistently run the ball and move the chains. Then, it needs to force the Buffaloes to run the ball.
Final Colorado-Colorado State Prediction & Pick
The Buffaloes are the favorites in this one. But they looked awful against the Cornhuskers. While the Rams are not nearly as good, they have enough to compete with the Buffaloes, as evidenced by the eight-point overtime game from last season. We could see a scenario where Colorado and Colorado State battle until the end. Consequently, while they may be able to win, the Buffaloes will struggle to cover the spread as the Rams will stay in it. Colorado State covers.
Final Colorado-Colorado State Prediction & Pick: Colorado State +7.5 (-122)
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