Colorado vs. Colorado State odds, line, spread, time: Expert picks, prediction for Deion Sanders rivalry debut
Deion Sanders gets his first taste of the Rocky Mountain Showdown rivalry game when the No. 18 Colorado Buffaloes (2-0) host head coach Jay Norvell and the Colorado State Rams (0-1) at Folsom Field on Saturday. Sanders' Buffs are the talk of the sports world, going from a 1-11 program a year ago to a nationally ranked team with a pair of top Heisman Trophy contenders in quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way sensation Travis Hunter. CU opened its season with a 45-42 upset win over TCU, and followed it up with a 36-14 blowout win over Nebraska in the home debut for Coach Prime. Colorado State had a bye in Week 2, and lost its season opener to Washington State 50-24. Redshirt freshman Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi is taking over for Clay Millen as CSU's starting quarterback.
Kickoff is set for 10 p.m. ET. The Buffs are 23.5-point favorites in the latest Colorado vs. Colorado State odds via SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 62.5 points. Before making any Colorado State vs. Colorado picks or Rocky Mountain Showdown bets, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine football expert Jimmie Kaylor.
Kaylor is a NFL, college football and DFS expert for SportsLine, who has covered the NFL and college football for close to a decade as a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. His background as a former college football All-American and NFL player gives him a unique perspective when building his fantasy lineups and locking in his betting picks. As a Colorado native, he has his finger on the pulse of the local and national sports scene and has been cashing big on Denver area teams for the last two years.
In last week's CU vs. Nebraska game, Kaylor nailed both of his picks, calling for the Buffs to cover (-2.5) and the game to go Under on the point total (58). Anyone who has followed his picks is way up.
Now, he has set his sights on Colorado vs. Colorado State and just locked in its picks and CFB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Kaylor's picks. Here are several college football odds and betting lines for Colorado State vs. Colorado:
- Colorado vs. Colorado State spread: Buffaloes -23.5
- Colorado vs. Colorado State over/under: 62.5 points
- Colorado vs. Colorado State money line: Colorado -2727, Colorado State +1146
- CU: QB Shedeur Sanders is averaging an FBS-high 451.5 passing yards per game
- CSU: QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi threw for 210 yards and 2 TDs against Washington State
- Colorado vs. Colorado State picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Colorado vs. Colorado State live stream: Fubo (try for free)
Why Colorado can cover
Colorado is out to prove that the hype around its program is real. Junior quarterback Shedeur Sanders has quickly silenced any doubters with his play through two weeks, completing 77.5% of his passes for 903 yards, 6 touchdowns and no interceptions. His 451.5 passing yards per game ranks first in the FBS this season.
Sanders has a trio of game-changing wide receivers at his disposal in Travis Hunter (14 receptions, 192 yards), Jimmy Horn Jr. (19 receptions, 181 yards, 1 TD), and Xavier Weaver (16 receptions, 288 yards, 1 TD). Hunter also excels on the defensive side of the ball and enters this matchup with seven tackles, one interception and two pass break-ups. Sanders and Hunter are both firmly entrenched in the 2023 Heisman Trophy race. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why Colorado State can cover
The Rams have nothing to lose and everything to gain in this matchup. The CU-CSU rivalry has never seen this level of hype and media attention, and most of it is being directed towards the Colorado side. Emotions will be high, and the Rams will undoubtedly enter this game with a chip on their shoulder.
This is a massive point spread for a rivalry game, and despite their showing against Washington State in Week 1, Colorado State is an improved team from a year ago. Wide receiver Tory Horton is a legitimate NFL prospect, and transfer running back Kobe Johnson is a home run threat. On the defensive side, safety Jack Howell and edge rushed Mohamed Kamara are among the best players in the Mountain West. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Colorado vs. Colorado State picks
Kaylor has analyzed this matchup from every angle and he's leaning Over on the point total. He has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He's only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.
