Colorado vs. Nebraska odds, spread, line, prediction, betting picks for Week 2

What a difference one week makes. Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders' Colorado bunch owns the No. 22 spot in the AP rankings after notching a 45-42 road win over then No. 17 TCU as 20-plus-point underdogs. Colorado was picked to finish 11th in the Pac-12 media poll, but it looks more like a Pac-12 title contender than a bottom feeder.

All it took was a clutch 60-minute effort in the first Big Noon Kickoff game of the year to change the trajectory of CU's season-long outlook. Ahead of their season opener against TCU, some sportsbooks had a lookahead line for their Week 2 tilt against Nebraska, pegging Colorado as an 8.5-point home underdog.

Well, that number is long gone, as the Buffaloes now sit as a 3.5-point favorite in their first home game in the "Coach Prime" era. Has the betting market adjusted too much based on one game, or is Colorado truly warranted as a 3.5-point home favorite? 

For those looking to bet on Saturday's Colorado-Nebraska matchup, we'll give you all the information you need before placing a wager, including the updated odds from BetMGM, and our predictions for this Week 2 contest.

No. 22 Colorado vs. Nebraska odds, spread, over/under

Should you bet Colorado against the spread?

A rule of thumb in becoming a profitable sports bettor over the long term is getting the best of the number. It aids in your chances of beating the sportsbooks' vigorish. In this case, you're not sniffing the best of the number laying -3.5 (-110) on Colorado when the line was +8.5 (-110) one week ago.

However, there are instances when the betting market simply misprices a team, resulting in a significant adjustment. Colorado's 2023 season arguably had the widest range of outcomes among FBS schools given all the roster turnover they endured. Now that we know what Colorado's capable of, it's not surprising to see this significant move in just one week. 

While we aren't getting the best of the number, we think Colorado ends up covering against Nebraska. We don't think Nebraska's offense can keep up with Colorado's after the Cornhuskers totaled 10 points on 295 yards in its Week 1 loss to Minnesota. Yes, Nebraska could have easily scored 20-plus points had it not turned the ball over four times, but self-inflicted mistakes tend to be the difference between W's and L's in tightly contested games.

Colorado's defense allowed TCU to rush for 262 yards on 7.1 yards per rush last week. There's a path for Nebraska to have success if Matt Rhule's crew attempts to play keep-away and churn out long possessions by emphasizing the run game. Still, we're worried about Nebraska QB Jeff Sims' effectiveness on obvious passing downs. 

Ultimately, the Cornhuskers need to create chunk plays through the air, and Sims struggled on passes that traveled 10-plus yards downfield. Per PFF, Sims completed three-of-10 passes between 10 and 19 yards, good for a passer rating of 6.7. He did complete one-of-two deep passes (20-plus yards downfield) for a passer rating of 135.4, but that came on a botched trick play. 

Not much needs to be said about the Shadeur Sanders-led Buffaloes offense holding up their end of the bargain following a 45-point, 565-yard output (510 passing). Give us the Buffaloes to secure a four-plus point home win in Week 2.

Should you bet the Colorado vs. Nebraska over or under?

Since we're not high on Nebraska's offense, we don't think they can go score-for-score with Colorado. Yes, Colorado and TCU flew over their total of 63.5 points last week, but TCU has a boatload of skill position talent on offense.

With Sims unable to consistently beat Colorado through the air resulting in Nebraska relying on the ground game, expect a lower-scoring final in this one.