While some sportsbook fans tune in for the NFL preseason, others will be patiently awaiting the start of the 2018 college football season. Interestingly enough, Colorado State will be there to kick in the door on the 2018 NCAAF season by facing Hawaii. However, today we look a little ahead past that matchup to another, perhaps more intriguing, pairing. That would be the Colorado vs. Colorado State matchup set to take place this September. According to SBG sportsbook, the below listed odds are what NCAA sportsbooks have to say about this pairing. Take a look.

NCAAF Betting Odds:

Colorado Buffaloes +6 (-110) – +195

Colorado State Rams -6 (-110) – -235

Unsurprisingly, the team coming off the better season is pegged as the sportsbook favorite. Having said that, let’s break down this matchup further to see what kind of bets players should make.

Colorado Buffaloes vs. Colorado State Rams – Friday, August 31st  

Kickoff: 9:30 pm ET

Venue: Sports Authority Field, Denver, Colorado  

TV Broadcast: CBS     

Online Stream: CBS Sports  

Colorado Buffaloes

The Buffaloes are coming off disappointing 5-7 record that saw the program finish dead last in the South Division of the Pac-12. Colorado found their way to that poor ranking by posting a rather weak 2-7 record in conference play. This was Mike MacIntyre’s 5th season at the helm and he managed to turn in another letdown of a year. It wasn’t MacIntyre’s worst performance yet, but it was a massive step down from the 10-4 season he delivered the year before. Moving forward, the coach needs to get a winning season out of this roster. It’s either that or risk being placed on the backburner. Due to their poor record, Colorado did not receive any Bowl Game invites last season.

Players to Watch: Steven Montez (2,975 passing yards, 18 TD, 9 INT), Steven Montez (338 rushing yards, 3 TD, 2.6 AVG), and Jay MacIntyre (396 receiving yards, 2 TD, 28 REC).

Colorado State Rams

The Rams found some success last season, turning in a 7-6 record. On top of that, the program turned in a 5-3 record in Mountain West Conference play. That conference record lead to a decent 2nd place ranking in the Mountain Division of the conference. On top of that, the program received an invite to the New Mexico Bowl. There they would be paired against Marshall. Although the Rams had been favored by college football betting sites, they failed to get the job done 28-31. As for the 2018 season, Mike Bobo will be making his return to join the Rams in his 4th season at the helm.

Players to Watch: KJ Carta-Samuels (82 passing yards, 0 TD, 0 INT), Izza Matthews (613 rushing yards, 8 TD, and 4.6 AVG), and Olabisi Johnson (595 receiving yards, 2 TD, 41 REC).

Colorado Buffaloes vs. Colorado State Rams Betting Predictions

Trends

  • Colorado posted a 1-4 record STRAIGHT UP on the road last season
  • Colorado posted a 1-4 record AGAINST THE SPREAD on the road last season
  • The TOTAL went UNDER in 7 of Colorado’s 11 games last season
  • Colorado State posted a 3-3 STRAIGHT UP record on the road last season
  • Colorado State posted a 3-3 AGAINST THE SPREAD record on the road lasts season
  • The TOTAL went UNDER in 4 of Colorado State’s 6 road games last season  

Colorado Buffaloes vs. Colorado State Rams Betting Picks

So which team should sportsbook bettors take here? It’s probably best to stick with the Rams. Both teams have major holes to fill on offense but Colorado State has had more consistent success in recent years.  

Score Prediction: 24-10 Colorado State.