Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes are doing something unprecedented heading into their Alamo Bowl matchup with the BYU Cougars.
The Buffs reportedly offered stars Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter record insurance to play in this game, which hopefully becomes a trend during bowl season.
But even with their big stars on board, my BYU vs Colorado predictions look at why the Buffaloes can’t overlook the Cougars. Here are my college football picks for the Alamo Bowl on Saturday, December 28.
BYU vs Colorado prediction and best bet
My best bet
Over 54.5 (-110 at BetMGM)
Picks made at time of writing may not reflect live odds.
My analysis
Arguably the most talented passer in this year’s draft class is Shedeur Sanders, as Coach Prime's son has already been linked to the New York Giants and the No. 1 overall pick. Meanwhile, Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter is expected to be the first non-quarterback selected and still has a chance to go first depending on trades.
Sanders threw for a conference-best 3,926 yards while tossing 35 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. The Colorado Buffaloes quarterback also led the country in completion percentage at 74.2%. A large chunk of those yards went to Hunter, as the two-way phenom finished the season with 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns.
That dynamic duo will test a BYU Cougars team that struggled defensively at times. The Cougars enter this matchup ranked 75th in defensive success rate, including 65th on dropbacks.
Countering the Buffs is Jake Retzlaff and the Cougs. Retzlaff threw for 2,747 yards with 20 touchdowns and 10 picks while adding another 389 yards and six scores on the ground. BYU ended the year 34th in EPA per play on offense and 38th in defensive success rate.
While Colorado has some solid defensive numbers this season, anytime they came across a team with any semblance of an offense, they tended to give up points. Baylor, Texas Tech, Kansas, and even Utah each managed to put up 24 points against the Buffs.
Sanders and Hunter should ultimately see enough field time to shine up their NFL resumes a little more. This is one of the lower totals Colorado has seen this season, and BYU has also been a sneaky good Over bet, going 7-1 O/U in its last eight games.
BYU vs Colorado same-game parlay (SGP)
Over 54.5
Colorado moneyline
BYU team total Over 24.5
As noted above, Colorado’s defense has been susceptible against solid offensive teams and you can put BYU in that category.
The Cougars are solid thanks to their balance, ranking 22nd in EPA per rush and 36th in EPA per dropback. That balance helped them reach 34+ points in seven of their first games before a late-season lull. However, the Cougs bounced back in the regular season finale, putting up 30 points on Houston. Meanwhile, Colorado allowed 31 points to Baylor, 27 to Texas Tech, and 37 to Kansas.
While I think the Buffs pull out the victory, the Cougars will give them a real fight, topping their team total in the process.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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BYU vs Colorado odds
BYU vs Colorado live odds
BYU vs Colorado opening odds
- BYU vs. Colorado spread: Colorado -2.5
- BYU vs. Colorado moneyline: BYU +110, Colorado -130
- BYU vs. Colorado Over/Under: 54.5
Odds courtesy of BetMGM
BYU vs Colorado spread and Over/Under analysis
- The spread for the Alamo Bowl has seen quite a bit of movement, which isn't surprising considering how much is up in the air when it comes to playing time for both Sanders and Hunter.
- This line hit the board at 2.5 and hit as high as 5.5 before action on BYU brought the spread back to the 3.5-4 range as of Friday afternoon.
- The total hit the board at 54.5 and that's where it remains as of publication. This would be tied for the third-lowest total for Colorado this season.
BYU vs Colorado betting trend to know
BYU has hit the game total Over in seven of its last eight games (+5.90 Units/ 67% ROI). Find more college football betting trends for BYU vs Colorado.
BYU vs Colorado game info
| Location: | Alamodome, San Antonio, TX |
| Date: | Saturday, 12-28-2024 |
| Kickoff: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ABC |
BYU vs Colorado latest injuries
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