Colorado State vs Colorado Prediction, Odds, Spread and Over/Under for College Football Week 3
Colorado State vs Colorado, affectionately known locally as the Rocky Mountain Showdown, will be getting the College GameDay treatment for Week 3 of the 2023 season — this despite a massive schism between the two teams in expected point differential.
After a dominant Week 2 home-opening victory over Nebraska that followed a shocking Week 1 upset of TCU in Fort Worth, the Buffs enter September 16 in their annual in-state rivalry matchup with TCU as a massive favorite.
CSU, meanwhile, got a Week 2 bye after being throttled by a now-ranked Wazzu squad 50-24 in Fort Collins. With two weeks to stew on the loss to a Pac-12 rival to CU, could the Rams shock the world with the limelight on “Prime Time”?
Colorado State vs Colorado Odds, Spread, and Total
The point spread for Week 3 has Colorado as a -23.5-favorite. Colorado State is a +950 underdog on the moneyline, while Colorado is a -2000 favorite. The over/under is set at 60.5, meaning that the oddsmakers are expecting a high-scoring affair. All lines are courtesy of BetMGM and are subject to change.
Colorado State vs Colorado How to Watch
Date: September 16, 2023
Game Time: 8 pm Mountain Time
Venue: Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado
How to Watch: ESPN, which is available on FuboTV.
Colorado State Record: 0-1
Colorado Record: 2-0
Colorado State vs Colorado Key Players to Watch
Colorado State
Justus Ross-Simmons: Standing at six-foot-three and 215 pounds, Justus Ross-Simmons will be a big test, figuratively and literally, for the Buffaloes’ secondary.
As a solid athlete who can sky for overthrows and do serious damage after the catch, Ross-Simmons figures to have a physical advantage in the passing game over most of Colorado’s defensive backs.
Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi: Getting the start under center on Saturday, Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi enters this game with an FBS win under his belt; in 2022 against the Nevada Wolfpack in Mountain West play. Fowler-Nicolosi replaced Clay Millen in the second half of the Rams’ blowout loss to Wazzu in Week 1 and 100 more yards with two fewer completions than the former CSU QB1.
Boulder will be a spotlight previously unforeseen in Fowler-Nicolosi’s career, so whether he can rise to the occasion or not will be critical as Colorado State looks to answer its QB questions in live time.
Colorado
Xavier Weaver: It definitely looks like Xavier Weaver is Shedeur Sanders’ top target in the passing game through the first two weeks of the 2023 season, so Week 3 could be a fireworks show from the USF transfer.
The nation’s leading receiver would be a major reason why the Buffs win big if that is how things are set to shake out.
Ryan Staub: If Ryan Staub finds his way onto the field on September 16 during the Rocky Mountain Showdown, that will have meant that Sanders and the first-teamers did their job and left no doubt as to who was the Centennial State’s best team that night.
If/when Staub gets those opportunities, he needs to gain confidence in the event Sanders ever suffers any ailments. The difference between a cover or not could come down to Staub’s arm late.
Colorado State vs Colorado Prediction and Pick
Good teams win. Great teams cover. Coach Prime has had his Buffs ready for both challenges through the first two weeks of the season, but the biggest challenge Week 3 presents is internal: motivation. If Colorado isn’t motivated to put on a show, then the Rams will be in a good position to cover.
Slim chance Sanders’ squad comes out flat like that. Lay the points.