The Colorado State Rams (0-1, 0-0 MWC) take on the No. 18 Colorado Buffaloes (2-0, 0-0 Pac-12) in an in-state rivalry matchup in Week 3 of the college football season. The game will kick off at 10:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 16.
Colorado State has just one game under its belt this season, a 50-24 loss to Washington State. The Rams will make a quarterback change this week, benching Clay Millen for redshirt freshman Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi. Fowler-Nicolosi came into the opener in the third quarter after Millen was injured and passed for two touchdowns and 210 yards, 100 more yards than Millen had managed.
Colorado has been the talk of the town in college football this season. In their first year under head coach Deion Sanders, the Buffaloes have made their mark with back-to-back wins over TCU and Nebraska. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders is now in early Heisman talks after passing for 900 yards and six touchdowns in his first two games.
Here’s everything you need to know and a pick for the game.
SP+ Rankings
Colorado State: 128 overall, 130 offense, 112 defense
Colorado: 76 overall, 54 offense, 95 defense
Injury update
Colorado State
RB Keegan Holles – Questionable (undisclosed)
QB Clay Millen – Questionable (undisclosed)
Colorado
RB Alton McCaskill IV – Questionable (knee)
S Myles Slusher – Questionable (undisclosed)
CB Cormani McCain – Questionable (undisclosed)
WR Javon Antonio – Questionable (shoulder)
TE Louis Passarello – Out (knee)
ATS/Total
Against The Spread in 2023
Colorado State: 0-1 ATS
Colorado: 2-0 ATS
Total in 2023
Colorado State: Over 1-0
Colorado: Over 1-1
Current lines at DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: Colorado -24
Total: 62.5
Moneyline: Colorado -2400, Colorado State +1200
Opening line: Colorado -21
Weather
51 degrees, clear, 6 MPH winds WSW
The Pick
Colorado State +24
Shedeur Sanders and the Buffaloes got off to a slow start against Nebraska on their home turf in Week 2. While I don’t think they’ll get caught looking ahead to their matchup with No. 13 Oregon next week, the Buffs are no longer coming in with the benefit of doubters underpreparing to face them.
This is an exciting in-state rivalry matchup that should bring plenty of Rams fans to Folsom Field, and with Colorado State starting a freshman quarterback without much film to study, I think that the Rams will be able to keep it close enough to cover. Colorado pulls away in the fourth quarter, but doesn’t win by more than three TDs.
Colorado -24
Ok we wrote the above, and then this happened, and then this happened. We’re not putting a cent against the Buffs today.