Apr 27, 2024; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during a spring game event at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
- Colorado vs North Dakota State highlights the Thursday CFB schedule
- Deion Sanders and the Buffs are 10-point favorites over the FCS Bison
- Read below for Colorado vs NDSU prediction, odds, and picks
Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes begin their 2024 college football season with a huge showdown against the FCS North Dakota State Bison on Thursday night. The Week 1 CFB odds favor Coach Prime and company to handle business.
Kickoff for Thursday’s college football game is at 8:00 pm ET, with ESPN carrying the broadcast nationally. We’ve made our Colorado vs North Dakota State prediction, siding with the underdog against the spread.
Let’s dive into Colorado vs NDSU odds and provide you with some guidance for your CFB picks.
Colorado vs NDSU Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota State | +10.0 (-110) | +290 | Over 60.0 (-110) |
| Colorado | -10.0 (-110) | -360 | Under 60.0 (-110) |
The latest North Dakota State vs Colorado odds show the Buffaloes as -10 favorites on the spread and -360 on the moneyline, which is 78.3% implied win probability.
The college football public betting trends show that money has been pouring in on the Buffs. CU originally opened as a smaller -7.5 favorite to cover.
Odds as of August 27th, at Bet365 Sportsbook. Register with the Bet365 promo code to wager on Colorado vs NDSU.
Buffs Betting Trends
Colorado looks to improve on a disappointing 4-8 record in 2023, the inaugural year for Coach Prime in Boulder. However, considering the Buffaloes won just two games the previous year, 2023 can be considered a success for the program.
The Buffs have a dangerous offense led by returning pivot Shedeur Sanders. The Heisman Trophy longshot passed for 2,230 yards and 27 touchdowns last season while completing 69.3% of his passes. Two-way star Travis Hunter is back as one of Sanders’ top targets.
Keeping Sanders protected has been a focal part of Colorado’s offseason strategy. The Buffaloes’ offensive line struggled mightily in 2023, allowing 4.67 sacks per game (129th in FBS). The team has beefed up by adding several new starters, including five-star true freshman Jordan Seaton at tackle.
Defensively, CU has made notable additions to improve their pass rush and run defense. Transfers BJ Green II (Arizona State), Dayon Hayes (Pitt), and Samuel Okunlola (Pitt) are expected to make an immediate impact on the defensive line.
Although Colorado has made improvements on both sides of the ball, it’s hard to shake the memory of their six-game losing streak last season and 1-8 overall record in conference play. Only time will tell just how much better this squad truly is.
Bison Betting Trends
The North Dakota State Bison have been the class of the FCS division over the past decade, but the tides are starting to change. NDSU has won nine of the last 13 FCS national championships, but South Dakota State has won two of the last three.
The primary question mark for the Bison is on the sidelines, where former head coach Matt Entz has taken a defensive position with USC. In comes Tim Polasek, who previously served as the Bison’s offensive coordinator during their national championship runs in 2014 and 2015.
The power of SC is real.
Matt Entz left his post as a 2-time FCS National Champion head coach to become @uscfb’s new linebackers coach and assistant head coach for defense. pic.twitter.com/9IuXOkU0oy
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) February 22, 2024
NDSU returns several key starters on both sides of the ball, including veteran quarterback Cam Miller and three All-Conference defensive players. Miller is an excellent dual-threat pivot who threw for nearly 3,000 yards with a 72% completion percentage in 2023. Miller also rushed for 629 yards.
The Bison’s deep roster of running backs, led by Owen Johnson and Barika Kpeenu, could be the determining factor in this game. NDSU ranked fourth in FCS rushing yards per game last season (237), while Colorado’s defense ranked second-last in the Pac-12 in rushing yards allowed (176).
Colorado vs North Dakota State Prediction
Deion Sanders, during Big 12 Media Days, expressed regret that Colorado scheduled a game against NDSU. While the Bison are a division below the Buffs, they will provide a solid test for Colorado to determine how improved they actually are.
North Dakota State has a history of FBS upsets, going 6-1 in their last seven such matchups. I’m not writing off this FCS juggernaut because of a coaching change, especially considering the caliber of defense they are facing.
While I’m not going as far as to predict the outright upset, I like NDSU to cover the +10. Their rushing attack should help control the clock and prevent Colorado from blowing it open. Furthermore, I don’t trust CU’s unproven offensive line against an NDSU defensive front that averaged 2.53 sacks per game last season.
Colorado has failed to cover the number in four of its last five games against non-FBS teams. This CU team has too many new moving parts to confidently predict they will win by double digits against a top-tier FCS program in Week 1.
Colorado vs NDSU Pick:
- North Dakota State +10 (-110)
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Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.
The highly anticipated college football season is finally here, and one of the most exciting matchups to kick things off is the Colorado vs North Dakota State game on Thursday, August 29th. Both teams are coming off successful seasons and are looking to start the new year on a high note.
Colorado, a member of the Pac-12 conference, finished last season with a record of 5-7. Despite their losing record, the Buffaloes showed promise and are hoping to build on that momentum this year. They have a talented roster led by quarterback Steven Montez, who threw for over 2,800 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. The Buffaloes also have a strong defense that will look to shut down North Dakota State’s potent offense.
On the other side, North Dakota State is coming off another dominant season in which they won their seventh FCS national championship in eight years. The Bison finished with a perfect 15-0 record and are once again considered one of the top teams in the FCS. They are led by quarterback Trey Lance, who had an outstanding freshman season with over 2,700 total yards and 33 total touchdowns. North Dakota State also boasts a stout defense that ranked among the best in the FCS last year.
In terms of predictions, this game is shaping up to be a close one. Colorado has the advantage of playing in a higher division and will have the home-field advantage, but North Dakota State has proven time and time again that they can compete with anyone. The Bison’s experience and winning culture could give them the edge in this matchup.
As for the odds, most sportsbooks have North Dakota State listed as slight favorites, with the spread hovering around -3.5 points. This indicates that the game is expected to be a close one, with North Dakota State having a slight edge in the eyes of oddsmakers.
In terms of picks, it’s always tough to predict the outcome of a college football game, especially early in the season. However, based on their recent success and overall talent level, North Dakota State seems like the safer bet in this matchup. They have a proven track record of winning big games and should be able to come out on top against Colorado.
Overall, this Colorado vs North Dakota State game is sure to be an exciting start to the college football season. Both teams have a lot to prove and will be looking to make a statement with a win. It should be a competitive and entertaining matchup that fans won’t want to miss.