Colorado vs. Oregon Prediction, Pick Against the Spread, and Latest Odds
Deion Sanders has elevated this Colorado program to new heights in just a few short weeks with his ability to recruit and motivate his players. Can he notch the biggest win of his coaching career in Eugene against the Ducks tomorrow afternoon? Let's break it down.
Joey Ruiz - September 23, 2023, 9:19 AM EDT
9 minColorado vs. Oregon Prediction, Pick Against the Spread, and Latest Odds
This weekend's slate for College Football is fantastic as we have so many marquee matchups, with this game being one of them. The 19th-ranked Buffaloes travel to Eugene, Oregon, to take on Bo Nix and the high-powered Oregon offense. Both teams sit undefeated at 3-0 but have taken different routes to get there.
Colorado vs. Oregon Date, Start Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: September 23, 2023
- Game Time: 3:30 pm ET
- Where to Watch: ABC
Colorado vs. Oregon Odds
- Spread: Colorado +21.5 (-110), Oregon -21.5 (-110)
- Total Odds: O 70 (-107), U 70 (-110)
- Moneyline Odds: Colorado (+740), Oregon (-800)
Colorado vs. Oregon Prediction
Colorado opened the season with a win heard around the world as they went into the defending national runner-up house and defeated TCU by a score of 45-42. Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter, and Coach Prime let the world know that this Colorado team is built differently than years past, and they showed it by winning straight up as 21-point underdogs and have continued to back up their hype as they defeated Nebraska in a blowout, then won a hard-fought game against in-state rival Colorado State.
The lead-up to their game against Colorado State was intense as Rams coach Jay Norvell made some backhanded comments about Coach Sanders and how he doesn't take his sunglasses off when talking to others, and the trash talk further spilled over into the game. Travis Hunter took a brutal cheap shot early in the first half of that game and suffered a lacerated liver, so unfortunately, he will be out for this matchup against Oregon and for the next 3-4 games as well.
Colorado was favored by 24 points over Colorado State, and they narrowly escaped with a win as they needed a 98-yard drive and a two-point conversion in the final seconds of regulation to even force overtime but Shedeur Sanders led them down the field and did the damn thing. The Buffs eventually won in double overtime 43-35; the rest was history. Now Colorado will face their toughest test against an Oregon squad that many think can compete for a national title this season.
Colorado will have to play without one of the most dynamic players in College Football, as Travis Hunter will be unable to play. The line dynamic of this game is very interesting, though, because rarely do we see a team win and then a look-ahead line move six to seven points against them. Clemson did not move to betting favorites after FSU struggled to beat Boston College and did not move amid Jordan Travis' injury concerns, but Oregon was lined at somewhere around -13.5/14/14.5 on a lookahead just a few weeks ago.
Even though Colorado has won each game and is undefeated, the line jumped to Oregon -21/21.5. This move is in large part due to Travis Hunter being out, but is he really worth 7.5/8 points on the line? I think that large of a move from one player being out is a bit egregious, and I think there is some value on Colorado and the points here.
Yes, Oregon blew the doors off FCS Portland state as they dazzled and put up 81 points, and yes, they blew the doors off Hawaii as the defense shined in a 55-10 win, but how did Oregon look against the one power 5 team they have faced this season in Texas Tech? Not that great.
In that game against Texas Tech, the Ducks were favored anywhere from -6.5 to -7.5, and many thought it was a fishy line after Texas Tech had just lost to Wyoming. Well, the markets were spot on as Oregon struggled mightily through different parts of that game and found themselves at one point down 27-18 in the fourth quarter and were down 30-28 with just 70 seconds left in the game. Oregon then scored on a defensive touchdown in the last minute to seal the win, but that is beside the point. The point is that Oregon did not look as dominant as everyone had initially thought, and it was mainly their defense that struggled.
Texas Tech was able to put up 456 yards of offense in the game and was only outgained by the Ducks by 16 yards. The Red Raiders averaged 7.4 yards per pass attempt and 5.4 yards per rush, as their offensive unit had a lot of success. The problem for them was turnovers. Texas Tech turned the ball over four times compared to Oregon's zero, and that was likely the deciding factor in the game. Why am I bringing all this up? The problem with Colorado is not their offensive unit. Shedeur Sanders and this Buffaloes offense can flat-out score and have put up some very impressive numbers to this point.
Even without Travis Hunter at receiver, Dylan Edwards, Xavier Weaver, and Jimmy Horn Jr. have proven themselves to be exceptional talents and are more than capable of picking up the slack. Colorado's tight end, Michael Harrison, also played a huge role in their victory over CSU last week and could be a huge factor today against Oregon both in the passing game and run blocking/screen game.
The Buffs have only turned the ball over four times in three games and have won the turnover battle in each game so far. If they can limit turnovers of their own and force a few turnovers here and there, they can disrupt the momentum of this Oregon offense and have an actual shot to win the game straight up.
With that being said, I am rolling with Colorado +21.5 at -115 for 2U as my most confident College Football Play of the Day, as I just think this is way too many points for a very potent and talented Colorado offense.
Colorado vs. Oregon Pick
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