by Rod Pearson
Friday, Dec 27, 2024
Game Time: 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, December 28, 2024
Venue: Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Where to Watch: ABC
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: BYU +3.5, Colorado -3.5; Over/Under: 55 points
Bet365: Point Spread: BYU +3.5, Colorado -3.5; Over/Under: 54.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: BYU +3.5, Colorado -3.5; Over/Under: 54.5 points
Season Record
BYU Cougars: 10-2 (7-2) (2nd place, Big 12)
Colorado Buffaloes: 9-3 (7-2) (4th place, Big 12)
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Recent Form
BYU Cougars: won their last game at home against the Houston Cougars 30-18.
Colorado Buffaloes: won their last game at home against the Oklahoma State Cowboys 52-0.
BYU Cougars vs Colorado Buffaloes Preview and Analysis
BYU is entering this game with a 10-2 record overall and they have a 7-2 record in their conference games too. They are 5-1 in their home games, 5-1 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be at a neutral site for this game. They won their last game against Houston 30-18. Jake Retzlaff was the starting QB and he completed 8/19 passes for 167 passing yards, 0 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. LJ Martin led the team in rushing yards with 87. Chase Roberts led the receivers with 76 receiving yards on 3 receptions. Tanner Wall led the defense in that game with 6 solo tackles and 7 assisted tackles while Jack Kelly and Isaiah Glasker each led the defense in sacks with 1. Tyler Batty and Jack Kelly each came away with 1 interception for them in that one.
Colorado is entering this game with a 9-3 record overall and they have a 7-2 record in their conference games too. They are 5-1 in their home games, 4-2 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be at a neutral site for this game. They won their last game against Oklahoma State 52-0. Shedeur Sanders was the starting QB and he completed 34/41 passes for 438 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Micah Welch led the team in rushing yards with 39 and 1 TD. LaJohntay Wester led the receivers with 175 receiving yards on 11 receptions and 2 TDs. Taje McCoy led the defense in that game with 5 solo tackles and 0 assisted tackles while B.J. Green II and Arden Walker each led the defense in sacks with 1. Travis Hunter and DJ McKinney each came away with 1 interception for them in that one.
BYU vs Colorado Prediction
The current betting odds have Colorado listed as a 3.5 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Colorado has looked really good in their games this season with their 9-3 record overall and their 7-2 conference record which has them right near the top of the Big 12. They ended the regular season with a big win over Oklahoma State and had a chance to go to the Big 12 Championship, but they lost a crucial game against Kansas which was the final nail in their coffin. Meanwhile, BYU has also looked really good in their games this season with their 10-2 record overall and their 7-2 conference record which also has them right near the top of the Big 12. They started the season hot and were one of the few undefeated teams left in the nation, but they lost key games to Kansas and Arizona State in their final 3 games of the regular season which kept them out. They had a really good defense this season that was winning them a lot of games, but their offense didn't look great at times and that could be a big issue here. Colorado has looked terrible on defense this season as they have been giving up a ton of points all year, but they did shut out Oklahoma State in their last game and their defense was starting to look better near the end of the season. They also have a really good offense that has been putting up a ton of points all season so scoring won't be an issue for them and BYU won't be able to keep up on offense. Colorado also has more talent on their side and this is one last opportunity for some of their players to showcase that talent so they are going to bring their best effort here. The best way to place a bet here is on Colorado to cover the spread in this game.
BYU Colorado Prediction: Our NCAAF Pick for Saturday, December 28, 2024 (7:30 pm ET start time) is Colorado 42 BYU 27.
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NCAAF Betting Trends
BYU Cougars: 6-3 1H ATS vs. good offensive teams - scoring 31 or more points/game. 5-2 1H ATS vs. good teams - outscoring opponents by 10+ PPG on the season. 24-13 OVER in all lined games. 7-3 OVER as an underdog of 3.5 to 10 points. 9-3 OVER off a home win.
Colorado Buffaloes: 5-10 ATS after playing a game at home. 1-6 1H ATS off a home win. 1-5 1H ATS after a game with a turnover margin of +2 or better. 6-2 OVER when the total is between 49.5 and 56. 6-1 OVER off a win against a conference rival. 11-6 OVER when playing against a team with a winning record.
Key Injuries
BYU Cougars: H. Ropati (RB) Questionable - Undisclosed. K. Epps (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed. J. Brown (OL) Out - Knee.
Colorado Buffaloes: J. Horn (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed. P. Hodge (CB) Questionable - Undisclosed. I. Augustave (RB) Questionable - Undisclosed. J. Feely (K/P) Out - Knee. N. Webb Walker (DE) Questionable - Undisclosed. R. Buell (DT) Questionable - Undisclosed. D. Ponder (QB) Questionable - Undisclosed. T. Carter (DT) Questionable - Undisclosed. P. Kirkland (OG) Questionable - Undisclosed. K. Mikell (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed. C. Russell (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed. S. Hart (TE) Questionable - Undisclosed. O. Miller (WR) Out - Leg.
Notable Quotes
“We were close to being in a conference championship game. The guys are thirsty for it and they’re hungry for it. … We’ve got some goals I think we can achieve. We’re so close now.” - Kalani Sitake after his team’s win against Houston in their regular season finale.
“Travis clinched the Heisman today with his performance.” - Deion Sanders after his team’s win against OK State in their regular season finale.
Starting Lineups
BYU Cougars
WR Marion, Keelan
WR Roberts, Chase
WR Lassiter, Darius
TE Ta'ase, Mata'ava
QB Retzlaff, Jake
RB Martin, LJ
Colorado Buffaloes
WR Sheppard, Will
WR Hunter, Travis
WR Horn Jr., Jimmy
WR Wester, LaJohntay
TE Smalls, Sav'ell
QB Sanders, Shedeur
RB Augustave, Isaiah
Statistical Leaders
BYU Cougars
Passing: J. Retzlaff (2747)
Rushing: L. Martin (630)
Receiving: C. Roberts (794)
Touchdowns: L. Martin (7)
Colorado Buffaloes
Passing: S. Sanders (3926)
Rushing: I. Augustave (373)
Receiving: T. Hunter (1152)
Touchdowns: T. Hunter (15)
Coaches:
BYU Cougars: Kalani Sitake (9th season)
Colorado Buffaloes: Deion Sanders (2nd season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
