Colorado State vs Texas NCAAF Week 1 Betting Preview and Prediction August 31, 2024

Posted 2 months ago |  Betting Previews and Predictions, Featured, NCAAF  |  0 comments

Colorado State vs Texas August 31, 2024 @ Austin, TX

Opening Betting Odds

Spread: Texas -36, Colorado State +36
Moneyline: Texas N/A, Colorado State N/A
Total: 59

Preview

Texas and Oklahoma make the move to SEC in 2024, and Texas is expected to have no trouble making the adjustments. The Longhorns are a 2-1 favorite to make the College Football Playoffs, and only Georgia has shorter odds to win the SEC.

Colorado State is projected to finish in the middle of the pack in the Mountain West, and the bookmakers have set their win total at 6.5. The last time the Rams played a team ranked in the Top 10 was in Week 1 of the 2022 season when they lost 51-7 at Michigan.

Texas

• 12-2 Overall in 2023
• 8-1 in the BIG12 in 2023
• 7-6-1 ATS in 2023

The Longhorns bring back veteran quarterback Quinn Ewers who lead them to a dozen wins and a playoff appearance in 2023. They lost some players to the NFL draft, but the transfer portal allowed them to add comparable talent the likes of Isaiah Bond and Amari Niblack from Alabama.

The offensive line brings back four starters, and Jayden Blue and CJ Baxter combined to rush for over 1000 yards as the second and third string backs last season.

The defense has also been overhauled with incoming transfers, defensive tackle Tiaoalii Savea from Arizona, safety Andrew Mukuba from Clemson), edge rusher Trey Moore from UTSA and at linebacker Kendrick Blackshire comes over from Alabama.

Colorado State

• 5-7 Overall in 2023
• 3-5 in the MW in 2023
• 4-8 ATS in 2023

The Rams are trending in the right direction heading into the third season under head coach Jay Norvell. They have the returning talent to continue to make strides in 2024, starting with quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi.

Turnovers were an issue for Fowler-Nicolosi throwing for 16 interceptions, but he also led the Mountain West in passing yards per game (288), and threw for 3,460 yards and 22 TDs. He will get his top target back with All Conference WR Tory Horton returning.

Colorado state brings back three starters on the offensive line, and they have six starters returning on defense. They won’t be the most talented team in the Mountain West but they should be competitive in most games.

Relevant Trends

• The Rams are 1-8 SU in their last 9 road games.
• The Rams are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 in Week 1.
• The Under is 7-3 in the Longhorns last 10 on Saturday.
• The Longhorns are 6-0 SU in their last 6 in Augusts.
• The Longhorns are 7-0 SU in their last 7 home games.

PREDICTION: TEXAS 48 – COLORADO STATE 17

The Longhorns should beat the pants off this Rams team, and if they really wanted to they could cover a 36-point spread. We expect them to dominate the first half, but when you look up at the schedule and see a road game at Michigan the following Saturday, you might think any coach in his right mind will pull the starters halfway through the third quarter which might allow the Rams to score a few meaningless points in garbage time.

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