Will Deion Sanders lead the Buffaloes to a 4-0 start on Saturday?
No. 19 Colorado faces No. 10 Oregon in an AP Top 25 showdown in the Pac-12. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. The matchup will be televised on ABC.
Sanders has transformed a one-win program into must-see television. Colorado (3-0) has accounted for three of the top-five most-watched games this season, and quarterback Shedeur Sanders has emerged as a Heisman Trophy contender. The Buffaloes will be without two-way star Travis Hunter, who is out after suffering a lacerated liver in the 43-35 victory against Colorado State. This is Colorado's toughest test to date.
Oregon (3-0) ranks second in the FBS with 58.0 points per game under second-year coach Dan Lanning. Bo Nix has emerged as one of the most-efficient quarterbacks in college football, and the Ducks average 229.3 rushing yards per game. This is a College Football Playoff contender that will compete for the Pac-12 championship. Will Colorado upset that conversation?
This is the 25th meeting between the schools, and Oregon holds a 15-9 advantage in the series. Oregon beat Colorado 49-10 at Folsom Field on Nov. 5, 2022. Here's everything to know about betting on the Week 4 matchup between Colorado and Oregon:
MORE: Colorado-Colorado State sets viewer record for time slot
Colorado-Oregon odds
Here are the odds for Saturday's game between Colorado and Oregon.
Odds courtesy of BetMGM. Click HERE to sign up!
- Spread: Oregon -20.5
- Over/under: 70.5
- Moneyline: Oregon -1000, Colorado +650
That line hasn't moved from the open, and that's high over total for a game between ranked teams. The Ducks' last two games against FBS opponents have hit the under. Colorado has hit the over in two of its three games.
Three trends to know
— Colorado was a 21-point underdog in Week 1 against TCU. The Buffaloes won a 45-42 shootout on the road. This is a tougher challenge, but not impossible. Colorado did beat Oregon 41-38 at Autzen Stadium in 2016.
— Oregon is 3-0 ATS this season. The Ducks are 13-1 S/U and 11-3 ATS as a favorite under Lanning, and that includes a 7-1 S/U and 7-1 ATS record at home. Washington beat the Ducks 37-34 at Autzen Stadium on Nov. 21, 2021.
—According to USA Today, last week's Colorado game was the most-bet game on the college football side. At BetMGM sportsbooks, 93% of bets against the spread were in Colorado's favor. A total of 95% of the moneyline bets were on Colorado. Will that be the case against Oregon?
Three things to watch
Shedeur Sanders under pressure
Sanders has been incredible for the Buffaloes through three games, and his accuracy and play-making skills have put him in the Heisman Trophy conversation. Sanders has thrown one interception despite taking 15 sacks, and that is the test here. How do the Ducks balance pressure and contain against Sanders. The answer will be more pressure. According to Pro Football Focus, Sanders has a 58.3% completion percentage when blitzed. He'll need receivers Xavier Weaver (386 yards, 2 TDs) and Jimmy Horn Jr. (247 yards, 2 TDs) to step up.
BENDER: 'Brady mode' - Shedeur Sanders shows clutch gene vs. Colorado St.
The Bo Nix experience
Nix has been even better in his second year with the Ducks. He's 76 of 98 for 893 yards, eight TDs and no interceptions. He's been efficient in all phases of the passing game, and this is his first game against a ranked opponent this season. Colorado has six interceptions through two games, and Shiloh Sanders' pick six against Colorado State was a reminder that Sanders has coached this secondary well. Dating back to last season, Nix threw just one interception in the second half. The Buffaloes will need to take chances early if they want those game-changing turnovers.
Oregon's running game
Oregon has three running backs averaging 7.0 yards per carry or more in Bucky Irving (216 yards, 3 TDs), Jordan James (155 yards, 5 TDs) and Western Kentucky transfer Noah Whittington (101 yards, TD). Nix averages 5.5 yards per carry, and if Colorado cannot slow down that rushing attack it is going to be trouble. The Buffaloes allow 195.3 rushing yards per game and 5.0 yards per carry. Linebacker Jordan Domineck has 4.5 tackles for loss. He'll need to be at his best in this one.
Stat that matters
Will Colorado avoid a first-half knockout? The Ducks have outscored opponents 102-23 in the first half, and that high-tempo offense can put a team behind in a hurry. Colorado has outscored opponents 44-35 in the first half, but they trailed Colorado State 21-14 last week before Shedeur Sanders' led an improbable fourth-quarter comeback. If Colorado can keep this close in the first half – judging by what we've seen in the first three weeks – anything and everything feasibly could happen. That's the challenge for Sanders.
Colorado vs. Oregon prediction
The spread is high, and the odds are against the Buffaloes here. Isn't that when Deion Sanders has been at his best so far? We would have liked to see Hunter in a matchup with Oregon receiver Troy Franklin, a receiver averaging 17.2 yards per catch with three TDs. The Ducks have the advantage up front, and Franklin will score a pair of TDs from Nix. This won't be a full-scale blowout, however. Shedeur Sanders will make enough plays to allow Colorado to battle back in the second half and offer a tease for next week's matchup with No. 5 USC. The Ducks, however, will improve to 4-0.
Final score: Oregon 48, Colorado 28
