The Colorado State Rams (3-3, 1-0 Mountain West) travel to take on the Air Force Falcons (1-5, 0-3) on Saturday, Oct. 19. The game kicks off at 8 p.m. ET and can be seen live on CBS Sports Network.
Colorado State enters as a 7-point favorite with an over/under set at 45.
These two Mountain West foes play annually for the Ram-Falcon trophy, which is awarded to the winner. So, who has the inside track to winning the hardware?
Let's take a look at my Colorado State vs. Air Force predictions and college football picks for Saturday, Oct. 19.
Colorado State vs Air Force Prediction
- Colorado State vs. Air Force Pick: Air Force +7
My Colorado State–Air Force best bet is on the Falcons to cover the spread, with the best line currently available at bet365, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Colorado State vs Air Force Odds
| Colorado State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7 -110 | 44.5 -110 / -110 | -275 |
| Air Force Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7 -110 | 44.5 -110 / -110 | +245 |
- Colorado State vs Air Force Point Spread: Colorado State -7 (-110) · Air Force +7 (-110)
- Colorado State vs Air Force Total: Over/Under 44.5
- Colorado State vs Air Force Moneyline: Colorado State -275 · Air Force +245
Colorado State vs Air Force Preview
Colorado State Rams Betting Preview: Horton Injury Hurts
Colorado State comes in having alternated wins and losses this season. Last week, it defeated San Jose State by a score of 31-24. The Rams used efficient passing from quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and strong running from Avery Morrow in the win.
The Colorado State offense has shown improvement in recent weeks after some really concerning performances early on in the year.
Defensively, the Rams continue to give up a ton of yards. San Jose State racked up 448 yards but had a missed field goal and failed fourth-down conversion that stalled promising drives.
The major concern for Colorado State is that star wide receiver Tory Horton has suffered a season-ending injury. Horton was a game-changing receiver with electric speed and great catching ability. He was far and away the biggest difference-maker for this offense.
Air Force Falcons Betting Preview: Plus Matchup for Falcons?
Air Force comes in off a road loss at New Mexico last week. The Falcon defense had a tough time containing the explosive Lobo offense, which racked up 6.5 yards per carry on the ground and scored 52 points.
Air Force has struggled on offense all season, as the Falcons have lacked explosive playmakers from the “A” and “B” back positions.
Quarterback John Busha, who led the team the first four weeks, also struggled with making option reads and was below average as a passer.
The silver lining for Air Force is that it did find some offense against the Lobos in part due to making a change at quarterback. Quentin Hayes and Josh Johnson combined to go 6-of-11 for 149 yards and a touchdown pass while adding 152 yards on the ground.
The offense missed some opportunities to convert on third down, and fourth-and-short situations continue to be a problem for the Falcons.
The offensive line needs to find an attitude and get back to pushing defenders around so the fullback can start working between the tackles, which the Air Force option is predicated on.
Colorado State vs Air Force Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Colorado State and Air Force match up statistically:
Colorado State Offense vs. Air Force Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 32 | 82 | |
| Line Yards | 103 | 88 | |
| Pass Success | 91 | 107 | |
| Havoc | 93 | 127 | |
| Finishing Drives | 83 | 98 | |
| Quality Drives | 102 | 101 |  |
Air Force Offense vs. Colorado State Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 107 | 57 | |
| Line Yards | 105 | 58 | |
| Pass Success | 134 | 111 | |
| Havoc | 75 | 58 | |
| Finishing Drives | 51 | 109 | |
| Quality Drives | 118 | 98 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 65 | 69 |
| PFF Coverage | 63 | 111 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 77 | 116 |
| Middle 8 | 125 | 117 |
| Seconds per Play | 28.1 (84) | 29.1 (109) |
| Rush Rate | 56% (44) | 81% (2) |
Colorado State vs Air Force Pick & Prediction
I'm going to back the Falcons as a home 'dog in this rivalry game. There are a couple of things to like about Air Force this week.
First, the Colorado State defense is really soft up front, and Air Force should find some success running the ball here. The Rams are just 119th nationally in Defensive Standard Down EPA Per Play and 113th in Defensive Standard Down Success Rate.
The Rams don't create negative plays and have forced only six turnovers on the season. The opportunity is there for Air Force to get some push up front and get the option game working as it did against New Mexico last week.
Colorado State also ranks 130th nationally in Defensive Finishing Drives. I would expect the Falcons to be extremely methodical once they cross the 40-yard line and find ways to end drives with points.
On the other side, Air Force's defense has some advantages to limit what Colorado State wants to do on offense.
The Rams run an Air Raid offense, which can be flashy with all the passing. However, they have also been wildly inefficient with negative plays, sacks and turnovers at times. The Rams sit just 113th in Offensive Havoc Allowed, and while Air Force doesn't excel in creating negative plays, it does play sound defense and is rarely caught out of position.
The Falcon secondary has played well against the pass this season, ranking top-25 nationally in Defensive Passing Down EPA Per Play and Defensive Passing Down Success Rate.
The Falcons allow very little explosiveness through the ait, and without Horton, this CSU offense is really going to struggle to pick up the chunk plays it needs to stay on the field.
Colorado State also struggles on third down, converting just 38% of attempts on the season. Defensively, Air Force has limited its opponent's third-down production to just 37%.
This is a rivalry game, and we should see a spirited effort at home for Air Force. With the line at +7, I'm playing the Falcons to keep it close here.
Pick: Air Force +7
Colorado State vs Air Force Live: Start Time, TV Channel, How to Watch
| Location: | Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO |
| Date: | Saturday, Oct. 19 |
| Kickoff Time: | 8 p.m. ET |
| TVÂ /Â Streaming: | CBS Sports Network |
Colorado State vs Air Force Betting Trends
Colorado State vs Air Force Weather
