The crowd at Folsom Field will look to assist in getting the Colorado Buffaloes (7-2, 5-1 Big 12) into the Big 12 Championship game when they host the Utah Utes (4-5, 1-5) on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET on FOX.
Nearly half of Big 12 sits within range of making it to Arlington with the Buffaloes' lone conference loss to Kansas State separating them from the pack.
Head coach Deion Sanders survived a trip to Lubbock last week with some help from some questionable officiating.
The Utes, meanwhile, had questionable penalties called against them in a sequence that prevented an upset over BYU in the Holy War. A defensive holding call negated a defensive play that would have all but sealed the victory before BYU kicked a 44-yard field goal at the buzzer.
Utah must rebound from the Holy War loss if it wants to make the postseason. The Utes have been hammered by injuries all season, sitting at 4-5, and need two wins in the final three games to clinch a bowl berth.
Colorado opened as a -10 favorite and took steam to settle at -11.5, while the over/under sits at 46.5.
Let's dive into my Utah vs. Colorado predictions and college football picks for Saturday, Nov. 16.
Utah vs Colorado Prediction
- Utah vs. Colorado Pick: First Half Under 23.5
My Colorado vs. Utah best bet is on both teams to stay under the first-half total, with the best line currently available at DraftKings, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Utah vs Colorado Odds
| Utah Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+11.5 -110 | 46.5 -110 / -110 | +350 |
| Colorado Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-11.5 -110 | 46.5 -110 / -110 | -450 |
- Utah vs Colorado Spread: Utah +11.5 (-110) · Colorado -11.5 (-110)
- Utah vs Colorado Over/Under: 46.5 Points
- Utah vs Colorado Moneyline: Utah +350 · Colorado -450
Utah vs Colorado Preview
Utah Utes Betting Preview: Injuries Continue to Weigh Down Offense
Utah found life at quarterback against BYU with first-time starter Brandon Rose. The freshman connected on 12-of-21 passing without committing a single turnover-worthy play while recording a pair of touchdowns to running back Micah Bernard and tight end Brant Kuithe.
However, Rose suffered a season-ending injury against the Cougars, giving Isaac Wilson the start.
Utah's struggles on the offensive end have come down to injuries and inefficiency this season, ranking bottom-20 nationally in Passing Success Rate, Stuff Rate and Finishing Drives.
Interim offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian must now deal with losing the best red-zone option on the team, as Kuithe was injured in the third quarter against BYU. Whittingham said the serious nature of the injury would make it season-ending.
The sixth-year senior was second in targets on the offense, just after wideout Dorian Singer.
Kuithe was not just important in the passing game, but he was also a top weapon in goal-line situations in direct snap wildcat packages.
Singer and Kuithe received 14-of-20 targets from Rose against BYU, leaving Utah without a top offensive weapon against Colorado.
Utah's defense continues to be the primary driver, limiting BYU to a low 36% Success Rate in passing attempts. The Utes cooked on third downs, as BYU converted just one of its 12 attempts with an average distance of 9.4 yards to go.
Defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley's unit plays a high rate of man and Cover 1 against opposing offenses, ranking as the top defense nationally in creating contested catches, per Sports Info Solutions.
While the rush defense also sits in the top 10 in many advanced analytics, the Utes are top-10 in preventing Quality Drives and Points per Opportunity as well.
Colorado Buffaloes Betting Preview: Defense Rising Up
Colorado's four-game road winning streak is its longest in nearly 25 years, thanks to three turnovers by Texas Tech in a Week 11 victory. The Red Raiders spotted Colorado prime field position that was converted for 10 points, while a late scoop-and-score touchdown widened the winning margin to two touchdowns.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders continues to put up video game numbers, going 30-of-43 for three touchdowns.
With injuries limiting LaJohntay Wester and Jimmy Horn, Heisman favorite Travis Hunter has been a dominant force on offense.
Hunter pulled 16 targets against Texas Tech, leading Colorado with 85 on the season, including nine touchdowns. Hunter has now logged 525 snaps on offense and 519 snaps on defense.
Plays like this is why Travis Hunter could be the first CB ever selected first in the NFL Draft
He has elite ball skills as a WR to begin with. A guy like that in coverage as a cornerback? That’s a massive difference-maker for your defense pic.twitter.com/OugQHpNwYM
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) November 9, 2024
Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston has improved the Colorado defense week after week, ranking inside the top 30 in Havoc.
The 2-4-5 defense sits just outside the top 50 in opponent rushing efficiency and pass rush, but man and Cover 1 have led the Buffaloes to a top-20 grade in coverage per PFF.
Scoring attempts by opponents continue to fall in the way of Colorado, which has moved inside the top 30 in points per trip inside the Buffaloes 40-yard line.
Utah vs Colorado Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Utah and Colorado match up statistically:
Utah Offense vs. Colorado Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 95 | 51 | |
| Line Yards | 89 | 62 | |
| Pass Success | 123 | 31 | |
| Havoc | 107 | 29 | |
| Finishing Drives | 115 | 27 | |
| Quality Drives | 99 | 35 | |
Colorado Offense vs. Utah Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 77 | 7 | |
| Line Yards | 114 | 11 | |
| Pass Success | 23 | 27 |  |
| Havoc | 91 | 32 | |
| Finishing Drives | 39 | 8 | |
| Quality Drives | 59 | 10 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 125 | 61 |
| PFF Coverage | 57 | 19 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 79 | 98 |
| Middle 8 | 45 | 16 |
| Seconds per Play | 30.2 (124) | 25.9 (40) |
| Rush Rate | 53% (74) | 43% (127) |
Utah vs Colorado Pick & Prediction
Deion Sanders is not taking Utah lightly, noting his respect for Whittingham and that the Utah defense is best in class. Sanders was happy about the Utes coming to Folsom Field, also indicating that a game earlier in the day was beneficial for the Buffaloes as opposed to a night kickoff.
The biggest handicap in the game will come when Shedeur Sanders takes the field with the Colorado offense against the Utah defense.
Sanders has middling numbers against man coverage, producing a 53% Success Rate in 117 dropbacks. The signal-caller also has average efficiency numbers against Cover 1 — Utah's preferred look defensively.
Colorado's passing game has produced the most success and explosive plays from hitches, the only passing route Utah has failed to defend this season.
The good news for Utah is its top overall rank in creating contested catches, as a battle is expected against Sanders' rank of 23rd nationally in on-target balls.
Utah also ranks second nationally in creating three-and-out possessions by their opponent, an area where the Colorado offense ranks in the bottom 35 of all FBS teams.
Considering the limitations of the Utah offense, a methodical drive out of either team is not expected.
Colorado's scoring differential indicates that there could be struggles out of the gate. The Buffaloes have a negative point differential in the first quarter and a top-10 scoring defense in the third quarter.
The opening script has not produced points for Colorado, but halftime adjustments have put the Buffaloes in the lead and increased their Middle 8 ranking.
Look for this FOX Big Noon kickoff between two West Coast teams to take a few series before generating any kind of offense, as Utah continues to search for an offensive identity without its star tight end.
Pick: First Half Under 23.5
Utah vs Colorado Start Time, TV Channel, How to Watch
| Location: | Folsom Field, Boulder, CO |
| Date: | Saturday, Nov. 16 |
| Kickoff Time: | 12 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | FOX |
Utah takes on Colorado in Boulder on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 12 p.m. ET on FOX.
Utah vs Colorado Betting Trends
- 60% of bets and 58% of the money are on Colorado to cover the spread
- 98% of bets and 97% of the money on the moneyline are on Colorado to win outright
- 72% of bets and 59% of the money are on the over
Betting trends via our live, updating NCAAF public betting & money percentages page.
Utah vs Colorado Weather
