Week 7 in the Big 12 wraps up late Saturday night in Boulder as No. 11 Utah travels to face Colorado on ESPN. The Utes remain firmly in the Big 12 championship picture after another impressive offensive performance against Kansas, while Colorado gets an opportunity to shake up the conference race with an upset at Folsom Field. Can the Buffaloes slow down Utah, or will the Utes keep rolling? Here’s our Utah vs. Colorado prediction, pick and preview.
Utah vs. Colorado Odds
- Spread: Utah -15.5
- Over/Under: 49.5
- Moneyline: Utah -720/Colorado +500
Odds as of Tuesday afternoon. Odds are subject to change.
The Biggest Question: Can Isaac Wilson Make Utah Pay?
Isaac Wilson is getting the start again at quarterback for Colorado in place of JuJu Lewis, who began the year under center for the Buffaloes. The former Utes quarterback got the start two weeks ago against Texas Tech and went 26-of-44 for 290 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. Now, he gets a shot at his former team and a Utah secondary that had some issues against Kansas last week. That was the first real sign we’ve seen that the Utes may have a weakness that can be exploited. Even so, Utah has dominated this season and remains a perfect 5-0 against the spread. With the Utes laying another big number, can Wilson and the Colorado offense score enough to keep up?
Utah vs. Colorado Prediction and Pick
Prediction: Utah 34, Colorado 20
Utah comes in with the most efficient offense in the Big 12 and the most efficient defense in the conference. But has some of that been a product of the schedule? The Utes’ strength of schedule ranks 113th nationally.
Now they’re going up against a Colorado team that has played one of the toughest schedules in the country, ranking No. 11 nationally. The Buffaloes are also coming off a bye week and playing at home. That’s worth something. But asking me to roll with Colorado and Isaac Wilson to win this game outright is a bridge too far.
However, Utah’s pass defense showed some cracks against Kansas last week that the Buffs may be able to exploit, especially with Wilson getting two weeks of first-team reps. Plus, Colorado’s defensive yards per play ranks in the Top 50 in the country, which considering their SOS, is pretty impressive. The final score vs. Texas Tech doesn’t do the Buffaloes performance justice. They were in the game for three and a half quarters before the game spiraled. The betting market also catches my attention. More than 90% of the tickets and money are backing Utah at some books, yet the Utes have moved from roughly a 16.5-point favorite to around 15.5 or 16. If nearly everyone is betting Utah and the number isn’t climbing with them, I’m comfortable going the other way.
Give me Colorado, at home and off the bye, to keep this closer than expected.
Utah wins. Colorado Covers. .
