Colorado (3-6, 1-5 Big 12) hosts No. 14 Houston (7-2, 4-2 Big 12) on Friday night in Week 11 of the 2026 college football season at Folsom Field in Boulder. The Cougars enter as 10.5-point road favorites, looking to stay in the Big 12 Championship race, while the Buffaloes are fighting to keep their bowl hopes alive.
Houston comes into the matchup following a 31-24 victory over Cincinnati, while Colorado is looking to bounce back from a 20-10 loss to Arizona State. The Cougars have won three of their last four games, while Deion Sanders‘ Buffaloes must win their final three games to reach bowl eligibility.
Kickoff is scheduled for 9:15 p.m. CT on ESPN. Below, we’ll break down the latest Colorado vs. Houston odds, where to watch, key injuries and expected starters, along with our prediction and pick for this Big 12 showdown.
Colorado vs. Houston Odds
- Spread: Houston -10.5
- Over/Under: 51.5
- Moneyline: Houston -385/Colorado +310
Odds as of Tuesday afternoon. Odds are subject to change.
The Biggest Question: Can Colorado Throw the Ball on the Cougars?
The Houston Cougars are having a solid season, but one thing they aren’t doing well? Stopping the pass. Cincinnati’s JC French IV threw for 217 yards and two scores, with one of his better QBR’s of the season at 81.8 in last week’s loss to the Cougars. Now, Colorado gets a crack at the Houston defense that ranks 13th in the Big 12 in passing yards allowed per game, while CU is 6th in the league in passing yards per game. If Isaac Wilson can get off to a faster start than they did last week against Arizona State, then the Buffaloes might be able to hang with the Cougars.
Colorado vs. Houston Prediction and Pick
Prediction: Houston 34, Colorado 27
This game sets up surprisingly well for Colorado. One of the areas of real struggle this season has been Colorado’s inability to protect the quarterback. However, that hasn’t been a strength of this Houston team. The Cougars rank second-to-last in the Big 12 in sacks this season, with only 15 in nine games. Meantime, Colorado has allowed 21 in their nine games played so far this season.
Colorado should open the playbook for this game against a Houston team that is better at stopping the run than the pass, but ranks 121st in the country in missed tackles. That being said, Colorado ranks the same (121st), but the point is that Colorado is likely going to have to keep pace here. A conservative playbook in this game won’t work. The Buffaloes need to try and keep Connor Weigman in the pocket as well. If he gets outside the pocket he can run, and that will end up being a long night for the CU defense. But this is a Colorado front line that has performed well this season, ranking fourth in the Big 12 in sacks.
Colorado is a much better team at home than on the road. Colorado beat Kansas State two weeks ago, played Utah closer than many expected, and gave Texas Tech a game for three and a half quarters. Now, it’s a late-night game in Boulder on a Friday night with both teams on a short week? That right there catches my attention and gives me a Colorado lean on this game. Neither team has been great against the spread, as Houston is 3-6, and Colorado is 2-6-1. But the Buffaloes have been able to get the job done at home with far more consistency.
Houston wins. Colorado covers.
