Wiz NCAAF 1-2
Kelso
3 Units Colorado State (+10½) over Colorado
Colorado State (+10 ½) over COLORADO Prediction: Colorado by 3-4 Starting Time: 7:00 TV: FSN Comments: Both teams begin the season with far more questions than answers but the figures say they are almost equal in levels of talent, depth and experience—and that means we must take the underdog. The +10 ½ is just too much to pass up.
Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the South at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 75.
Cajun-Sports
Game: Colorado State Rams @ Colorado Buffalos
Graded Selection: 3* Colorado Buffalos -11
The annual Rocky Mountain meeting between the Colorado State Rams and the Colorado Buffalos takes place in Boulder this year. This season-opening in-state rivalry has been played in Denver nine of the last eleven years but the Buffs have a distinct advantage getting the Rams on their home turf to begin the 2009 campaign.
The Rams open the season off a bowl win over a very weak Fresno State team 40 to 35 in the New Mexico Bowl. This after winning their final two regular season games but they were terrible in the middle portion of the year losing five of seven at one point.
Colorado State’s defense was their Achilles heel last season, allowing 6.2 yards per play. We do not expect much improvement this season as they only return five starters from that team. This was a defensive unit that allowed 190 yards rushing per game on 5.3 yards per carry and tonight they face one of the most improved rushing attacks in the country.
On offense the Rams must replace QB Billy Farris and leading rusher Gartrell Johnson who had 1476 yards on the ground with an average of 5.3 yards per carry. New starting QB Grant Stucker will be throwing to returning starters Rashaun Greer and Dion Morton, who combined for 1973 yards at 17.3 yards per catch.
The strength of the Buffalos defense is against the pass and we expect them to be able to control the pace and tempo when the Rams have the ball. They will be helped by the fact that Colorado should be able to control the clock on offense and sustain drives with a very solid rushing attack.
Colorado returns 9 on the offensive side of the ball this season although it appears we have a QB controversy between incumbent QB Cody Hawkins (the coach’s son) and Tyler Hansen. Head Coach Dan Hawkins is not naming a starter until game time, but the most recent word out of Buffs camp is the edge is with Hawkins, who threw for 1,892 yards, 17 TDs and 10 INTs last season.
Colorado State went just 2-5 ATS on the road in 2008 and 1-4 ATS when installed as a road underdog. The Buffs are 14-7 ATS as a double-digit favorite their last 21 qualifying contests. Our TPR (Team Performance Ratings) Index has Colorado by 13.8 points over the CSU Rams and our PPR (Player Performance Ratings) Index favors the host here as the Buffalos open the 2009 campaign with a win by 14.1 points over the visiting Colorado State Rams on Sunday night in Boulder.
Graded Selection: 3* Colorado Buffalos 29 Colorado State Rams 14