With college football’s Week 0 come and gone, the rest of the nation will be playing respective season openers from upcoming Thursday to Monday. Naturally, Pro Hall-of-Famer Deion Sanders (aka “Coach Prime”) and his Colorado Buffaloes will be cast center stage to commence Week 1—get ready for Colorado vs. NDSU.
Back To Business In Boulder
Kicking off Thursday evening at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, the Buffs will host the NDSU Bison in a “primetime” affair, which is always fitting for the Sanders family. All eyes will be on Colorado football tonight. However, CU should not expect a walk in the park against North Dakota State.
In 2023 (Coach Prime’s first season as an FBS coach), the Golden Buffaloes produced a 4-8 overall record. Still, that included a 2-4 record at historic Folsom Field in Boulder. Also, Colorado ended last year on a six-game losing streak.
CU — having recently moved back into the Big 12 conference — will open 2024 versus a Football Championship Subdivision opponent but rest assured, NDSU presents a formidable challenge.
Dating back to 2011, the Bison have won nine FCS titles. Over the past three seasons, North Dakota State has compiled a 37-8 overall record while last winning the natty in 2021.
What To Watch For
Entering 2024, Colorado football retains the talents of playmakers Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter.
Sanders — who is the son of Coach Prime — produced a 63.0 QBR a season ago despite being sacked more than any quarterback in FBS. Meanwhile, Hunter is a two-way star that dominates outside the numbers. As a sophomore, he intercepted three balls and contributed five offensive touchdowns. Prior to tonight’s game, both Sanders and Hunter are within the top-25 players on DraftKings’ Heisman oddsboard.
Notably, the Buffs underwent substantial roster turnover. As alluded to, Sanders was sacked 52 times last year. Coach Prime has since addressed the offensive line, and really, and overall team. Heading for 2024, at least 30 football players have transferred into CU while roughly the same amount have transferred out.
Across the field, NDSU of the Missouri Valley Football Conference is dealing with significant changes of their own.
After five successful campaigns at the helm, Matt Entz has moved on to a coaching position with the USC Trojans. Incidentally, Tim Polasek has taken over the proud program in Fargo, ND. Polasek — a former quarterback at Concordia-Washington — spent the past three years as offensive coordinator for the Bison. Simply, he’ll have solid familiarity with NDSU senior signal-caller Cam Miller.
At DraftKings Sportsbook, Colorado football is a 10.5-point home favorite for Thursday’s contest against North Dakota State. The total is set at 55.5 points, which indicates a high-scoring affair. For reference, the Buffaloes scored 28.2 PPG in 2023. Conversely, the Bison churned out 38.1 PPG a year ago.
Colorado vs. NDSU Prediction
The Buffaloes were 4-8 against the spread in one campaign under Coach Prime, so I can’t say that I am thrilled to lay 10.5 points on the Buffs right out of the gate. For Colorado vs. NDSU, I am on the underdog Bison to cover in enemy territory.
Thursday’s Notable CFB Schedule
All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Game lines may shift upon publication.
7 p.m. ET: Western Carolina at No. 24 NC State (-32)
Total: 62
8 p.m. ET: NDSU at Colorado (-10.5)
Total: 55.5
8 p.m. ET: Murray State at No. 11 Missouri (-50.5)
Total: 60.5
8 p.m. ET: Lindenwood at No. 22 Kansas (-48.5)
Total: 62.5
8 p.m. ET: North Carolina (-2) at Minnesota
Total: 51
9 p.m. ET: Southern Utah at No. 12 Utah (-40)
Total: 55
Editor’s note: The advice provided by the author does not represent the views of Playboy. Taking any advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. Always use your own judgement when participating in sports betting. Still, for daily bettors, the best insight anyone ever gave me was to stay away from parlays.