This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
College Football Picks: Colorado vs. TCU Best Bets
Week 0 was all well and good, a nice bit of a taste for us college football diehards. However, just because I watched San Diego State versus Ohio doesn't mean I want to live in that reality forever. Fortunately, Week 1 is bringing the heat, including what is to me the most fascinating game on the slate, even if it is highly unlikely to be the most competitive. In TCU, we have a program with nowhere to go but down, and in Colorado, a program with nowhere to go but up. That being said, while teams can dip pretty swiftly, building up a program takes more time, especially for a first-time FBS head coach. Deion Sanders is a huge name, but he's a total mystery from a coaching standpoint.
Colorado vs. TCU Betting Odds for Week 1
~List the spread, totals, and ML odds, and please note which sportsbook you're using
Spread: TCU -20.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Total: 63.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Moneyline: TCU -1000 (Caesars), Colorado +720 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
You might see this line and think the FanDuel sportsbook is not reflecting the Deion hype at first blush. However, I think it very much is. The intrigue around Deion and what he might do at Colorado has probably led to enough money being thrown on Colorado to get the spread down to +20.5 for it. This, to me, represents some heavy-duty Week 1 wishful thinking from Buffaloes fans and Deion believers.
Start your 2023 college football season with a Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code featuring $250 in bonus bets!
Colorado vs. TCU Betting Picks for Week 1
There's no fun and little value in going with a moneyline like this for TCU. Totals are also something I am currently unsure about due to the tweak in clock rules for college football. ESPN's Bill Connelly, progenitor of SP+, has noted that after trying to figure out how the clock rules will impact things, he saw his projections so far all hitting the under, which feels like something needs to be smoothed out.
As hinted at, though, I am totally good with the spread on TCU. They are heavy favorites but not heavy enough in my mind. If all it takes from the Horned Frogs is a three-touchdown win, at home no less, I'm happy to hammer that in Week 1. This may be the most value you get in a Colorado game all season because I believe reality is about to set in.
Colorado vs. TCU Best Bet: TCU -20.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook
Get in on the 2023 college football campaign with a FanDuel Promo Code for $200 in bonus bets!
Colorado vs. TCU Predictions for Week 1
It is time to address the circumstances for both of these teams. The Horned Frogs went to the title game last season but have lost a lot of talent, including quarterback Max Duggan. However, they still have Chandler Morris, who was the starter when the 2022 campaign began, and AP voters had enough enthusiasm for what is left down in Fort Worth to have the Frogs ranked 17th to start the year.
The Buffaloes have undergone a seismic shift in roster the likes of which is truly unprecedented in college football. Deion Sanders came in and put the transfer portal into overdrive. This is not the same Colorado team, but also the Colorado team that was in place was terrible. The Buffaloes finished 124th in SP+ last season, and the next worst Power Five team was Northwestern at 111. Colorado's defense was last in points allowed per game. Sanders had to do a ton of work, and bringing a bunch of FCS guys from Jackson State is likely not the solution. Shedeur Sanders, Deion's son and the team's new starting quarterback, is making a massive leap in quality of opposition.
Last year, when these teams met in Boulder, TCU won 38-13, which would have beat this spread, and that was the one game Morris started at quarterback. Yes, TCU will be worse this year, but there is no guarantee Colorado will be better. With this game being at TCU and with a totally revamped Colorado roster having had zero game experience together, I think TCU wins in a walk. It is the kind of result that gives every Deion Sanders hater fuel for the fire on social media. Winning by 25 again feels like the floor for the Horned Frogs, barring garbage-time weirdness in the fourth quarter.
