You knew we’d jump on the Coach Prime bandwagon. And you knew we’d bring receipts.
After steering clear last week of Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes against national runner-up TCU Horned Frogs—which were 20.5-point favorites—we’re ready to board the hype train. At least this week.
We’re cautiously examining real estate on another bandwagon: that of fallen power Texas A&M Aggies. Good quarterbacks and good offensive coordinators against mediocre teams make for good bandwagons.
But with that, we’re saving a place on another, more grounded, bandwagon: that of the two-time defending Pac-12 champions, which provided my only win last week. As with Colorado and Texas A&M, the Utah Utes have a capable quarterback. Unlike those two, the Utes also have a more consistent program that won’t take you and your nervous system on a trip on a runaway carousel.
Last week’s record: 1-2. Season: 1-2.
Fasten Your Seat Belts for This One
Who among you had Shedeur Sanders as the Pac-12’s most prolific quarterback last week on your Pac-12 Quarterback Bingo Cards? We didn’t think so. Now, who among you didn’t bat an eyelash when this line opened Nebraska -8.5 on Aug. 23? We thought so. After Sanders chewed up the Horned Frogs for a school-record 510 yards and four touchdowns in Colorado’s 44-42 shocker, the line now sits Colorado MINUS-2.5. That’s right, an 11-point swing.
Bandwagons can be dangerous places, even when you bring receipts—as Sanders’ father and Colorado coach Sanders—advised all of us in his I-told-you-so postgame press conference last week. What receipts we’re bringing center on the fact that this old-school trip into the Big 8 Wayback Machine is in Boulder, which is hyped up to Taylor Swift-esque levels of madness with fans—already naturally hostile to the Nebraska Cornhuskers —lying in wait for this game. They’re also centered on the fact that Colorado—while a defensive liability—is loaded with athletes. Athletes who—once they find space—are an offensive liability to opponents.
More athletes than Matt Rhule’s Cornhuskers, who probably feel like early Christians walking into the Roman Colosseum. If being whipsawed by an 11-point line movement is too much shock, there’s playing Colorado at -160 on the moneyline. And there’s the fact the Cornhuskers are 6-3-1 against the spread in their last 10 games. We, however, will play all those cards: the athletes, the home field advantage, the hype, even the bend-and-break defense, and hang out on the spread bandwagon at least one more week.
Prediction: Colorado -2.5 (-110 at Caesars)
Watch: Saturday, Noon ET, FOX or fuboTV
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Utes Grin and Bear It
We don’t know if Utah Utes’ quarterback Cam Rising will make his 2023 debut after tearing his ACL in the Rose Bowl Game, although he’s been cleared to play and is listed atop the depth chart. But what we do know is Baylor Bears quarterback Blake Shapen won’t play after injuring his MCL in last week’s 41-31 loss to Texas State.
What else do we know? Well, we know that Baylor’s defense allowed Texas State (that’s STATE, not Texas singular) 441 total yards. We know the Bears were that defensively generous as four-touchdown favorites. We know that after Baylor went 6-7 last year, that head coach Dave Aranda’s seat is feeling a tad warm right about now. And we know that No. 12 Utah had little trouble manhandling the Florida Gators last week, even with backup QB Bryson Barnes at the controls. Utah is simply the better team, the better coached team and the team in better form. Besides, did we mention Baylor lost to Texas STATE last week? Yes, that we know as well.
Prediction: Utah -7.5 (-110 at Caesars)
Watch: Saturday, Noon ET, ESPN or fuboTV
Old Dog Teaches Aggies New Tricks
Here’s a game where you need to pay rapt attention to the line, which opened with the Texas A&M Aggies favored by anywhere from 6 to 7.5. As of this writing, it’s down to 4.5, which signals money coming in on the home dog.
With that, it also signals rapt interest in the road favorite. Especially since this is a Texas A&M team that apparently found the offense that was missing for most of 2022. Finding the missing Aggies’ offense is brought to you by new offensive coordinator—the well-traveled Bobby Petrino—with assistance from former five-star QB recruit Conner Weigman. All the pair did last week was steamroll a bad New Mexico Lobos’ team, 52-10, via five Weigman touchdown passes.
Yes, New Mexico may be one of the worst teams in FBS, but this indicates that a repeat of last year’s hideous 17-9 Aggies’ victory, where Texas A&M gained a mere 264 yards of total offense, is unlikely. As for the Miami Hurricanes, they ran amok in a 38-3 beating of Miami of Ohio Redhawks, gaining 250 yards on the ground. But while the Hurricanes are improved from last year’s squad, they still can’t be trusted against a physical, marquee opponent, especially after going 0-2 as home underdogs last year. Keep an eye on that line, in case it creeps back up to the 7 or 7.5 neighborhood, which indicates a possible flip to Miami. But as 4.5-point favorites, we like the heretofore AWOL Aggies to cover.
Prediction: Texas A&M -4.5 over Miami (-110 at BetMGM)
Watch: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC or fuboTV
