The Utah Utes have dominated the Colorado Buffaloes, boasting an 11-2 record since their rivalry was reignited in 2011. However, their seven-game winning streak faces a serious challenge in Week 12, as the Buffaloes fight to keep their Big 12 Championship hopes alive.
Our Utah vs. Colorado prediction breaks down the matchup, providing crucial betting insights to help you make confident wagers.
Utah vs. Colorado Betting Preview
All Utah vs. Colorado odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. The CFN spread comes from College Football Network’s Football Playoff Meter.
- CFN FPM Spread
Colorado -10.5 - Spread
Colorado -13.5 - Moneyline
Colorado -550, Utah +410 - Over/Under
44.5 points - Game Time
Noon ET, Saturday, Nov. 16 - Location
Folsom Field | Boulder, Colo. - Predicted Weather at Kick
45 degrees, 5 mph winds, sunny - How To Watch
Fox
These two teams couldn’t be more different in terms of their betting trends. The Utes are 1-4 against the spread in their last five games, and the under has gone under in five of their last six contests.
MORE: CFN Betting Parlay Calculator
On the flip side, Colorado is 7-0 ATS in its previous seven outings, with the total going over in four of the past six games.
Utah’s Winning Probability
The Utes are at the bottom of the Big 12 with a 1-5 conference record and are three games away from posting their first losing season since 2013. At 4-5, they need two wins to avoid the feat, but ranked matchups with Colorado and Iowa State are next up.
- at Colorado: 21.9%
- vs. Iowa State: 41.1%
- at UCF: 51.8%
Colorado’s Winning Probability
The Buffaloes are already bowl-eligible at 7-2 on the season, their first time in five years. In fact, they have had seven or more wins in a single campaign since 2016 (10-4). But Deion Sanders and Co. aren’t settling — as long as they win out, they’re in the conference championship. According to the FPM, the road is rather easy.
- vs. Utah: 78.1%
- at Kansas: 73.4%
- vs. Oklahoma State: 84.2%
Prediction for Utah vs. Colorado
The 2024 “Rumble in the Rockies” is shaping up to be anything but a fair fight. The Utes, once preseason favorites, have been derailed by a wave of setbacks—losing QB Cam Rising (again), TE Brant Kuithe (again), WR Money Parks, and making a midseason switch from offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig to Mike Bajakian.
The fallout? A brutal five-game losing streak after a promising 4-0 start. They came heartbreakingly close to upsetting BYU in Week 11, only to fall short in a gut-wrenching 22-21 loss.
Now, with Brandon Rose joining Cam Rising and Sam Huard on the injured list, Utah is down to true freshman Isaac Wilson and Luke Bottari as their last quarterbacks standing.
On the other side, Colorado comes armed with Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. Need we say more? Utah’s defense, to their credit, won’t roll over—they rank 18th in passing yards allowed per game (175.0) and 19th in red-zone defense (75.0%).
Even so, Sanders and Hunter are poised to find opportunities, even against a tough secondary. Utah’s offense, however, tells the story of their struggles, ranking 114th in net points per drive and 112th in success rate—numbers that make it hard to stay competitive in shootouts. Factor in the emotional toll from the BYU loss and Colorado is primed to take advantage.
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season With CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
Back the Buffs to win and cover against a banged-up Utah squad. As for the total, the under seems like the smart play in what could be a gritty, low-scoring battle.
Prediction: Colorado 30, Utah 13
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