Colorado Buffaloes vs. Arizona St. Sun Devils Week 7 Betting Predictions & Preview

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The Arizona State Sun Devils are coming off of a tough three-point loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, while the Colorado Buffaloes were completely blown out by the No. 2 Oregon Ducks in Week 6. Both teams are looking to prove they’re better than their most recent showings, and both will look to bounce back against one another on Saturday.

Colorado (2-2, 0-2 Pac-12) @ Arizona State (3-2, 1-1 Pac-12)
Saturday, Oct. 12 10:00 PM ET @ Sun Devil Stadium
Moneyline: N/A
Spread: Arizona State -25
O/U: 66.5 -110
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Colorado

The Sun Devils may not have the offensive prowess of the Oregon Ducks, but they’re going to put Colorado’s defense to the test. ASU is averaging 42.2 points per contest, which is good enough for 17th in the country.

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When it comes to stopping Arizona State, defending the pass is crucial. The Sun Devils are about as one dimensional as it comes, as they are the 9th-best passing team in the country and the 96th-best running team. Putting pressure on Taylor Kelly is going to be part of the game plan, but locking down Marion Grice has to be priority No. 1. The do-it-all senior tailback has tallied 13 total touchdowns thus far—eight on the ground and five through the air. Both of those numbers lead the team in each category.

On the offensive side of the ball, Colorado has to find a way to balance the running game with the air attack. The team is 26th in the country in passing yards per contest, but it is just 110th in rushing. The passing game hasn’t resulted in nearly as many points as ASU, as the Buffaloes are scoring just 28 points per game.

Arizona State

Offensively, Arizona State is going to score points. Colorado is just 114th in points allowed, as it is giving up 38 points per contest. ASU will find ways to put the ball in the endzone, which means defense will make or break the outcome. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

If the Buffaloes are going to balance their attack, the Sun Devils must become better at stopping the run. The team is giving up 182.8 yards per game on the ground, meaning the front seven needs to do a better job if it wants to improve in points allowed (30 per game).

If the Buffaloes are unable to balance their attack, the Sun Devils still have a heavy task ahead in stopping Connor Wood. The quarterback hasn’t been spectacular on the year, as he’s thrown for just eight touchdowns and six interceptions, but ASU has been underwhelming when it comes to getting into the backfield.

The Sun Devils have recorded just seven sacks entering Week 7. Will Sutton and Carl Bradford have combined for just three thus far, which is a big reason the defense has floundered after its impressive showing a year ago.

Arizona State has had its issues up to this point, but it has also shown a lot of potential. Luckily for the Sun Devils, their level of competition isn’t too high this weekend.

Arizona State enters Saturday as a 25-point favorite, and while that may seem like a lot for a team with defensive struggles, it’s not farfetched against the Buffaloes. Colorado struggles on both sides of the ball, and ASU should be able to take full advantage at home.

Score Prediction: Arizona State 48 – Colorado 23