Pac 12 Gambling – Colorado vs. Arizona State Preview
The hapless Buffaloes head into Tempe, Arizona to take on the Sun Devils of Arizona State on Saturday.
Buffaloes v Sun Devils
When: Saturday, 6:30 PM EST
Where: Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona
TV: N/A
LINE: -31 (Arizona State), O/U 56.5
Colorado is coming off of yet another loss of 20 or more points. That makes three in a row now, and four games out of the last five.
Their only points a week ago were a result of a misplayed punt. They forced a safety on that play and that is the only thing that saved the Buffaloes from being shut out a week ago in their 45-2 loss. To boot that game was at home and things probably won’t get any better anytime soon.
After last week’s performance, Colorado is now 1-7 , with an 0-4 mark in conference play. Good for last in the PAC12 south unsurprisingly. They rank near the bottom in most statistical categories, which is where you would expect a 1-7 team to be.
They sit at 113th in rushing yards, 107th in points per game, then 117th in points allowed. The latter number is over 37 points per game. Not a good sign when going up against a top 50 offense.
The one semi bright note is that they can sling the ball around on occasion. They average over 225 yards through the air per contest. If Arizona State has a weakness that can be exploited in this one, it is their passing defense that ranks in the bottom half of the country. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
The Sun Devils meanwhile, are coming off of a tough loss in Eugene against Oregon. If not for a back breaking interception at the end of the first half, we could be looking at a top 15, one loss team here.
Sophomore quarterback Brock Osweiler had another solid day at the office, throwing for nearly 300 yards and two scores. What killed the Sun Devils though, were the two picks that he threw in crucial situations. When you have a rushing game that ranks in the bottom third of the country, you have to limit those mistakes against top flight competition.
What the Sun Devils lack on the ground, they more than make up for it in the passing department. They have a top 20 passing attack, which should be more than enough to secure a win in this one.
This week they are fortunate to face Colorado in their one break at home amidst a run of four of five road games. Osweiler should be able to exploit this horrendous Buffalo defense into a few scores.
Matt’s Prediction: Colorado 13 Arizona State 34- This one is going to get out of hand in a hurry. This Colorado team just isn’t ready for Pac 12 play, or any BCS league play for that matter. You combine that with an Arizona State team that is on the upswing and you get a game that is destined to be a blowout from the opening kickoff.
