The Colorado Buffaloes get a chance to prove their new Top 25 ranking is not a fluke as they visit the USC Trojans on Saturday in a Week 6 matchup that can be seen on the Pac-12 Network. The Buffaloes are ranked No. 21 in the latest AP Poll making it the first time they have been ranked since 2005. Colorado will be facing a USC team that has been a disappointment so far this season going 2-3. It has been nothing but misery for the Buffaloes against the Trojans in this series as they have lost all ten previous meetings.
This matchup in Week 6 of the regular season will take place on Saturday, October 8, 2016, at 4 p.m. ET at Memorial Coliseum.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
USC -4.5
Colorado +4.5
Odds Analysis
The Trojans opened up as 6.5 point favorites in this contest. The wiseguys jumped all over what looks to have been a bad opening number as the line quickly dropped to 4.5.
There is no reason to think the number on this game won’t continue to drop as it was very surprising to see USC laying points in this game to begin with. Rarely do you see a number drop all the way below the key number of three but it would not surprise me to see the wiseguys continue to pound this number until it reaches 3.
Matchup to Watch
The Colorado offense going against the USC defense is the matchup to watch in this contest. Colorado’s offense has been excellent this season as they are averaging 43.2 points per game good for 16th in the country. Colorado rolled over Oregon State last week 47-6 as freshman quarterback Steven Montez threw three TDs to Shay Fields.
Colorado was a double-digit favorite against the Beavers last week making it the first time since 2005 the Buffaloes were laying 10 points or more. "It proves we're legitimate, maybe, that we can do it," Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre said. "Everybody kept asking me all week, `Are they going to have a letdown? Did they play out of their minds?' Like I said since Day 1, we're a good football team."
Colorado will be going against a USC defense that is allowing just over 27 points per game. The numbers are also a bit skewed as they gave up only 20 last week to Arizona State who lost their starting quarterback due to injury in the second quarter. USC gave up 52 points to Alabama in their opener, 27 to Stanford, 31 to Utah and 20 to ASU.
Player to Watch
The Trojans have newfound hope for their season thanks to redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Darnold who went 23 for 33 for 352 yards and three TDs with no interceptions last week in a win over Arizona State. Darnold has replaced Max Browne as the starter.
Darnold made a number of big plays and found JuJu Smith-Schuster for three touchdowns. He also got some help from running back Justin Davis who had 123 rushing yards. "This is where the new season starts," Davis said. "Whatever happened in the past is the past. We still have one of the best teams, and I'm glad we could show what we can do tonight."
Free ATS Pick
The Buffaloes have every look of a team that is for real while the Trojans are simply not that good. Colorado is still not getting the respect from the oddsmakers that they deserve as the Buffaloes are winning by nearly 23 points per game this season. There is no question the series trends are in favor of USC as they have taken the last ten in this series but this is a different Colorado team than in past years. You can make a case that they should be listed as road favorites in this contest.
I will make two plays in this game and take Colorado and the game over the total.
College Football Odds: Buffaloes 42, Trojans 31
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