Colorado State vs. Texas Prediction, Picks & Odds: Week 1

Phil Wood thinks the Longhorns will run up the score early in his Colorado State vs. Texas prediction.

Philip Wood

Last Updated: August 30, 2024 1:49 PM EDT • 5 minute read

CSU football's freshman running back Justin Marshall is congratulated by freshman quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi. Photo by Cris Tiller/For the Coloradoan / USA TODAY NETWORK.

The Texas Longhorns, who sit fourth in the college football championship odds, shouldn't struggle with the Colorado State Rams in their 2024 season opener.

The Longhorns return a plethora of talent after losing in the College Football Playoff semifinal last season, including starting quarterback Quinn Ewers. They begin the 2024 campaign against the Colorado State Rams, a team that finished last season 5-7. Texas also sits high in the college football playoff odds.

How long we expect the Longhorns’ starters to play factored heavily into our Colorado State vs. Texas predictions. The Longhorns are far superior to the Rams. But if the game gets out of hand early, Ewers and other key players may rest in the second half, messing up player props and possibly allowing the Rams to secure a backdoor cover.

Best Colorado State vs. Texas picks

College football picks based on the odds from our best college football betting sites. Odds subject to change.

Game pick: Texas Over 27.5 first-half points (+110 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Player prop: Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi Over 204.5 passing yards (-125 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Colorado State vs. Texas prediction: Week 1

Texas Over 27.5 first-half points (+110)⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ewers and the Longhorns are going to do all their damage in the first half. The signal-caller is a leading contender in the Heisman Trophy odds.

While it’s tempting to back them covering 20.5 points heading into the locker room, the safest bet is for Texas to score 28-plus points in the first 30 minutes. Plus, the value is better for their total than the spread.

Looking ahead to Michigan

The Longhorns travel to Ann Arbor to take on the Michigan Wolverines next week. That's why no key Longhorns are going to be on the field in the second half Saturday if the team builds up a large first-half lead as expected.

Ewers threw for 3,479 yards and 22 touchdowns last year. He helped lead the Longhorns to 10 games with 30-plus-points, including against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Though the Rams aren’t a typical early-season pushover, their defense leaves a lot to be desired. They allowed 40-plus points three times against opponents far inferior to the Longhorns last year.

The Rams won’t be able to stop the Longhorns’ offense when it's at full strength. But we would shy away from this first-half spread because Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and company are more than capable of scoring at least once.

Look for the Longhorns to score on nearly every possession of the first half as part of our Week 1 college football predictions.

Best odds: +110 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 47.62%

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Colorado State vs. Texas player prop

Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi Over 204.5 passing yards (-125) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The price for this prop is steep, but there's still so much value in this play.

DraftKings and FanDuel are each offering this total at 216.5. Those books are asking -115 and -114, respectively, for the Over. Caesars is the place to get this 12 yards lower for a minimal price hike.

Fowler-Nicolosi threw for at least 210 yards in all but one game during 2023. Granted, he didn’t face a defense anywhere near the caliber of the Longhorns' unit, but that's still an achievement worth noting.

Plus, the Rams are going to be trailing from start to finish. Fowler-Nicolosi will start padding his stats and throw for at least 210 again when the Longhorns' backups get onto the field.

Best odds: -125 via Caesars | Implied probability: 55.56%

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Colorado State vs. Texas odds

See all of this week's college football odds and NCAAF scores.

Colorado State vs. Texas game info

When: Saturday, Aug. 31
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, TX
How to watch: ESPN
Weather: 93 degrees, 25% chance of rain
Favorite: Texas (-10000 via DraftKings)

College football betting odds pages

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Written by:
Philip Wood

Phil has covered sports betting since 2016, and he has been with SportsBook Review since 2022. He previously hosted the College Football Pick 'Em podcast for CanesInsight.com. He is always looking for value, especially on lines that just seem too good to be true. His belief is that if a line doesn't make sense just assume oddsmakers know something you don't. He also loves in-season futures. There is so much value to be had as the public overreacts weekly. Bettors tend to forget just how long NFL and college football seasons are. After all, the Green Bay Packers were 2-5 in 2023 and they made it to the Divisional Round. When deciding where to bet, it comes down to value over everything. +100 is always better than -110. An alumnus of The U, Phil always holds out hope that the next head coach will be the one who turns the football program around. He is also a diehard Detroit Lions fan and is willing to forgive Dan Campbell for forgetting that a kicker can be useful.