ESPN's College GameDay analysts Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee, celebrity guest picker Steve Young and Kirk Herbstreit all picked Utah to win the Week 7 matchup between Colorado and Utah. The unanimous decision reflected the current concerns surrounding the Buffaloes after a difficult start to conference play.
Although College GameDay was in Provo, Utah ahead of the Notre Dame-BYU game, the crew still made their predictions for the rivalry game happening over in Boulder. The Buffaloes will have an opportunity to prove the analysts wrong as they host the Utes back in Folsom Field.
College GameDay Crew Has No Confidence in Colorado
The College GameDay picks happen every week and often times they consist of differing opinions. This week, the pick were unanimous with every member at the desk backing the Utah Utes to leave Boulder with a victory over the Colorado Buffaloes.
Howard, Saban, McAfee, Young, Herbstreit were all on the same page this time around. There was no disagreement among the analysts which leaves Colorado without a single vote of confidence.
A major reason behind the lack of votes are the consistent struggles that the Buffaloes have suffered from. This unanimous selection inevitably put some additional attention on the challenge facing Colorado as they attempt to compete against one of the Big 12’s strongest teams.
Herbstreit stated that throughout the last nine games, the buffaloes have not scored more than 17 points.
"Against Utah, the way they’re playing defense I think that streak will continue and coach gave you a really good illustration and breakdown in the film room of Utah and their offense, what they do to confuse you. In that case, domination today for Utah," said Herbstreit.
Despite receiving backlash from BYU fans, Steve Young chose Utah saying, “I have love for them not when we play them but otherwise. Plus they’re gonna smash Colorado.”
For Colorado, the predictions provide another opportunity to respond on the field. Playing at home could help the Buffaloes, particularly with the crowd at Folsom Field. The improvements that Colorado needs to make are simple to an extent and simply need to put together a more complete performance in order to threaten an upset.
The rivalry matchup also carries importance beyond the national attention. With conference games becoming increasingly important as the season progresses, Colorado needs to find a way to gain momentum and improve its position within the Big 12 standings.
Meanwhile, Utah enters this matchup with complete support of the College GameDay crew behind it. The Utes will look to justify that confidence by handling Colorado on the road and continuing their strong push through conference play in the Big 12.
Colorado Has an Opportunity to Prove Everyone Wrong
While the unanimous picks are telling of who is favored and the expectations for both teams on-field production, the game will ultimately be decided between the two programs themselves.
Colorado will need to find consistency and capitalize on scoring opportunities. Sustaining drives would help keep Utah’s offense off the field while giving the Buffaloes a chance to put pressure on the Utes. Finishing possessions with touchdowns as opposed to shaving to settle for field goals could also prove to be important if the Buffaloes achieve keeping the game close.
On the defensive side, the Buffaloes must make Utah work for its points and avoid allowing explosive plays to change the game’s momentum. Creating turnovers or forcing the Utes into difficult third-down situations could give Colorado the opportunities it needs to pull off a surprise victory.
Playing at Folsom Filed could be another factor in Colorado’s favor. The atmosphere in Boulder can provide a boost, especially if the buffaloes get off to a strong start and their fans who are enjoying Colorado’s Family Weekend, something to rally behind.
For Colorado coach Deion Sanders and Colorado, this matchup represents a chance to change the narrative surrounding the Buffaloes’ football program. A competitive performance against Utah would give the Buffaloes something to build on while an upset would be an even bigger statement.
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