DJ Giddens and the No. 18 Kansas State Wildcats head into Boulder to take on Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter and the Colorado Buffaloes. The total for this match started at 49.5 and has risen to 55.5 as of Friday morning.

Since losing to Nebraska in Week 2, Deion Sanders’ squad has won three in a row, the most recent being their 48-21 victory over UCF two weeks ago. Meanwhile, Kansas State is tied with Indiana and Oklahoma at No. 18 in the AP Poll, the first time since 1998 that three or more teams are tied for a spot in the poll.

A win for both teams makes the road to the Big 12 championship game much easier. You can watch all the action at 10:15 PM ET on ESPN.

Odds current as of publication time, courtesy of ESPN BET

The lines

Spread: Kansas State (-3.5)
Moneyline: Kansas State (-165), Colorado (+140)
Top/bottom: 55.5 (-115/-105)

Distribution over the first half: Kansas State -2.5 (-115), Colorado +2.5 (-105)
Moneyline first half: Kansas State (-160), Colorado (+125)
Total points first half: O/U 24.5 points (-175/+135)

Pamela Maldonado’s choice: Kansas State and Colorado +3.5

Colorado +5.5 was my first bet on Monday, since then the line has moved to +3.5. Despite this shift, I remain with Colorado and believe they can win outright (+180).

Shedeur Sanders and the Buffs’ receivers are ready to exploit Kansas State’s secondary. Sanders’ ability to make throws under pressure will test the Wildcats’ defense. He ranks 10th in total passing yards (1,630), 14th in completion percentage (70.1%), and is tied for fifth in passing touchdowns (14), despite having the third most the country’s sacked quarterback is (17).

Sanders’ success is partly due to a strong receiving corps, led by Heisman candidate Travis Hunter, who has 46 receptions for 561 yards and six touchdowns through five games. Kansas State’s front seven is a weak point, ranked 127th by PFF, which could give Sanders more time to find open receivers. Additionally, K-State has one of the worst secondaries in the country, ranking 115th in passing yards allowed.

Meanwhile, Colorado’s defense has shown significant improvement from the 2023 season. They forced four turnovers in Week 5 and slowed UCF’s league-leading rushing attack. The Buffs’ defense has forced nine goals over the last three games and hasn’t allowed more than seven second-half points all season, which ranks them fourth in the FBS.

Colorado’s loss to Nebraska in Week 3 marked a turnaround for the team. They showed resilience in the second half, which was also reflected in the subsequent matches. The Buffaloes have outscored their opponents 124-61 in the fourteen quarters since halftime of the Nebraska game. Their improved defense, offensive capabilities and growing confidence make them a strong option against Kansas State.

Betting Trends

Courtesy of ESPN Research

• Kansas State is 0-5 ATS as a road favorite since the start of last season.

• Colorado is 3-0 ATS as a home underdog under Deion Sanders.

• Colorado is 6-1 ATS in their last seven conference games, and they have been underdogs in six of those seven.

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