Deion Sanders has propelled the Colorado Buffaloes to the forefront of the college football world and their betting odds reflect that. Being led by one of the greatest football players of all-time was always going to attract eyeballs. Heading into the 2024 college football season, the Buffaloes aim to make waves for what happens on the gridiron.
With his son, Shedeur, at quarterback, the Buffaloes have stirred up controversy and look poised to disrupt the Big 12 and leave a lasting impression on the college football landscape. So how can you profit on the Colorado Buffaloes this season? Let's explore the Colorado Buffaloes futures odds, and identify where the best betting value lies.
2024 Colorado Buffaloes Win Total Odds
| 2024 Win Total | OVER | UNDER | 2023 Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 | -142 | +116 | 4-8 |
Odds as of July 16
The third-most watched team in college football in 2023, Colorado won't surprise anyone this season.
The elder Sanders has pulled off a coup by bringing on the likes of experienced offensive coordinator, and former NFL head coach Pat Shurmur, who will undoubtedly give the Buffs a boost on offense. While former Minnesota Viking Phil Loadholt now leads the big hogs up front. The experience of wide receivers coach Jason Phillips, a one-time teammate of Deion's, will also aid Colorado's quest to win more football games in 2024. Not only will Colorado have an new offensive coordinator, offensive line coach, and wide receivers coach this season, they will have an entirely new offensive line.
“Jordan Seaton is a 5⭐️ and this kid is a Pro”
— We Coming 🦬 (@SkoBuffsGoBuffs) July 10, 2024
“Kahlil Benson he’s a killer, He’s ready to fight right now somewhere”
Coach Prime on the New Offensive Line 🔥 #SkoBuffs pic.twitter.com/2oQCmfPdkA
The arrival of five-star recruit, and consensus No.1 offensive tackle in the country Jordan Seaton will improve the protection of Shedeur's blindside. While new right tackle Khalil Benson allowed just one sack on 424 reps last season at Indiana.
Superstar All-American Travis Hunter returns to play on both sides of the ball. Not to mention Vanderbilt transfer Will Sheppard (684 yards and 8 touchdowns last season), and former FAU stud LaJohntay Wester (108 catches for 1,168 yards and 8 touchdowns) who give the wide receiver room even more juice.
I want you to watch this video and tell me with a straight face that Travis Hunter is a WR at the next level pic.twitter.com/Lu6BjFYqFa
— Clay Fink (@clay_fink) May 4, 2024
On the other side of the ball, Hunter leads what should be a strong secondary. While Arizona State transfer, and former Deion Sanders youth player B.J. Green arrives on the defensive line. Green racked up six sacks and 14 quarterback hits last season, and should be a huge part of an improved Colorado pass-rush. He'll be joined by former Pittsburgh Panthers Dayon Hayes (four sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss), and Samuel Okunlola (five sacks). While "block bully" Chidozie Nwankwo (five tackles for loss) arrives from Houston to form a much more formidable defensive front.
With so many moving parts and pieces (93 players have departed Boulder over the last two seasons), there's bound to be some growing pains in Colorado. Thankfully for Neion Deion and company, their early season schedule is particularly forgiving.
While they pulled off a miraculously upset of 2022 CFP finalists TCU in their first game last year, the Buffs are currently 8.5-point favorites over the North Dakota State Bisons heading into Week 1. After that, winnable games at Nebraska and Colorado State are followed by a visit from Baylor. The Bears have done little to improve upon a three-win team from last season, and lost four games by 25+ points last year.
From there things get interesting, as Gus Malzahn's UCF will be a tough test for the Buffs, and could easily be the breaking point for Colorado's win streak. An Oct. 12 date with Kansas State and Chris Klieman provides a serious challenge. Fortunately, an Oct. 26 visit from the three-win Cincinnati Bearcats gives the Buffaloes another opportunity for victory. Cincinnati may improve with a new quarterback and offensive line, but they're nowhere near as talented as the team that made the College Football Playoff a few seasons ago.
Late season matchups with Texas Tech, Utah, and Oklahoma State represents a brutal stretch for Deion Sanders' team. However, with the irresistible talents of Shedeur and Hunter leading this team, I believe the Buffs can improve on last year's four-wins and cash the OVER 5.5 wins.
Colorado Buffaloes Win Total Best Bet: Over 5.5 Wins (-142)
Colorado Buffaloes CFB Playoff Odds
Deion's team are currently +2000 in the College Football Playoff odds. These odds are extremely juiced, considering they are +2500 to win the Big 12 conference, and their win total sits at just 5.5.
With the likes of Utah, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and a strong UCF team all plying their trade in the Big 12 this season, the Buffaloes would have to take a monumental leap to compete in the 2024 College Football Playoff.
Crazier things have happened. But at this point, there are far better bets on the College Football Playoff board.
Shedeur Sanders Heisman Trophy Odds
As my friend Josie states in her latest 2024 Heisman Trophy odds piece, Shedeur Sanders is an intriguing dark horse at +4000 odds.
Shedeur set the Colorado record with 3,230 yards last season, with 27 touchdowns and three interceptions. He'll likely improve upon those numbers with a much improved offensive line in front of him.
Many of Colorado's games have the potential to become shootouts, and the insane amount of media coverage will boost Sanders' stats and Heisman Trophy candidacy. Colorado would have to improve immensely and a lot would have to go just right for Shedeur to win the 2024 Heisman Trophy. However, at +4000 odds he's one of the best value bets on the board and is more than capable of pulling magic out of his hat as the season progresses. Throw a quarter unit on Sanders to win the Heisman Trophy and cheer on the Buffs throughout the year.
Shadeur Sanders 2025 NFL Draft Odds
Sanders enters the season as one of the most polarizing quarterback prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The fact that he completed nearly 70% of his throws behind a wretched offensive line is a testament to his pro potential in and of itself.
That being said, there are some negative traits he'll need to clean up to be a top pick in next year's draft. Sanders has a tendency to hold the ball for a beat too long at times, and his longer throwing motion causes him to be late with the football.
Pressure, sometimes just the threat of it, can also unravel Shedeur Sanders' operation. His eyes will often come down and look at the pass rush as opposed to trying to step up in the pocket and beating it with a throw. https://t.co/Fce5wavaV2 pic.twitter.com/LkPMn8fbYy
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) May 8, 2024
He lacks the anticipation skills of top quarterback prospects, and his tendency to drift backwards in the pocket is particularly damning. Improved play up front should help with that, but Sanders still needs to learn how to navigate the pocket and create while under duress. Worryingly, he was pressured on nearly 36.8% of dropbacks last season, and had a concerning pressure to sack rate of 25.3% in 2023. Each of those numbers will have to drop significantly for Sanders to become the number one overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
His projection to the NFL isn't all doom and gloom. Sanders throws a wonderful deep ball, and has the size (6'2, 215 pounds) and athleticism to succeed at the next level. However, at this point in his development, he's in the work-in-progress phase. At +500 odds, there are a number of more valuable bets (cough, James Pearce Jr. +650) to be the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
