Colorado State Rams vs. Texas Longhorns 8/31/24 – As the 2024 NCAA football season commences, the Colorado State Rams who had a record of 5-7 last season, will have a difficult task as they are away to last season’s 12-2 Texas Longhorns. This match is scheduled for Saturday and will take place at the DKR Texas Memorial Stadium, ESPN. With the season already in progress, fans would be interested in free NCAAF picks and parlays, including those offering particularly compelling value owing to a drastic difference in the last season’s achievements of the two teams.
Colorado State Rams vs. Texas Longhorns 8/31/24 Game Info |
|
| When: | Saturday, August 31, 2024 at 3:30 PM ET |
| Where: | DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium |
| TV: | ESPN |
| Stream: | Sofascore |
Colorado State Rams (5-7 Last season) vs. Texas Longhorns (12-2 Last season)
As the season kicks off, the Rams are on the quest to erase the memory of their recent underperformance. Last season, even if only for moments, the offense orchestrated by QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi was working out quite well. They chose to showcase Fowler-Nicolosi who passed for 3460 yards but on the other hand, recorded 16 interceptions. If they are to compete against the strong Longhorns, they will also need their running back Justin Marshall, who enlisted 5.5 yards per carry, to perform at a higher level. Tory Horton will be instrumental as a wide receiver who tends to show up in big games. Last season, he gathered 96 catches for 1136 yards and therefore, is someone who can turn the game around. Their performance could resonate with those watching the Alabama A&M-Auburn encounter, where strong offensive strategies are anticipated.
On the other hand, the Texas Longhorns are attempting to sustain their form. Quarterback Quinn Ewers has come back after a very productive season where he was able to complete 69% of his passes and post a 158.6 passer rating. The Longhorns running back CJ Baxter will help in creating the ground game. His better performance last season of rushing for 659 yards sets a good challenge for the Rams. The tactical approach Texas employs in their rushing and receiving game might draw parallels to the Southern Miss and Kentucky game, emphasizing strategic offensive maneuvers.
Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi QB vs. Quinn Ewers QB
Last season, Rams quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi earned professional numbers with 292 completed passes and 22 touchdowns. However, his 16 interceptions demonstrate a potential flaw that could be exploited by a well-rounded Longhorns side. During this scrimmage, the Rams quarterback is poised to be under considerable pressure, and how he copes with it while making sound judgments will determine how his team will fare.
In comparison, Quinn Ewers for the Longhorns has some advantages such as a higher completion percentage and a wider range when it comes to passer rating. Everything he has done for the Texas Longhorns has been consistent and untouchable, even with wrinkled fingers and late game situations. Saturday’s performance is expected of course, because history speaks in volumes.
NCAAF Odds/Point Spread: Texas Longhorns -36.5 -110, Total Odds: 57.5
The current betting odds reflect the Longhorns’ favoritism in this matchup, with a substantial spread suggesting expectations of a dominant performance. The total odds indicate a prediction of a relatively high-scoring game, which aligns with Texas’ offensive capabilities.
Colorado State Rams Betting Trends
Colorado State’s recent betting trends do not inspire much confidence, with a notable streak of failing to cover the spread and a tendency towards low-scoring games. These trends will be pivotal in assessing their ability to at least keep the game respectable against a superior Texas team.
Texas Longhorns Betting Trends
Texas, on the other hand, has shown reliability in covering spreads in recent games and excelling in early-season matchups, evidenced by their undefeated streak in August games over the last few years. Their strong performance against Mountain West teams suggests another potential win and cover on the spread.
Colorado State Rams vs. Texas Longhorns 8/31/24 Betting Picks
Based on the history and current form of both teams, we expect the Longhorns to win this game. Colorado State has had difficulty playing large conference teams and especially playing them away from home. Hence we would recommend a pick which would see Texas new covering the spread.
Regarding prop bets and over/under, going OVER the total looks feasible because of the offensive strength of Texas. While Colorado State is associated with low-scoring games, this offensive might from Texas should outweigh this. Thus, most of the expert handicapping tips would aim injustice to Texas in terms of both the spread and total points going OVER.