No. 11 BYU makes its first trip to Fort Collins in 16 years on Saturday, September 19, and the BYU vs. Colorado State spread has already moved since the market opened. The Cougars were posted at -18 when the game went on the board. They now sit at -17.5, with the total nudged up to 52.5. Both teams arrive at 2-0. Colorado State is doing it under a first-year head coach with a quarterback who has been close to flawless through two weeks. Below is a full look at the current line, the market move, and the angles worth weighing before a 7:30 PM ET kickoff on CBS.
Last Updated: Thursday, September 17, 2026
BYU vs. Colorado State — Time & How to Watch
| Where | Canvas Stadium, Fort Collins, CO |
| When | Saturday, September 19 – 7:30 PM ET |
| TV | CBS |
BYU vs. Colorado State Matchup Overview
BYU is 2-0 and climbing. The Cougars opened with a 63-7 win over Utah Tech, then handled Arizona 28-17 in Provo. That second result did the heavy lifting with voters. BYU trailed 17-14 at the half, then pitched a second-half shutout and held the Wildcats to 87 yards after the break. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier went 16-of-26 for 217 yards with three touchdown passes and added a rushing score. The Cougars jumped to No. 11 in the AP Top 25 the following Sunday.
Colorado State is also 2-0, and the manner of it has been the story in Fort Collins. Jim Mora won his debut 35-13 over Wyoming on September 5, then the Rams rolled Southern Utah 58-24. It is the program’s first 2-0 start since 2011. Quarterback Hauss Hejny has thrown nine touchdown passes against one interception in two games. Against Southern Utah he accounted for five touchdowns, completing 18 of 30 throws for 325 yards and adding 85 rushing yards.
This is a non-conference game between two leagues in motion. BYU plays in the Big 12. Colorado State officially joined the Pac-12 on July 1, 2026, so the Rams are in their first year in the rebuilt conference. The schools have not met since November 13, 2010, when BYU won 49-10. Strength of schedule is the obvious caveat on both sides. Colorado State has beaten a Wyoming team and an FCS opponent. BYU has one FBS result of substance, and it came at home.
BYU vs. Colorado State Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BYU | -17.5 (-110) | -1100 | O 52.5 (-105) |
| Colorado State | +17.5 (-110) | +650 | U 52.5 (-115) |
Odds accurate as of Thursday, September 17, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NCAAF Odds – Futures – Props
BYU vs. Colorado State — Who Is the Public Betting?
| BYU | 54% | 46% | Colorado State |
See the latest College Football Public Betting Splits and make smarter wagers!
NCAAF Betting Angle for BYU vs. Colorado State
Start with the direction of the move. The spread opened at BYU -18 on Saturday, September 13, and has since settled at -17.5. That is a half-point toward the home underdog, and it happened in the same window that BYU climbed four spots in the poll. Ordinarily a ranked team moving up draws money. Here the number went the other way. The total moved the opposite direction, opening at 52.0 and ticking up to 52.5, with the Over at -105 and the Under at -115.
The public split is close to even, with 54 percent of spread tickets on BYU and 46 percent on Colorado State. That matters because it removes the usual explanation for a line moving against the favorite. This is not a case of heavy public money on one side pushing a number. The market is simply pricing a healthy respect for the home team.
The case for laying the points is straightforward. BYU’s defense was the difference in the Arizona game, and 87 second-half yards against a Big 12 offense is a real data point. The -1100 moneyline carries an implied probability of roughly 91.7 percent, which tells you how little doubt the market has about the outright result. If BYU is genuinely a top-12 team, a 17.5-point number against a program that has not faced an opponent of this quality is defensible.
The case against is the size of the number itself. Laying 17.5 requires a three-score win, and it requires BYU to keep scoring late in a game it may already control. Colorado State is at home, with a quarterback who can extend drives with his legs. Hejny’s 75-yard touchdown run against Southern Utah is the kind of play that turns a 24-point deficit into a 17-point one in a hurry. Backdoor covers are a structural feature of large college spreads, not an accident. For more Big 12 line movement this week, see our Houston vs. Texas Tech odds and public betting breakdown.
Hauss Hejny Faces His Toughest Test Yet
Everything about Colorado State’s start runs through its quarterback. Hejny has nine touchdown passes and one interception, and he has been efficient rather than merely productive. Wyoming and Southern Utah did not have the secondary depth to take away the intermediate throws that have fed his numbers. BYU does, and the Cougars have shown they can adjust at halftime.
The total offers a useful way to read the market’s expectation. A 52.5-point total paired with a 17.5-point spread implies something close to BYU 35, Colorado State 17. That projects the Rams to score roughly half what they managed against Southern Utah. It also assumes BYU’s offense keeps producing on the road, something it has not yet been asked to do. If Hejny holds up and Colorado State stays on schedule offensively, both the total and the spread come under pressure at once. If BYU’s front wins early and forces obvious passing downs, the projection looks conservative. Our Arkansas vs. Utah analysis covered a similar home-underdog setup earlier this month.
NCAAF BYU vs. Colorado State FAQ: Saturday September 19, 2026
What time does the BYU vs. Colorado State game start?
Kickoff is set for 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, September 19, 2026, which is 5:30 PM local time in Colorado. The game is BYU’s first road trip of the 2026 season, and it comes after the Cougars opened with two games in Provo.
What channel is the BYU vs. Colorado State game on?
The game airs on CBS. Both schools confirmed the network and the 5:30 PM MT kickoff window during game week. It is the only meeting between the two programs on the 2026 regular-season schedule.
Where are BYU and Colorado State playing?
The game is at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins, Colorado, the Rams’ home venue since 2017. Colorado State is the home team, and this is BYU’s first visit to the campus since 2010. Canvas Stadium holds roughly 41,000 with standing room.
Who won the last meeting between BYU and Colorado State?
BYU won the last meeting 49-10 on November 13, 2010, per the official box score. The programs have not played since, as BYU left the Mountain West for independence after that season and the series lapsed for 16 years.
What conference are BYU and Colorado State in?
BYU plays in the Big 12. Colorado State joined the Pac-12 on July 1, 2026, and is in its first season as a member of the rebuilt conference. That makes this a non-conference game, so the result does not affect either team’s league standing.