Buffs poised to finish year on strong note
Before the start of the season, few individuals gave Colorado a chance of making serious waves in the Pac-12 South. Yet Mike MacIntyre’s group controls its destiny with mere weeks remaining.
The 21st-ranked Buffaloes entertain UCLA tonight, with a 9 p.m. ET kickoff at Folsom Field. Online sports book BetDSI opened the hosts as 13.5-point favorites over the Bruins. The over/under is 57.5.
Having already qualified for a bowl game for the first time since 2007, Colorado’s next major goal consists of locking down a spot in the conference championship tilt on Dec. 2. That makes a victory this evening mandatory. Jim Mora’s group was actually the preseason pick of the league’s media to win the division, but a woeful ground attack and numerous injuries have conspired against the crew from Westwood.
What’s worse, continued nerve problems are likely to keep Josh Rosen out of the mix for a third straight tilt. Backup quarterback Mike Fafaul launched 70 attempts in the Bruins’ recent loss to Utah, with the squad’s tailbacks combining for just 10 totes. Such a one-dimensional approach could prove disastrous vs. the Buffs, who boast 11 interceptions.
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The offense in Boulder obviously isn’t half-bad, either. Signal-caller Sefo Liufau’s riding a school-record streak of 148 consecutive tosses without a pick. Throw in Phillip Lindsay’s dynamic running style, and it’s fairly easy to understand why Colorado seems primed for a double-digit triumph here.
THURSDAY NCAA FREE PICK: UCLA/COLORADO OVER 57.5 POINTS