North Dakota State vs. Colorado prediction, pick, pdds for Thu. 8/29

North Dakota State, meanwhile has proven itself to be the best FCS program over the past 15 years. The Bison have won nine of the last 12 FCS national titles and will without a doubt give Colorado everything it can handle.

They have a new head coach in Tim Polasek, who's no stranger to the North Dakota State program. He spent 10 seasons with Bison from 2006-16, when he left to become Iowa's offensive line coach.

NDSU isn't the powerhouse it once was, but it's still a really difficult team to beat.

So, where does the betting value lie? Let's dive into my North Dakota State vs. Colorado betting preview and find out.

North Dakota State vs. Colorado Prediction

• North Dakota State vs Colorado Pick: North Dakota State 1H Team Total Over 12.5

My North Dakota State-Colorado best bet is on the Bison to go over their first-half team total, with the best line currently available at bet365, according to our live NCAAF odds page.

North Dakota State vs. Colorado Odds

Thursday, Aug. 29

8 p.m. ET

ESPN

Odds via FanDuel. Get up-to-the-minute NCAAF odds here.

• North Dakota State vs Colorado Point Spread: North Dakota State +9.5 (-110) · Colorado -9.5 (-110)
• North Dakota State vs Colorado Total: Over/Under 59.5
• North Dakota State vs Colorado Moneyline: North Dakota State +280 · Colorado -360

North Dakota State vs. Colorado Preview

North Dakota State Bison Betting Preview: Two-Quarterback System Leading to Success?

North Dakota State is going to throw a couple of different looks at Colorado because it's currently running a two-quarterback system.

Cam Miller is the main passing quarterback, and he was really efficient last season. His stats came against FCS opponents, so take it with a grain of salt, but he put up a 94.1 PFF passing grade with 28 big-time throws and only five turnover-worthy plays.

North Dakota State does lose its best wide receiver in Eli Green, but it still has a lot of experience returning.

The Bison's second quarterback, Cole Payton, is used in a Taysom Hill-esque role. He'll run a lot out of the wildcat, which gives defenses another aspect to prepare for. Last season, he averaged 7.9 yards per rush, a whopping 5.27 yards per attempt after contact and put up a PFF rushing grade of 85.3.

He's also not completely limited as a passer. He attempted 27 passes last year and averaged over 10 yards per attempt with three touchdowns.

North Dakota State returns both of its starting running backs from last season and also has a freshman in CharMar Brown who may be the best of them all.

Defensively, the Bison's front seven has a lot of depth and experience from last season. They had a pressure rate over 40% on the quarterback despite blitzing very little.

They had 11 players rack up double-digit pressures last season, and nine of them return this year. They run a lot of stunts up front, which is really going to test Colorado's new-look offensive line here in Week 1.

North Dakota State's secondary is a big question mark. They're really young, and tackling in space was a big issue, so going up against Colorado's skill-position players could be less than ideal.

Colorado Buffaloes Betting Preview: Coach Prime's Return

Colorado has all the talent in the world at the skill positions, but its biggest problem last season was its offensive line.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders was constantly under pressure and very rarely had a clean pocket to throw from. He dealt with a crowded pocket on 37% of his dropbacks, per PFF, which led to a whopping 49 sacks in 2023.

Colorado brought in five-star freshman left tackle Jordan Seaton and also added three transfers, so the only way to go is up.

Even though he was under pressure a lot, Sanders still put up really good numbers.

Pat Shurmur's pro-style offense really does seem to suit him, especially with the wide receivers he has to throw to. Travis Hunter is always a big play waiting to happen, and Deion also picked up LaJohntay Wester from Florida Atlantic. Wester put up over 1,100 yards for the Owls and hauled in eight touchdown receptions last season.

For Colorado to take the next step, its front seven has to improve. Last season, it finished 113th in EPA/RushAallowed and had the 12th-worst run defense grade in the country, per PFF.

Coach Prime went out and brought in a lot of transfers — including BJ Green from Arizona State, Jaylen Wester from Florida Atlantic and Dayon Hayes from Pittsburgh — to try and become more physical.

The Buffs can only improve from last season, but this first game against North Dakota State's rushing attack is going to be a real test.

The secondary is uber-talented with Travis Hunter and Shilo Sanders returning. Plus, it added Preston Hodge from Liberty. However, the Buffaloes still ranked 113th in EPA/Pass Allowed last season, and while they should improve, North Dakota State will be able to throw on them a bit.

North Dakota State vs. Colorado Pick & Prediction

North Dakota State has been an absolute pest to FBS teams over the years. Since 2011, the Bison have a 6-1 record against the FBS and have covered every single game with their only loss coming by three points to Arizona in 2022.

They aren't at their peak anymore, but they without a doubt have the guys in the trenches and the run game to give Colorado some problems.

The biggest issue for North Dakota State will be stopping Colorado's passing attack. I'm not sure it can.

Sanders posted the third-best PFF passing grade in the country with a clean pocket a season ago, so it's going to be paramount for the Bison to beat Colorado's new offensive line and put pressure on him.

I want to target the North Dakota State offense here, especially early on against Colorado's brand-new front seven.

With Miller's ability as a passer and Payton's prowess running the wildcat, the Bison should move the ball with a lot of success. The problems will come if they fall behind and are forced to throw the ball at a high rate, which may end up being the case in the second half.

For what it's worth, Colorado allowed 17.8 points per game in the first half last season, which ranked 113th in college football.

So, I like the North Dakota State first-half team total over 12.5 points.

Pick: North Dakota State 1H Team Total Over 12.5

How to Watch North Dakota State v.s Colorado Live: Start Time, TV Channel, Location

North Dakota State vs. Colorado Betting Trends

• On the spread, Colorado is receiving 66% of the bets but only 64% of the money.
• In terms of the total, the over has been the sharp side. The over has landed only 49% of the bets but has generated 80% of the money.

About the Author

BJ Cunningham started betting in college and began his career with the Action Network as a part-time writer in January 2020, eventually becoming full-time. He previously worked as a financial auditor for six years and now specializes in European soccer, college football, and baseball betting, focusing on advanced data. BJ is a regular contributor to the Action Network's podcasts and live betting shows, including Wondergoal, Payoff Pitch, and Green Dot Daily.

Follow Brad Cunningham @BJCunningham22 on Twitter/X.