Deion Sanders Caleb Williams A TCB illustration of Deion Sanders and Caleb Williams. Credit: USA TODAY Images
College FootballFeaturedGamblingBy Matt Clapp on

Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes have been the talk of the college football world in 2023. The hype increased tenfold after Colorado upset a then-ranked TCU team on the road in Week 1 and followed that up with two more wins to get to 3-0. Colorado entered Week 4 ranked No. 19 in the AP Top 25 poll.

Well, then the Buffaloes got shellacked. No. 10 Oregon blew out Colorado 42-6 on Saturday in Eugene. That final score undersells how lopsided the game actually was; the Ducks led 35-0 at halftime.

Colorado entered that game as a 21-point underdog. And oddsmakers like the Buffaloes’ chances even less in Week 5.

No. 5 USC is a 24.5-point favorite — and -2300 on the moneyline — in Boulder next Saturday, per FanDuel Sportsbook. Yes, Colorado is a 24.5-point home underdog.

The Trojans are a legitimate national title contender, led by reigning Heisman Trophy winner — and likely No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft — Caleb Williams at quarterback. Lincoln Riley’s squad has averaged 55 points per game.

Now, it’s worth noting that USC was a 34.5-point favorite at Arizona State on Saturday and “only” won 42-28. That was the Trojans’ only road game so far this season. But, oddsmakers clearly expect a better road performance from USC in Week 5.

Colorado is expected to remain without two-way star Travis Hunter after the cornerback/wide receiver was injured in Week 3 vs Colorado State. The Buffaloes certainly missed his presence on both sides of the ball against Oregon. In order to hang with USC, Colorado will likely need quarterback Shedeur Sanders to match Williams’ production.

It will be interesting to see how much movement the betting line has over the next six days, and if the betting world — including Chris Russo — remains all-in on Coach Prime.

About Matt Clapp

Matt is an editor at The Comeback. He attended Colorado State University, wishes he was Saved by the Bell's Zack Morris, and idolizes Larry David. And loves pizza and dogs because obviously.

He can be followed on Twitter at @Matt2Clapp (also @TheBlogfines for Cubs/MLB tweets and @DaBearNecess for Bears/NFL tweets), and can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.

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