The BYU Cougars take on the Colorado State Rams in Fort Collins, Colorado. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT on CBS/Paramount+.
BYU is favored by 17.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -1200. The total is set at 52.5 points.
Here’s my BYU vs. Colorado State prediction and college football pick for Saturday, September 19, 2026.
BYU vs Colorado State Prediction
- BYU vs. Colorado State Pick: Colorado State +17 or Better
My Colorado State vs. BYU best bet is on the Rams. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
BYU vs Colorado State Odds
| BYU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-17.5 -114 | 52.5 -110o / -110u | -1200 |
| Colorado State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+17.5 -106 | 52.5 -110o / -110u | +720 |
- BYU vs Colorado St point spread: BYU -17.5 (-114), Colorado St +17.5 (-106)
- BYU vs Colorado St over/under: 52.5 (-110o / -110u)
- BYU vs Colorado St moneyline: BYU -1200, Colorado St +720
BYU vs Colorado State College Football Preview
Give me the points in this old rivalry renewed.
I think BYU is looking beyond this game. The Big 12 title is in play, the Cougars have a massive home game coming up against Notre Dame later this season, and this game is sandwiched in between conference games — they just thrashed Arizona last week and have TCU on deck.
I don’t think BYU will get up for this game, while I think Colorado State will be fired up.
The difference here is the coaching: I really trust Jim Mora. He’s already shown that he’s one of the major steals of this offseason’s coaching cycle, and he’s a guy you can always trust as an underdog (58% cover rate).
Hauss Hejny has been on fire to start the season. It’s time to jump aboard this bandwagon. He wasted away at Oklahoma State, but through two games, he’s completed 65% of his passes for nine touchdowns while adding 124 yards and a score on the ground.
While the offense is starting to pop, I’m still concerned about the defense. I don’t trust defensive coordinator Tyson Summers, who has struggled to create Havoc in the past. That said, the Rams have been better in that department, with 15 tackles for loss and 12 passes defended through two games. They’ve been able to get off the field on third down, something they struggled to do last season.
It’s all a very encouraging sign. Perhaps the Mora factor has helped on that side of the rock.
BYU vs Colorado State Pick, Betting Analysis
A key piece of this is Explosiveness. Any time you’re laying this large of a number, you need your squad to create some chunk plays. BYU has not been creating those big plays, but I expected that — the Cougars should have a physical, efficient offense, but not one that blows opponents out of the water.
By virtue of them being more methodical, the Rams should have a chance to trot out their solid third-down defense and hold up in the red zone.
I also think Mora really cares about these non-conference games. I expect his team to play with their hair on fire for 60 minutes and stay within this number. They’ve already shown me enough to know I can trust them.
Pick: Colorado State +17 or Better
