ASU vs. Colorado: Betting lines examined, Buffaloes favored by 13

The Odds: Arizona State (+13), Colorado (-13), Over/Under: 61

The Breakdown: Two months ago, few would have thought the winner of this weekend’s meeting between the Arizona State Sun Devils and Colorado Buffaloes would be sitting in first place in the Pac-12 South with just five games remaining.

But that’s where we are, a bright opportunity ahead of an Arizona State team that has been battered and bruised, yet 60 minutes away from possibly sitting alone atop the South.

The Sun Devils are coming off a tight 23-20 victory against UCLA last Saturday. The win didn’t come without consequence, however, as the team lost quarterback Brady White for the season with a right foot injury.

Colorado, meanwhile, is fresh off its first conference loss of the season, a four-point defeat suffered at USC one week ago.

Despite the setback, the Buffaloes still enter tomorrow’s matchup as a 13-point favorite, in large part due to the uncertainty at quarterback for Todd Graham’s team.

Below, we take a look at each teams’ recent stats against the spread and some of their previous results against each other.

Away we go...

ARIZONA STATE

• Arizona State is 6-1 against the spread all-time against Colorado.
• Arizona State is 2-1 against the spread all-time in road games against Colorado.
• Arizona State is 7-2 against the spread in its last nine games.
• Arizona State is 2-2 against the spread in its last four games away from home.
• Arizona State is 7-3 straight up in its last 10 games.
• The total has gone OVER in six of Arizona State’s last nine games.
• Arizona State is averaging 39.6 points per game on offense this season.

UCLA

• Colorado is 7-0 ATS in its last seven games.
• Colorado is 4-0 ATS in its last four home games.
• Colorado is 4-6 SU in its last 10 games.
• Colorado has never lost a game by less than 14 points in this matchup.
• The total has gone UNDER in seven of Colorado’s last 10 games.
• Colorado has given up an average of 17.3 points per game on defense this season.

This matchup presents a lot of intrigue as both teams have dominated against the spread recently. You have to go all the way back to November 21 of last year to find the last time Colorado didn’t cover a spread, going 7-0 in games since then.

On the other side of the field is Arizona State, which is 7-2 against the spread in its last nine games. Needless to say, something is going to have to give tomorrow night in Boulder.

If first-string quarterback Manny Wilkins is healthy and able to play (a big if, but still), 13 points seems like an awful lot to cover for a team that has never beaten the Sun Devils, or even lost by less than 14.

If it’s Dillon Sterling-Cole that is operating the Maroon and Gold offense, the dominant-against-the-spread Buffaloes might be the pick here.

All in all, waiting up until kickoff to make a decision should be the move this week.

Note: For entertainment purposes only.