Friday Night Lights are nothing new in Texas, but this weekend the Big 12 brings us a showdown on ESPN. The Colorado Buffaloes and Deion Sanders are down in Houston taking on the Cougars. The hosts have gone 4-8 the past two seasons but already have two wins on their record in 2025. Could this program be revamped by Texas A&M transfer Conner Weigman? Do we see Colorado start their third stringer like Deion has said? Let’s break down this wild conference battle and find our favorite picks.
Head over to Betting News to check out what else I’ve got on the slate for Week 3, and view the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks.
Colorado Buffaloes vs. Houston Cougars NCAA Football Insights
Kaidon Salter was benched last week against Delaware
Colorado started the season by losing at home to Georgia Tech. Now, further down the road, I think that will be seen as an okay loss, considering I am high on the Yellow Jackets this season (and this weekend). Following that loss, the Buffaloes beat up on Delaware, winning 31-7. But now they have to go on the road in their Big 12 opener and try to beat a team with lots of momentum on their side.
Look, Houston hasn’t been that good recently. But with Weigman coming in, there is hope and excitement surrounding the program. They shutout Stephen F. Austin in Week 1 at home, winning 27-0, and then went on the road to Rice and won 35-9. They’ve had over 340 yards of total offense in each contest, and have yet to turn the ball over, while forcing two of their own in each game. The Cougars haven’t had to heavily rely on Weigman’s arm either, as their rushing attack has been very effective in moving the ball, with 191 and 204 rushing yards per game.
But how will they do against a Power Four conference foe?
Matchup Information – Colorado vs. Houston – September 12
- Venue & Location: TDECU Stadium (Houston, TX)
- Date: Friday, September 12, 2025
- Kick Off: 7:30 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: ESPN
Colorado vs. Houston Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of September 11, 2025 at 8:50 a.m. eastern. Sign up today with Promo Code BNBOL55 for a 55% deposit bonus.
Spread
- Colorado +4.5 (-110)
- Houston -4.5 (-110)
Moneyline
- Colorado +165
- Houston -190
Total
- Over 45 (-104)
- Under 45 (-116)
There are so many questions surrounding who might be starting for Colorado. Earlier this week, Deion Sanders indicated he might be starting third string, redshirt freshman Ryan Staub over Kaidon Salter and five star freshman Julian Lewis. Staub started the third quarter last week against the Blue Hens and performed very well, but can he do the same against a Power Four defense?
The Cougars have allowed just nine points all year, less than 180 total yards per game, and less than 80 per contest through the air. I do not trust this Colorado offense to put up points, at least early on, and I think we could see a quarterback change throughout the matchup.
Colorado vs. Houston NCAA Football Picks and Predictions
Conner Weigman has 347 passing yards and four touchdowns this season, as well as 62 rushing and one TD
Colorado vs. Houston Prediction: Houston Wins and Covers, Over 45
Best Bet: Houston 1H -3 (-110) Bovada
Get in and get out. I like what I’ve seen from the Houston Cougars football team so far this season, and being at home certainly makes me lean their way. They’ve been efficient on third down, they’ve moved the ball with ease, and Colorado struggled to stop a competent offense with a solid QB. Now, I don’t think Conner Weigman is the second coming of Jesus or anything like that, but he’s shown to fit in well with the Cougars system even after losing his starting job at Texas A&M. The kid is playing with a chip on his shoulder, and I see him proving his worth against a conference opponent.
Regardless of who plays quarterback for the Buffaloes, I see them struggling on the road against a solid defense. And again, I like what I’ve seen from that side of the ball as well from the hosts. If Sanders decides to run the quarterback carousel in this game, none of his guys will be able to establish a rhythm in a hostile environment. Could they make some second half adjustments? Sure, but I think Houston is aggressive early and tries to build a substantial lead before heading into the locker room.
You don’t have to watch the whole game, just watch Houston get up early and go into halftime with a touchdown lead. I do lean with the full game over as well, as I see the Cougars scoring all game, and the Buffaloes finding some garbage points after they fix things at halftime.
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