BYU vs Colorado State Picks and Prediction for Saturday September 19 2026

The No. 15 BYU Cougars travel to Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins, Colorado, to face the Colorado State Rams on Saturday, September 19, 2026. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET. Both teams enter at 2-0, making this one of the more interesting nonconference matchups on Saturday's schedule. BYU followed its opening victory over Utah Tech with a 28-17 win over Arizona, while Colorado State has opened the season with convincing victories over Wyoming and Southern Utah. BYU is currently around a 17.5-point favorite with the total sitting near 52 to 52.5. Be sure to check out our free college football picks for more NCAAF predictions throughout the season.

BYU Passed Its First Significant Test

BYU improved to 2-0 with a 28-17 victory over Arizona, producing a strong second-half performance after trailing during the game. The Cougars shut down Arizona after halftime and turned a competitive matchup into an 11-point victory, providing considerably more useful information than their season-opening matchup against Utah Tech.

The defensive performance is particularly important entering Fort Collins. Colorado State has been scoring at an impressive rate, but BYU just demonstrated that it can make meaningful halftime adjustments against a Big 12 opponent. Holding Arizona under 20 points gives the Cougars a strong foundation against a Rams offense that has yet to face a defense of BYU's caliber.

The concern is the spread. BYU is being asked to lay more than two touchdowns on the road against an undefeated Colorado State team that has been extremely impressive offensively. The Cougars are the better overall team and deserve to be favored, but the market is requiring them to create significant separation against a confident home opponent.

Colorado State Has Been One of the Early Surprises

Colorado State is 2-0 for the first time since 2011 and has immediately responded to its new coaching staff. The Rams opened by beating rival Wyoming 35-13 and then exploded for 58 points in Saturday's victory over Southern Utah. Colorado State has therefore scored 93 points through two games.

The 58-24 win over Southern Utah demonstrated how explosive this offense can become. Colorado State repeatedly generated big plays and built enough separation to eliminate any serious upset threat. The Rams have now won their first two games by 22 and 34 points, which makes a home spread approaching three touchdowns particularly interesting.

BYU is clearly the strongest opponent Colorado State has faced, so the early numbers require context. Still, the Rams don't need to win outright to provide betting value. They simply need to continue producing enough offense to prevent BYU from creating a three-score margin. At Canvas Stadium and getting 17.5 points, Colorado State has an appealing cushion.

BYU vs Colorado State Picks and Prediction

Pick: Colorado State +17.5

Take Colorado State +17.5. BYU is my straight-up winner and has the stronger defense, but this spread looks inflated against a 2-0 Colorado State team that has scored 93 points. The Rams have won both games by at least 22 and now get BYU at home. The Cougars can control the matchup and still fail to cover a number this large. Anything above +17 gives Colorado State enough protection to be my preferred side.

Pick: Over 52.5

Take the Over 52.5. Colorado State has scored 35 and 58 points, while BYU produced 28 against Arizona and should encounter opportunities against a Rams defense that allowed Southern Utah to reach 24. BYU's defense is excellent enough to prevent this from becoming a pure shootout, but Colorado State should contribute. A projected BYU 35, Colorado State 24 gives the Rams the cover while taking the game Over.

Final Picks: Colorado State +17.5 and Over 52.5