Utah vs Colorado Picks and Prediction for Saturday October 17, 2026
The Utah Utes will be on the road Saturday night for a Big 12 matchup against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado. The game is scheduled to begin at 10:15 PM with coverage available on ESPN. Utah enters the weekend ranked No. 11 nationally with a perfect 5-0 overall record following an impressive 41-24 victory against Kansas. Colorado comes into this matchup with a 2-3 overall record following an inconsistent opening stretch and a blowout loss last week to Texas Tech. Utah is a 15.5-point favorite, with the total set at 49.5 points. The Utes are -750 on the moneyline, while Colorado comes in at +525. Follow the latest action with our College Football Picks.
Utah looks to stay unbeaten
Devon Dampier is leading Utah this season with 1134 yards and 12 scores on 94 completions, along with 206 yards and three touchdowns on 51 carries. Wayshawn Parker leads the way out of the Utah backfield with 499 yards and seven scores on 66 carries and has added 190 yards and four touchdowns on 17 catches. Braden Pegan leads the team with 336 yards and four scores on 24 catches. Ricky Johnson has compiled 14 catches for 205 yards and one score.
The Utah offense did the work a week ago, scoring 41 points on 545 total yards. Defensively, Utah was the better team despite giving up 24 points on 391 total yards. Devon Dampier led the way for the Utah offense last week, completing 23 passes for 238 yards and three scores, and ran the ball 17 times for 71 yards and one touchdown. Wayshawn Parker led the team with 171 yards and two scores on 16 carries. Ricky Johnson added a team-high 104 yards and one touchdown on five receptions.
Colorado desperate for the home win
Julian Lewis is leading Colorado this season with 733 yards and six scores on 61 completions. Michael Welch has added 218 yards and two scores on 44 carries to lead the team. Isaac Wilson has added 443 yards and 2 scores on 40 completions this year. JaQuail Smith is second on the roster with 186 yards on 38 carries, and Damian Henderson has added 26 carries for 127 yards. Joseph Williams leads all Colorado receivers with 454 yards and five scores on 32 catches. DeAndre Moore has chipped in a second-best 18 catches for 242 yards and one score.
The Colorado offense did move the ball well last week, compiling 375 total yards but converting just six third downs, went 1-4 on 4th down, and turned the ball over 4 times, resulting in just 7 points. Defensively, Colorado was outmatched, giving up 29 points, including 26 in the second half, on 304 total yards. Isaac Wilson led the way for the Colorado offense last week, completing 26 passes for 290 yards and one score, and ran the ball 17 times for 42 yards. Damian Henderson added 19 yards on three carries. Joseph Williams was the top receiver on the roster with 93 yards and one touchdown on 10 grabs. DeAndre Moore added three catches for 42 yards.
Utah vs Colorado Picks and Prediction
Pick: Utah Utes -15.5
Utah has been one of the more impressive teams in the Big 12 this season and should continue its strong start Saturday night against Colorado. The Utes have been effective on both sides of the football and should be able to establish control against a Buffaloes team that has struggled with consistency. Utah will look to establish its running game and put pressure on Colorado to keep pace offensively. The Buffaloes will have the benefit of playing in front of their home crowd, but they could have difficulty matching the overall talent and physicality of the Utes. Look for Utah to take advantage of its defensive strength and control the game throughout the evening. Take the Utes to remain unbeaten.
Pick: Under 49.5
Utah should be able to control the pace Saturday night against a Colorado team that could have difficulty producing consistent offense. The Utes have been effective defensively and should be able to limit the Buffaloes ability to create explosive scoring opportunities. Colorado will need to establish its offense early, but Utah has enough talent to force difficult situations throughout the game. The Utes should find success moving the football, although they may rely on their running game and a controlled offensive approach to protect an advantage. Colorado could struggle to contribute enough points to push this matchup over the total. Expect Utah to dictate the tempo and take the under.