College football odds: Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes expected to make CFP

Against all odds, Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes are in poll position to make it to the College Football Playoff. Colorado had been on the end of many jokes throughout the past two seasons, but “Coach Prime” has whipped his crew into shape since a slow start, now sitting at 8-2 and just one back of BYU in the Big 12. The success brought on by a controversial Colorado team has forced the oddsmakers’ hands at Caesars Sportsbook and they’ve made Colorado -135 favorites to qualify for the College Football Playoff. The Buffaloes control their own destiny since a Big 12 championship would grab them the conference’s automatic bid in the 12-team field. Colorado’s resurgence is largely thanks to Heisman Trophy favorite Travis Hunter, along with quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Those two stars have played well since they got to Boulder, but the real question centered on Colorado’s offensive line since quarterback protection was a disaster last season and at the beginning of this year. Shedeur was pressured on 25.1 percent of drop-backs in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus, but that number has dropped to 20.8 percent in 2024. The potential No. 1 pick had a 31.3 percent pressure rate in a loss to Nebraska and a 32 percent pressure rate in an overtime victory over Baylor, where Colorado needed a Hail Mary to survive. Things have ticked up for that offensive line and Shedeur has been kept upright since then. The Colorado offensive line hasn’t had a pressure rate north of 25 percent in any other game this year. • Read our expert guide on how to bet on the NFL • Check out the best NFL betting sites Colorado will face Kansas in Week 13, where it is a 2.5-point road favorite. Should the Buffaloes get through that with a win, they will need to pass BYU to win the Big 12 conference. Erich Richter is a brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt but he has a black belt in MMA betting. During the football season he’s showcased massive profits at The Post in the player prop market the last two seasons. While constantly betting long shots, his return on investment is 30.15 percent since 2022.