TCU vs Colorado prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 1, Friday, September 2
TCU vs Colorado How To Watch
Date: Friday, September 2
Game Time: 10:00 ET
Venue: Folsom Field, Boulder, CO
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: TCU (0-0), Colorado (0-0)
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TCU vs Colorado Game Preview
Why TCU Will Win
One of the Big 12’s better offenses in 2021 should be even better under new head coach Sonny Dykes.
The Horned Frogs are loaded at receiver, Max Duggan is an underappreciated talent at quarterback, and the balance will be there with a good running game behind a veteran offensive line.
Colorado has to prove it found a pass rush over the offseason, and it has to go from nothing to great in a hurry offensively to keep up the pace. The Buffaloes struggled to get to 20 points – it only scored more than that four times last season – with the second-worst O in college football yardage-wise.
The transfer portal didn’t do enough to take the attack to a whole other level – it needs QB JT Shrout to be amazing coming off a torn ACL, or Brendon Lewis has to be better.
Fortunately for Colorado …
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Why Colorado Will Win
The TCU pass rush isn’t going to be a thing for a little while.
The defense was a stunning disaster last season mostly because it couldn’t do much of anything up front. It would have been a massive help to get a few cupcake games in before this to get everyone in place around the veteran linebackers, but the run D that allowed 222 yards per game will get pushed and tested right away.
No, the Colorado offense isn’t going to be Ohio State, but the running game will come out smashing with a revamped line around Alabama transfer Tommy Brown.
Again, the TCU receiving corps and passing game should be great, but Colorado has the defensive backs to hold up – the secondary might be the team’s biggest strength right away.
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What’s Going To Happen
Both teams are coming off of wildly disappointing seasons. The Colorado offense that didn’t do much of anything will suddenly find a spark at home, the TCU defense that didn’t much of anything will generate more big stops and should be more effective, and …
For all of Colorado’s problems, it was it 3-0 at home after an October 2nd loss to USC – and was 0-5 on the road. TCU was 0-4 on the road over the same stretch.
Of course that shouldn’t matter – new year, new teams, new styles – but the Buffs being in Boulder helps.
The offensive line will come up with a great performance in the late night setting, but it’ll be the defense that rises up with a good fourth quarter to survive a fun – and somewhat shocking – end to Friday before it Week 1 really gets humming the next morning.
TCU vs Colorado Prediction, Line
Colorado 30, TCU 27
Line: TCU -13.5, o/u: 55.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 4
TCU vs Colorado Must See Rating: 3.5
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