BYU vs Colorado Alamo Bowl Prediction, Preview, & Odds – 12/28/2024

The BYU Cougars will go head-to-head with the Colorado Buffaloes in the Alamo Bowl on December 28, 2024, at 7:30 pm EST. The betting odds from DraftKings Sportsbook favor the Colorado Buffaloes by five points. The total for this game is set at 54.5. This matchup promises to be an exciting clash between two talented college football teams looking to secure a win. Stay tuned for a competitive game with plenty of action on both sides of the ball between these Big 12 opponents.

Before the action kicks off in this BYU vs Colorado matchup, continue reading to get our preview of this game. Bettors will find our keys to this bowl game between conference foes, along with our best bet for the Alamo Bowl. Our college football experts are off to a strong start betting on this year's bowl action and our college football betting model has a pick that you can trust for this game, as it is backed by massive amounts of data along with our knowledge of the bowl season betting markets.

BYU Looks For Signature Win to End Season

The BYU Cougars were undefeated for most of this season, going unbeaten until mid-November. They ended up with a record of 10-2 on the year, narrowly missing out on a spot in the College Football Playoff. Here, the Cougars are underdogs according to the latest college football betting odds as they look to finish their season on a high note in one of the best years in recent memory for the BYU football program.

The number one key to this game for BYU will be their pass defense, which is the top concern for any team playing against Colorado as currently constructed. This Colorado team might have two of the top-three picks in the next NFL Draft lining up on offense, with quarterback Shedeur Sanders and wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. If BYU can't make life difficult for one or both of them, they could be in for a long night in the Alamodome on Saturday.

Colorado Stars Seek Proper Send-Off

The Colorado Buffaloes took some major steps forward as a program during the 2024 college football season. They went 9-3 and just missed out on a trip to the Big 12 championship game. They also produced this year's Heisman Trophy winner as Travis Hunter won the award thanks to his play on both sides of the ball. Here, Colorado will look to send Sanders and Hunter off to the NFL in style, as they attempt to claim their 10th win on the season.

As of now, both Sanders and Hunter are expected to play in this game. But it is the defense around Hunter that will be the key to this contest for Colorado. The Buffaloes will need to stop the dual-threat ability of BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff if they want to win this game, as Retzlaff is great at improvising and making plays with his legs. If Colorado can contain him and make him a pure passer, they could come away with win number 10 on the season.

BYU vs Colorado Best Bet

Our top betting selection for this BYU vs Colorado matchup in the Alamo Bowl is for BYU to cover the spread as an underdog in San Antonio. We expect a close game throughout here, as Colorado has a ton of offensive firepower, but isn't great defensively outside of the play of Hunter. Look for BYU to do plenty of scoring of their own and for this game to be decided by about a field goal in either direction.