No. 17 BYU v. No. 23 Colorado

Saturday, December 28
4:30 pm PT, ABC

Line: Colorado -3.5

What’s at Stake: In the expanded Playoff era, many of the Bowl Games have lost their allure. Not this one.

The Alamo Bowl stands alone. There’s something special about San Antonio and the atmosphere of the event. From the boat tours to the riverwalk, the pageantry leading up to the game and the contest itself are unforgettable experiences.

Realignment has done plenty of strange things. But matching up two Big 12 teams in the postseason is one of the odder features. Fortunately, the Buffs and Cougars did not play each other this season and the matchup is highly anticipated.

Arizona State’s dominance in the first year of the expanded league signals a power shift to the programs out West. BYU and Colorado are both up there competing for the top spots.

The winner of this game will take substantial momentum heading into the offseason. There’s a lot on the line.

Why BYU Wins: The front seven gets pressure on Shedeur Sanders to force knockdowns and sacks. The defense limits explosive plays when Sanders scrambles and stifles CU’s run game.

On offense, Jake Retzlaff doesn’t turn the ball over and the offensive line establishes the run.

Why Colorado Wins: Sanders has the time to get the ball into the hands of his quick wide receivers. The wideouts rack up yards after the catch and Sanders avoids taking sacks.

If the run game is not effective, the offense picks up short-yardage first downs through the air. On defense, the secondary generates a takeaway and the front seven limits chunk run plays.

—My Picks—
Against Spread: Colorado
Straight Up: Colorado