College Football

2023 College Football odds: The key for Colorado? Make it about Shedeur Sanders

Updated Sep. 7, 2023 2:02 p.m. ET

To say Joel Klatt is amped for the Colorado-Nebraska game on Saturday's Big Noon Kickoff would be an understatement.

"This is the game of my youth. When I think of college football, this is the game I think about."

As a former Buffaloes quarterback, Klatt dove into what is suddenly (arguably) the biggest game of the Week 2 college football slate on this week's edition of "The Joel Klatt Show," pointing out the monumental shift in the odds after Colorado's 45-42 upset win at TCU in Week 1.

"There's been a huge swing in the spread, obviously, since a week ago. Colorado was the underdog for most of the offseason. Nebraska was favored by about 7.5. Remember, TCU was favored by 20, then Colorado goes in there and wins that game. That line changed immediately."

That line has certainly undergone a major overall, with Colorado now a 3-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook.

"It could be going higher than that as the money starts to flow in on Colorado," Klatt said. "So there's been a major swing, and rightly so."

FOX Sports Betting Analyst Patrick Everson reported that the big game is seeing monumental betting action.

"The Colorado-Nebraska game has more bets on it than 14 NFL games this weekend," Everson wrote.

In terms of the game itself, Klatt outlined the keys to a Colorado victory, and it begins — and ends — with the quarterback.

"The main point for Colorado on offense has to be to keep Shedeur Sanders clean. As much as you can say, ‘We gotta get Dylan Edwards the ball,’ yes you do. … ‘Travis Hunter, we gotta get him his touches and chances down the field,’ absolutely. But really, the key is keeping Shedeur Sanders clean. This dates back, by the way, to his time at Jackson State. When clean, this guy is surgical at the quarterback position."

Sanders was indeed a surgeon in Week 1, finishing 38-for-47 passing for a school-record 510 yards and four touchdowns.

But as Klatt pointed out, when "clean" — having time to throw in the pocket — Sanders was 30-for-35 passing for 347 yards and two touchdowns.

"This guy had one of the best performances I've ever seen from a quarterback in a Colorado uniform, and I've seen a lot of them," Klatt said. "He made clutch throw after clutch throw."

Klatt believes the Cornhuskers will bring more pressure than the Horned Frogs.

"I think it will be more difficult, by the way, than it was against TCU [to keep Sanders clean in the pocket]. I thought TCU's pass rush was gonna be more dynamic. It wasn't."

Sanders was sacked four times against TCU. Nebraska racked up three sacks in its 13-10 Week 1 loss to Minnesota.

Speaking of Sanders, both his and Hunter's Heisman trophy odds have shrunk drastically since last week's upset victory.

Check out the entire episode of "The Joel Klatt Show" below!