After an underwhelming win over North Dakota State in the season opener, Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter and the Colorado Buffaloes travel in Week 2 to face the Dylan Raiola-led Nebraska Cornhuskers.

This is the eighth time (out of 13 games) in the Deion Sanders era that the Buffaloes have entered a contest as underdogs, and only once has Colorado emerged as a clear winner.

Can the Buffs overcome this bad history under their flamboyant coach or will true freshman Raiola lead the Cornhuskers to a revenge win after last season’s 36-14 loss in Boulder?

Here are my predictions and picks for Saturday night’s nationally televised Colorado vs. Nebraska game.

Odds for Colorado vs. Nebraska

Prediction for Colorado vs. Nebraska

(Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC)

It’s not time for Colorado fans to panic yet, but a five-point win over an FCS opponent is not the ideal start to the 2024 season.

Shedeur Sanders, a Heisman candidate who draws a lot of attention despite his underdog odds, was incredible, throwing for 445 yards, four touchdowns and a fluke interception that bounced off the calf muscle of an NDSU player and into the arms of a Bison defender.

Two-way player Hunter was equally impressive, hauling in seven catches for 132 yards and three touchdowns while recording three tackles on defense.

Jimmy Horn Jr., who had nearly 200 receiving yards, showed the speed and playmaking ability that make him and Hunter one of the most dynamic wide receiver duos in college football.

Still, it took the masterful performances of those players to beat the Bison by five points. Colorado nearly lost after a Hail Mary attempt was caught by an NDSU receiver who landed four yards from the end zone.

Some of the Buffs’ issues from last season persist, including their running game, which was an atrocity in Week 1. Colorado’s running backs gained just 59 yards on 23 attempts, with the offensive line resembling the defunct run-blocking unit of 2023.

However, the O-line seemed to have improved significantly in pass blocking, allowing only one sack of Sanders. Although the quarterback had to maneuver in and out of the pocket a lot, that was a bright spot.

Unfortunately, the Buffs’ defense was similar. NDSU quarterback Cam Miller completed 18 of his 22 attempts for 277 yards and a touchdown. He probably would have had an even bigger performance if not for a strange change in plays in the second half.

In the secondary, Hunter looked as we expected: dominant. But the rest of Colorado’s secondary was underwhelming. That could be a problem against the Cornhuskers, who some believe will be one of the better teams in the Big Ten in Matt Rhule’s second season.

Colorado vs. Nebraska Tip

Even though Nebraska has a true freshman at quarterback, expectations are higher than they’ve been in a long time. Raiola is a rare talent, and if he settles in and doesn’t try to play the hero in just his second college game, the Huskers should have no problem getting the ball to Colorado.

On defense, Nebraska can rely on a significant part of its performance from last season.

Betting on college football?

In fact, the Cornhuskers are expected to have one of the top 10 defenses in the country, and while it’s scary to rely on a complete freshman to cover the spread, we don’t expect them to commit four turnovers like they did in last season’s game.

Nebraska should be able to wear down Colorado’s already weak defense and score enough points to secure a double-digit win in Lincoln.

Selection: Nebraska -7 (-115, Caesars)