North Dakota State vs. Colorado best bet: Bison start fast

Listen, there’s no way I’m making a full-game bet on North Dakota State vs. Colorado because there are just too many unknowns.

After scouring the numbers, though, I’ve found a juicy bet that will only take 15 minutes to cash in.

The pick — North Dakota State OVER 3.5 first-quarter points at Colorado (-115, DraftKings)

As far as the unknowns go, I have more questions than a Jeopardy contestant. Offensive line issues, defensive issues, FCS vs. FBS matchups — the list is as long as a CVS receipt.

Instead of trying to find all the answers, I’m going to stick with what I already know: North Dakota State will come prepared. The Bison didn’t earn the unofficial nickname of the “Alabama of the FCS” for nothing. The team has a history of good coaching and success, and it’s a program steeped in smart decisions.

With that track record, there’s no doubt North Dakota State will be ready for Thursday’s game. Not only have the Bison had the entire offseason to prepare, but they also have plenty of returning players — including fifth-year quarterback Cam Miller — so I’m not worried about early season unpreparedness.

In 2023, North Dakota State exceeded the 3.5-point mark in the first quarter in 11 of its 15 games. The Bison start games hot, and they’ll have a well-scripted first series and a strong game plan to kick things off.

Colorado ranked 101st out of 120 teams in first-quarter points allowed per game last season, giving up an average of 7.5 points. That’s more than a touchdown per game in the first quarter. The Buffaloes defense will need to make significant improvements by Week 1 to reverse this trend.

Sure, there’s always the chance that Colorado’s talent takes over and it covers the full game by the end. But you know what? That’s not our problem!

Let’s bet on NDSU coming out strong against a shaky Buffs team.

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