What are the key factors for Arizona State vs Colorado?

Arizona State: Key Factors

• Turnover Troubles Doom Sun Devils: Arizona State committed five turnovers (three interceptions, two lost fumbles) against Arizona, directly leading to 20 unanswered points and a 23-7 loss. Quarterback Jeff Sims, starting for the injured Sam Leavitt, was responsible for all five turnovers, finishing 11-of-25 for 114 yards.
• Offensive Struggles and Missed Opportunities: The Sun Devils managed only 214 total yards and were held to 15 yards in the first quarter. Their only touchdown came on a 90-yard drive capped by Sims' 27-yard run, but a missed field goal and inability to sustain drives prevented them from building momentum.
• Defensive Resilience Despite Loss: Arizona State's defense forced a fumble and blocked a field goal, keeping the game close at 7-3 halftime. However, the offense's turnovers put the defense in difficult positions, ultimately leading to the loss.
• Playoff Hopes Dashed: The loss eliminated Arizona State from Big 12 championship contention, ending their repeat title hopes. The Sun Devils (8-4, 6-3) will now likely play in a lower-tier bowl game after reaching the CFP last season.
• Quarterback Uncertainty for Bowl Game: With Sam Leavitt injured and Jeff Sims struggling (3-1 as starter but with five turnovers in this game), Arizona State faces a decision at quarterback for their upcoming bowl game. Sims' performance raises questions about his reliability in high-stakes situations.

Colorado: Key Factors

• Offensive Struggles and Quarterback Carousel: Colorado's offense was ineffective, with QB Kaidon Salter benched after managing only 49 passing yards. Ryan Staub and Ju-Ju Lewis also played, but Lewis left with a hand injury. The team has been outscored 81-7 in the first half of their last two games, indicating severe offensive dysfunction.
• Penalty Problems Continue: Colorado committed 14 penalties in the game, including two that wiped out a 75-yard touchdown and an interception. This lack of discipline has been a recurring issue and contributed to their inability to sustain drives or capitalize on opportunities.
• Defensive Vulnerabilities Exposed: Arizona scored on six of their first seven drives, amassing 38 first-half points. Colorado's defense allowed 52 points and struggled to create stops, with the team forcing no turnovers while committing five themselves.
• Team Morale and Coaching Accountability: Coach Deion Sanders took full blame for the loss and refused to let players speak post-game, citing his own responsibility. He expressed confidence in his ability to turn things around, but the team's consecutive blowout losses raise questions about morale and execution.
• Injury Concerns at Quarterback: Freshman Ju-Ju Lewis, who threw a 59-yard touchdown pass, left the game in the final minute with a hand injury. His status for next week's game at West Virginia is uncertain, adding to the instability at the quarterback position.

What happened in the game?

Arizona State travels 585 miles to this game, a moderate road trip.

Arizona State won by 25 to secure a comfortable win.

Arizona State covered the spread, covering the spread comfortably.

The total went Over by 10.5 points.

Does weather affect this game at Folsom Field?

At 29.8°F, this is a cold-weather game. Cold conditions below 35°F historically compress scoring and reduce passing efficiency, favouring unders and run-heavy offences.

Full conditions are shown in the data panel above. Forecast data sourced from WeatherAPI.com. Use the Line Value Calculator to apply a manual weather adjustment to your projected line.

How do Arizona State and Colorado compare on power ratings?

Blue Chip Analytics power ratings favour Arizona State (12.1) over Colorado (1.6) by 10.5 points on a neutral field. Despite playing at home, Colorado faces a power rating deficit. Check whether the market spread accounts for this gap. Colorado brings a meaningful home field advantage to this matchup (Blue Chip HFA: 2.6). Add this to the neutral-site differential to arrive at a venue-adjusted line.

Blue Chip Analytics power ratings represent expected point margin against an average FBS opponent on a neutral field, calculated from game data sourced via CollegeFootballData.com (CFBD). They are one input — cross-reference with the travel, rest, and weather data above before drawing conclusions.

Where can I find more data on Arizona State and Colorado?

• Arizona State team page
• Colorado team page
• College Football Power Ratings
• Home Field Advantage Ratings