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This season two of my colleagues — Steve Rivera of GOAZCATS.com and Anthony Gimino of TucsonNewsNow.com — and I will pick the outcomes of Pac-12 games. Odds listed are of the Westgate Superbook in Las Vegas. …
ARIZONA (4-2, 1-2) AT
COLORADO (3-3, 0-2)
6 p.m., Fox Sports 1
Pointspread: Arizona favored by 7
— The line opened at 7 points in favor of Arizona and has stayed at that mark.
— The Colorado Buffaloes called a team meeting soon after dropping their 13th straight conference game last weekend at ASU. It was a players’ only meeting. TB Phillip Lindsay called for the gathering on the plane ride home from Tempe. The squad voiced their concerns and it was therapeutic and a good sign for Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre.
— Colorado hasn’t knocked off a conference foe since beating Cal on Nov. 16, 2013, in MacIntyre’s first season. Their current streak of 13 straight league losses is one shy of matching the school record, which was set over the 2012-13 seasons.
CONTINUE ON IN THE PAC-12 PICKS SLIDESHOW BY CLICKING ON THE RIGHT ARROW AT THE TOP OR BOTTOM
— QB Sefo Liufau has thrown no interceptions in Colorado’s wins and three in its losses. Arizona has not committed a turnover in the last two games and has only five through the first six games. QB Anu Solomon has a string of 145 passes without an interception to start the season.
— Arizona ranks seventh in the nation in scoring (42.3) and rushing (298.5). The team also is ninth in total offense (530.2).
— Much like Arizona’s Rich Rodriguez, MacIntyre is running out of healthy linebackers. Addison Gillam (knee) and Kenneth Olugbode (leg surgery) were already sidelined and backup Ryan Severson was hurt last week. Colorado will rely on redshirt freshman Rick Gamboa to help at middle linebacker.
— Arizona and Colorado have no off-weeks this year, so no team is at an advantage there.
— Liufau was sacked eight times in a loss at ASU.
— Although the Buffaloes are 61-34-5 in homecoming games, they have dropped seven straight, including a double-overtime loss to UCLA a year ago. ”A win is kind of the only thing that will satisfy us right now,” Liufau said. ”We don’t care about coming close, overtime loss, or anything like that. We just want to win.”
BETTING TRENDS
Arizona is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Arizona’s last 7 games
Colorado is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Colorado is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Colorado’s last 6 games
Colorado is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games at home
My pick: Arizona will win and cover
Steve Rivera’s pick: Arizona will win and cover
Anthony Gimino’s pick: Arizona will win and cover
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SCRIBES SPREAD SELECTION STANDINGS
SU: Straight-up pick. ATS: Against-the-spread pick.
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CHECK OUT STEVE, ANTHONY AND MATT MORENO IN THEIR WEEKLY “SPORTS GUYS” SHOW
Site founder and award-winning sports journalist Javier Morales has published his first e-book, “The Highest Form of Living”, a fiction piece about a young man who overcomes a troubled upbringing without his lost father and wayward mother through basketball and hope. His hope is realized through the sport he loves. Basketball enables him to get past his fears. His experience on the court indirectly brings him closer to his parents in a unique, heartfelt way. Please order it at Amazon (for only $4.99) by clicking on the photo:
We've arrived! A crisp and cool 66 degrees #AZvsCU #HardEdge #BearDown pic.twitter.com/GFionYpxch
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) October 16, 2015
@ArizonaFBall for the first time ever, we're going with Red helmets, Red jerseys and Blue pants.#AZvsCU Bear Down! pic.twitter.com/UgcZ4wf7Ai
— Ruben Membrila (@redbullwin80) October 16, 2015
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