FIRST TAKE | Stephen A. BOLD predictions North Dakota State vs. Colorado NCAA football game tonight

it's personal you think I'm going to let them talk about y'all if they ain't going to be personal you think I'm going to let them doubt y'all and ain't going to be personal it's personal for real don't want to hear no more talking let's do it how about it you got to feel that the energy inside of you that we coming oh my touchdown colado all you want is an opportunity to Wi and darn it I going to give you that better believe it's personal tonight's the night after being in the headlines for issues off the field coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffalo's in action taking on FCS Powerhouse North Dakota State not an easy start to the season by any means on that note can we cue the [Music] music we got our betting expert Joe for andv here to get us set week one of the college football season Joey Joe how we feeling great to be back back in there like swimwear great to see you Molly great to see you Sten time to go like Jo Joe love you miss you great great seeing you may I make a slight suggestion St doesn't to go away the stash doesn't have to go away it doesn't have to go away but could you rock it with the goatee bro the goate te it's 2024 man you had one of these back in the day you know it you know and you know you did well I'm bringing it back I'm bringing it back first take me the little more mustache phot Stephen A with a mustache so we could pleas see that we need to that happen Jo did you imagine that I love you but you also know how I feel about the mustache we've talked about movember and all of that and you know it's just it's not okay all right all right let's do it all right uh Joe tell me this what do you like with North Dakota State Colorado tonight that one's on ESPN I like the underdog give me North Dakota State uh sports betting believe it or not it's not as much about sports as it is about psychology and math case in point to Colorado Buffalo you pay a tax with Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffalo here's what I mean by that the public loves to bet Colorado we saw that last year as a result the bookmakers know the public is coming so they bake that into the price and they inflate the number this offers value going the other way put it like this Stephen A if it if a Christian lubaton Store Saw Molly walking down the street you think they're going to put everything on sale hell no they know she's coming in there they're going to jack the prices exactly good money right there good money that is what the bookmakers are doing here so we can find an opportunity going with a very good North Dakota State team very well coached very well organized to keep this in mind Colorado was a favorite in four games last year they made money covering the spread I think it's one of those situations where the game is going to be a lot more thrilling a lot more close than anybody anticipated than most people anticipated because you're not expecting an FCS school to give somebody in a big 12 a problem but I think that North Dakota state is the exception I think Colorado wins but I think it's going to be closer I'll take the plus n and a half Joe make this fun for me tonight you know I I I want to be on the edge of my seat here give give me another play with Colorado so season long I would play under five and a half wins this isn't going to be popular at all it's going to be very close that hurts Joe under five and a half for Colorado yes hear me out before everyone gets all up in arms okay hear me out this team's going to play 12 regular season games I've got them as an underdog in eight games and that's legit that's not me trying to screw with anybody they're going to be an underdog in eight games right there now in those four games they're favored they'll probably be favored by maybe four or five points against Baylor and Cincinnati they need to lose what is it eight games or eight games in order for me for me to hit this bet I need them to lose seven games so what Dion needs to do to bust me up is he's got a hold serve in all four where he's a favorite and then he needs to Spring at least two upsets and keep in mind in those eight games where he's a dog he's going to be a dog of seven or more points in six of those games it's going to be close it'll probably be right on five but that's the official prediction Colorado goes five and seven during the regular season I'm taking the over four F five and a half I'm I'm going with the over here I'm going to put Dion Sanders and I'm going to rely on Deion Sanders to deliver me two more victories you inherited a one and8 team one and 11 team you win four games three games more than yet they had won the previous year as a program I think that Deion Sanders saw some of the liability saw some of the deficiencies that's why you saw such wholesale changes I think that they're good for an upset or two along with winning the favorite games that they've won I'm going to predict I'm going to take the over I think Dion's going to win about six games Colorado Colorado wins five or fewer you're growing a mustache that's what's going on oh whoa do you agree to that I'll wear a fake one I'll wear a fake one I'll wear a fake by the way five five of those losses were one score but I don't know so much turnover on that roster that's tough It's hard to got they got toed right he's got a whole new team okay uh college game day is going to be in college station for Notre Dame Texas A&M what do you like in this one Joey we're going to play the under we're going to play the underdog here give me Notre Dame plus the three we're playing the price in this game okay last week this game was a pick them which meant all you needed to do is pick the winner there was no spread then the Notre Dame starting left tackles ruled out for the season here comes the Texas A&M money everyone piles on they take it all the way up to three three is a very important number in sports betting it's the most important number because more games end on a differential of three than any other number 2421 2724 4 3128 you see where I'm going with this so you want to be on the right side at three I think Notre Dame money is eventually going to hit the market people talk about the mikee Elco hire at A&M fantastic Mike demock is the new offensive coordinator at Notre Dame he was at LSU last year LSU had the best offense in the country Riley Leonard transferred in a quarterback they upgraded the wide receivers don't bet the dog because you think they can keep it close bet the underdog because you believe they can win I believe Notre Dame can win give me the three with the Irish I agree with you there I agree with you I like coach Freeman a lot I think and I love the changes that you highlighted particularly since I'm anticipating after listening to you that their offense is going to be more potent than it was and we know that's something that will help I'm I'm and I'm still not sold on Texas A&M obviously they got a new coach we get that we know he came from duke but still in all he's got some things to prove being in the SEC let's see what he does uh but the opening game against Notre Dame that's a big game know the Dame should rise to the occasion plus three is not that big of a deal they should be able to pull that off all right uh Joe let's see if you go for the jugular once again how about the NFL we've talked about it all morning on first take Mike Tomlin finally names Russell Wilson as the starter we know how tough that AFC North is the other quarterbacks in that division what do you have on the Steelers I'd make two bets I'd go under eight and a half wins I'd also bet him to miss the playoffs I think under eight and a half is the safer bet here I'm I'm really I'm tired of hearing about how Mike tomlin's never had a losing season yeah I know but he's not winning 14 or 15 games during the regular season he's winning 10 or fewer five of the last six seasons it's been 10 or fewer wins so he's got a really high floor but he's got a really low ceiling all right there are a lot of metrics that point to regression this year they were nine and two in one score games last season that's going to regress they were number two in giveaways last year very good protecting the football that's going to regress they have the hardest schedule in the NFL that is going to cause problems late in the season after the bye and keep this in mind last year down the stretch they played seven games against teams that featured backup quarterbacks of course you're going to win 10 games when you're facing backup quarterbacks over the back half of the season this is a well- coached team but I don't see him winning nine games I'd played the under eight and a half you know it I agree I agree you know it I mean that's what I just finished lamenting a few minutes ago Molly that's my concern uh the schedule I'm trying to figure out how the hell you know you Pittsburgh Steelers you get bounced out by Buffalo in the first round and what have you but you still end up with the hardest schedule in the NFL what's up with the schedule makers at the NFL I mean how the hell that happened I mean I'm wondering about that but having said all of that I will say again considering their division Rivals considering the power Brokers in the AFC Conference considering their schedule particularly the back half the last 11 weeks of the Season how hellacious that could be I I think going I think taking it over with eight and a half is a bit too much much I'm going to go with the under he I have no choice smart all right Joe it's very exciting to see you again Joe will be with us every Thursday here to win you some money follow him for all things betting and I just want to mention he's got maybe a fake mustach and Joe we have to have you come back one time to debate Stephen A when he's in studio because Stephen A when he was on filling in the summer Joe did a heck of a job he did he doesn't want that well he does not want that I don't know if he's ready for that smoke actually talking about y'all this man is is is the elite odds maker and everything else you damn right I don't want that smoke but I'll take it yeah I'll take it I mean what you think you think I fore let down do [Music] [Music] foreign spee fore spee show [Music] okay fore spee spech for [Music] for see [Music] [Music] see foreign for spee for for