The Colorado Buffaloes and Colorado State Rams will look to start fast when they meet in Denver on Friday as they try to end their bowl droughts this season. The Rams last appeared in a bowl game in 2017 and last won one in 2013, while the Buffaloes were last bowl bound in 2016 and haven't been victorious in one since 2004. Kickoff from Broncos Stadium at Mile High is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET. Despite their recent struggles, Colorado does have one national championship (1990), compiling an all-time record of 705-508-36 (.579), while Colorado State is 524-580-33 (.475) all-time. The Buffaloes are 12.5-point favorites in the latest Colorado vs. Colorado State odds, up two from where the line opened. The over-under for total points scored is 55.5, down a field goal after opening at 58.5. Before making any Colorado vs. Colorado State picks of your own, you need to see what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times, and those who have followed it have seen massive returns. Over the past four years, this proprietary computer model has generated a jaw-dropping $4,530 profit for $100 bettors on its top-rated spread picks.

The model enters the first full weekend of the 2019 college football season on a blistering 49-29 run on all top-rated picks. It also called Miami (+7) covering against No. 8 Florida in the season opener and hit the under. Anybody who has been following it is way up.

Now the model has dialed in on Colorado vs. Colorado State. We can tell you it's leaning over, and it has a strong against-the-spread pick that cashes in well over 60 percent of simulations. That one is only available at SportsLine.

The model has taken into account that Buffaloes quarterback Steven Montez has both of his top targets returning this season, junior wide receivers Laviska Shenault Jr. and K.D. Nixon. Last season, Shenault caught 86 passes for 1,011 yards and six touchdowns. A projected future NFL draft pick by some college football experts, Shenault already ranks 20th all-time at Colorado in receptions (93) and 21st in receiving yards (1,179). He has scored 72 points, good for 78th on Colorado's all-time scoring list.

Nixon, who also returns kicks, caught 52 passes for 636 yards and four touchdowns a year ago. Along with Shenault, the two became the 11th duo in Colorado history to have 100 yards receiving in a game, accomplishing the feat in the season-opener last year against Colorado State. He also caught 13 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns against Oregon State in a 41-34 overtime loss. The 13 receptions was second-most by a receiver in school history.

But just because the Buffaloes return plenty of talent does not guarantee they will cover the Colorado vs. Colorado State spread on Friday. 

Despite being hit hard by graduation, Colorado State returns a number of offensive weapons, including junior running back Marcus McElroy. He played in all 12 games last season in a reserve role, rushing 52 times for 219 yards. Against Colorado last season, he carried 14 times for 61 yards. Also looking to help carry the load will be senior Marvin Kinsey Jr., who was second on the team in rushing in 2018 with 256 yards and two touchdowns, both coming in a 34-21 loss to Wyoming. For his career, Kinsey has rushed for 926 yards on 182 attempts and 11 TDs. 

Junior wide receiver Warren Jackson (6-6, 219) is the top returning receiver after last year's top two, Preston Williams and Olabisi Johnson, went to the NFL. Jackson ranked third on the team with 32 receptions for 405 yards and four touchdowns. His career-long reception is 38 yards, which came against these same Buffaloes two years ago.

So who wins Colorado State vs. Colorado? And which side of the spread can you bank on in well over 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Colorado State vs. Colorado spread to jump on Friday, all from the advanced model that is up more than $4,500 on its top-rated college football picks, and find out.