Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes kick off their 2024 football season with a Thursday night home matchup against North Dakota State. The game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET with TV coverage on ESPN and streaming on-demand.

• Watch: Live streams of the Colorado vs. North Dakota State football game are available with offers from FuboTV (free trial), SlingTV (low intro rate) and DirecTV Stream (free trial).

North Dakota State Bison (0-0) at Colorado Buffaloes (0-0)

NCAA football matchup at a glance

When: Thursday, Aug. 29 at 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. MT)

Where: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colo.

TV channel: ESPN

Live streams: FuboTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | DirecTV Stream (free trial)

Colorado surged early in the 2023 season with three straight wins over TCU (45-42), Nebraska (36-14) and Colorado State (43-35 OT) and fizzled late with six straight losses to finish Sanders’ tumultuous first season in Boulder with a 4-8 record. The nation’s 16th-best passing offense does return star quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way standout Travis Hunter as the Buffaloes transition from the Pac-12 to Big 12 with pressure and hope and attention. Colorado is an imperfect team with high roster turnover and major questions, but should also be a constant source of entertainment and occasional brilliance.

How to watch Colorado vs. North Dakota State live: FuboTV (free trial) | DirecTV Stream (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate)

North Dakota State remains an FCS powerhouse and comes off an 11-4 season that ended with a 31-29 double-overtime loss to Montana State in the FCS Championship Game. The Bison are more established in areas where the Buffaloes could be vulnerable, namely in the trenches, but also faces the tall task of trying to slow down Shedeur Sanders, Hunter and company from throwing it around the field. The clash of styles could mean an onslaught of points on Thursday night.

The Buffaloes and Bison are set for an 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. MT) start on ESPN. Live streams are available from FuboTV (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial) and SlingTV (low intro rate).

Tornadic winds knocked nearly four dozen train cars off a track in North Dakota, part of a storm system that spurred reports of five tornadoes across the Dakotas.

BNSF Railway spokesperson Kendall Sloan said a train was stopped due to a tornado warning Wednesday night near the town of Steele, North Dakota, when high winds caused 43 empty coal cars to derail.

No one was hurt, and no hazardous materials were in the cars, Sloan said in an email. BNSF cleanup crews were at the site on Thursday.

The National Weather Service in Bismarck, North Dakota, confirmed on Thursday that a tornado touched down near Steele around 8 p.m. Wednesday. The agency said another tornado touched down at 5:40 p.m. Wednesday southwest of Selfridge, North Dakota, on the Standing Rock Tribal Nation.

The weather service said three potential tornadoes also were reported in north-central South Dakota on Wednesday night. No injuries were reported. Survey crews were still working to confirm in damage in South Dakota was from tornadoes.

While bad weather was generally moving out of the Dakotas, severe thunderstorms were possible Thursday in Minnesota and parts of Iowa and Wisconsin, the weather service said.

It’s all in front of Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes in their opener Thursday night.

They roll into their clash with North Dakota State as 10-point favorites on Fanatics Sportsbook and are massive -375 favorites to win outright.

The Division I AA school has actually produced two top draft picks in the NFL, Carson Wentz and Trey Lance, while also seeing Easton Stick get into the league.

There is no top prospect awaiting the Buffaloes on Thursday, though.

North Dakota State bizarrely runs a two-quarterback system, led by passing quarterback Cam Miller and supported by Cole Payton, who plays a role similar to Taysom Hill of the Saints.

We’re going to target a first-half bet against the spread.

Colorado vs. North Dakota State prediction

Colorado should heavily rely on its defensive line this season.

The Buffaloes’ defensive front profiled as one of the best in college football last year, and overall return nine of their 11 key contributors.

Colorado will need to improve its tackling and run defense to take a step forward this year, but that continuity and a retooled roster littered with transfers should led to an improved football team after last year’s 4-8 disappointment that featured several collapses in close games.

Offensively, Colorado will need much better play from its offensive line to protect star quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Thursday’s game should be his showcase performance that could vault him to early Heisman Trophy contention.

North Dakota’s defense, particularly their secondary, is abysmal.

Betting on College Football?

Two-way star Travis Hunter could also take a leap forward as a receiver. He’s among the best at the position and also shines on defense as a lockdown cornerback.

The Buffaloes should eventually pull away in this one, but the defense could have its hands full dealing with two different looks and completely opposite offenses.

In-game management isn’t exactly Coach Prime’s strong suit.

Back North Dakota State to keep it close in the first half, but it’s anyone’s guess how this one plays out in the second half.

PICK: North Dakota State first half spread +7.5 (-160, Fanatics)