How to watch, storylines, predictions

Colorado (1-11 in 2022) vs. No. 17 Texas Christian (13-2)

When/where: 10 a.m. Saturday/Amon G. Carter Stadium

TV/Radio: KDVR-31/850 AM

BetMGM Line: TCU -20.5, 63.5 over/under

Weather: 87 degrees, sunny

Five storylines

Prime debut: After months of hype, hours of video and more than one million new social media followers, the Coach Prime era finally begins on Big Noon Kickoff — the first of two straight CU games to be broadcast in Fox’s premier college football time slot. Deion Sanders declared “we coming” nine months ago when he was first hired as CU’s head coach. Now, we get to see if the Buffs have arrived.

Mystery science theater: One team is coming off a national championship game trip. The other is fresh off maybe the worst season in program history. But anyone who professes to know what TCU or CU will look like Saturday should be taken with several bags of salt. CU has 87 new players (60 transfers), a new coach, and new offensive and defensive schemes. TCU graduated nearly every major offensive contributor from last season, but will start the same QB (Chandler Morris) as last fall in Boulder. Translation: Stay away, bettors.

Double duty: One thing that will be revealed: How much CU plans to use two-way sophomore Travis Hunter. Primarily a shutdown corner, the highest-rated recruit in Buffs football history is also expected to take snaps at wide receiver this fall. Just how many is unclear, especially with CU’s two-deep roster remaining a state secret as of Friday afternoon. A year ago, Hunter caught 18 balls for 190 yards and four TDs over eight games. Is that the guidepost?

Familiar face: One Horned Frogs returner who should be well known to CU fans — if not CU players — is Mark Perry. The super senior safety played three seasons in Boulder, then left for TCU prior to the 2022 season and was the team’s second leading tackler while starting 14 of 15 games last season. Of course, any institutional knowledge he might have had went out the window the moment Coach Prime arrived.

Texas two step: Get used to seeing these Frogs. With CU set to join the Big 12 next fall, these trips to Fort Worth are about to become commonplace. And that just might be a good thing for the Buffs’ recruiting. A total of 15 players on the current roster hail from the Lone Star State, trailing only Florida (21) and California (18) on the Buffs roster.