Nebraska and Northwestern open their 2022 college football seasons with a hop across the pond for a Big Ten Conference game Saturday in Dublin, Ireland. The Cornhuskers begin this season with a coach on a hot seat while the Wildcats are looking to snap a six-game losing skid.
Here’s how we homeworked this game for our free college football betting pick.
College Football Betting Odds
This week’s college football betting lines opened Nebraska as a 12.5-point favorite over Northwestern, with an over/under of around 50.5. Early betting action then hiked the ‘Huskers a point to -13.5.
College Football Betting Preview
Nebraska is coming off a disastrous 3-9 campaign of last season, all nine losses coming by single digits. The Cornhuskers lost by a touchdown to Illinois, by a touchdown at Oklahoma, by a field goal at Michigan State, by a field goal to eventual Big Ten champion Michigan, by a touchdown at Minnesota, by five points to Purdue, by nine at Ohio State and by touchdowns to Wisconsin and Iowa.
Nebraska actually out-gained seven of its 12 opponents last season. It just lost a bunch of close games.
This season the Cornhuskers return 12 starters, seven on an offense that averaged 448 yards per game last season but only five on a defense that held foes to 366 YPG. And while they lost longtime starting quarterback Adrian Martinez, they brought in transfer Casey Thompson, who compiled a 24/9 TD/INT ratio at Texas last season.
Nebraska, with only four true road games this season, is playing against a wins over/under of 7.5.
Northwestern, meanwhile, continued its Jekyll-and-Hyde act last season by going 3-9. After going 7-2 the season before; after going 3-9 the season before; after going 9-5 the season before. The Wildcats actually started 3-3 last season, then lost their last six games, five of them in blow-out fashion.
This season Northwestern returns 14 starters. Nine are back on an offense that averaged just 322 YPG last year, including QB Ryan Hilinski, 1,000-yard rusher Evan Hull, and four along the offensive line. But only five are back on a defense that gave up 430 YPG. So it looks like the Wildcats might play some high-scoring games this season.
Northwestern, with five Big Ten road games and only three true conference home games, is playing against a wins O/U this season of four.
Cornhuskers-Wildcats Recent History
Nebraska leads this rivalry 6-5 since joining the Big Ten back in 2010. The ‘Huskers are also 2-1 SU over the last three meetings, but Northwestern is 2-1 ATS, pulling one upset, keeping another game close as an underdog. Last year, though, Nebraska led the Wildcats 21-0 in the first quarter and 35-7 at the half, eventually ran the ball for 427 yards, won 56-7, and covered easily at -11.
Totals Report
- Last year the overs played 6-5 in Nebraska games, which averaged 51 total points.
- Last year the totals split 6-6 in Northwestern games, which averaged 46 points.
- The Under is 2-1 over the last three meetings between these teams.