Nebraska Football Remains Betting Favorite Despite Recent Loss

LINCOLN, Nebraska — Nebraska football remains a betting favorite for its upcoming home game against Northwestern, despite a disappointing performance against Minnesota on Friday night. The Cornhuskers (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) opened as 8 1/2-point favorites for the matchup on Saturday, a consensus that shifted to eight points by Sunday morning.

DraftKings opened Nebraska’s line at 8 1/2 points, while FanDuel set it at 7 1/2 points. This will mark the seventh time this season the Huskers are favored. Their last victory at home was on October 4, where they defeated Michigan State 38-27. They have played as road favorites in the last two games against Maryland and Minnesota.

In contrast, Nebraska was listed as an underdog only once this season, a narrow 30-27 loss to Michigan. The Huskers maintained favorite status in every other game, including the season opener against Cincinnati held at Kansas City‘s Arrowhead Stadium.

The total points over/under for the Nebraska-Northwestern game is set at 42 1/2, the lowest line for Nebraska this season. In their previous month of games, the lowest point total listed was 47 1/2 points. The Huskers are 2-5 against the spread this year. They achieved two blowout wins over Akron (68-0) and Houston Christian (59-7), but failed to cover in two recent games, including the 24-6 loss to Minnesota.

Northwestern enters the game with a record of 5-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play. The Wildcats’ head coach, David Braun, praised their defense for achieving a shutout in their last game against Purdue, which contributes to their three-game winning streak.

“That’s a big deal. Ultimately, we just said it in the locker room that’s a team shutout,” Braun said. Northwestern is 4-1 against the spread this season and have been strong at home.

As for Nebraska, head coach Matt Rhule expressed disappointment after the team’s loss at Minnesota, noting that the Cornhuskers struggled with missed assignments and mental errors. “They were the more physical team,” Rhule said. “They made the plays they needed to make.”

Kickoff for the game against Northwestern is scheduled for Saturday, with broadcast details yet to be announced. The contest can be listened to on the Husker Radio Network.

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