Northwestern vs Nebraska Prediction: Can Scott Frost and the Cornhuskers Start the Year with a Big Ten Win?
Northwestern vs Nebraska Prediction: Can Scott Frost and the Cornhuskers Start the Year with a Big Ten Win?
It's Week 0 in college football and that means one thing; gambling. My plan is to have action on every Division 1 game this Saturday. It's the only way. This is the last Saturday before my daughters' soccer season starts so I need to make the most of this opportunity. It's just smart living. The plan is to let all three of them have a sleepover this Saturday so there is legit no chance I will be bothered by any of them. Kids want nothing to do with parents when their friends are around. It's science. That means that I'll be up to my own devices that day which means I can gamble as much as I want. Like a king. Lucky for me, I've decided to become a college football team totals expert this season which was a smart move on my part. It's going to come in handy for the first game of the season which is Nebraska and Northwestern. The game is in Dublin, Ireland so there's that to consider but I don't think it will matter much (probably). We should start the season with a +140 banger in our pockets. Here are our picks, predictions, and odds for Saturday's game between the Northwestern Wildcats vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Northwestern vs. Nebraska Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds
- Date: August 27, 2022
- Game Time: 12:30 pm ET
- Where to Watch: FOX
Click Here for Northwestern vs. Nebraska Odds
Northwestern vs. Nebraska Line Movement
Northwestern Wildcats vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers Pick
Nebraska Team Total Over 7.5 * First Quarter (+140) (Bet $100 to win $140)
*Odds available at DraftKings at time of publishing*
This one is at DraftKings and while I hate to do this, they are the only book offering this one. If I was in charge, all books would have to offer first-quarter team totals but I'm just not in charge. In fact, I have no say whatsoever. It is what it is. There is hope for the FanDuel people though. I think I remember them giving out first-quarter team totals but closer to game day so it would be wise to check there. Also if you know of another book giving these bangers out, please tweet to me and I will let the people know. We need to be united in this game we play.
Northwestern Wildcats vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers Prediction
Generally, I'm not a first-quarter guy, especially when the next game doesn't start until 4:00 pm ET. That's a ton of time riding the pine in between games. Specifically on the first day of the season. Still, I was blinded by the +140 so it's not really my fault. The idea that we can bang out a +140 move on the first game of the season feels pretty special. We have to do it. Our hands are tied here. And not for nothing, two scores in the first quarter isn't that crazy. It happens all the time.
Here's the thing about Nebraska, they might not be that bad. I think Casey Thompson is an upgrade over Adrian Martinez but the fact that Mark Whipple is the offensive coordinator in Lincoln now compounds that. The guy had Pittsburgh scoring 40+ points a game last year. I think he knows what he's doing. On top of that, Thompson is going to be throwing to Trey Palmer, Omar Manning, and Travis Vokolek so he has weapons to make this work. Especially since Northwestern doesn't have a returning starter in the secondary.
The reason I'm thinking the first quarter is the way to go is because Nebraska is a "prove it" team this season. We're talking a real put-up or shut-up type squad. What wouldn't they go for the throat against a Wildcat team that looks like they don't have enough guys on the field on defense most plays? In their first game of the season last year they gave up 14 points in the first quarter to Michigan State. The next time they played a D1 school, they gave up 21 points in the opening quarter to Duke. A couple of weeks later, they got big buoyed for 21 early by our Nebraska kids. Honestly, this is going to be the easiest money we've ever made gambling.
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Article Author
John has spent the past 20+ years betting sports on a daily basis and is considered by many to be a walking sports betting encyclopedia. From obscure player props to sides and totals, if there is an angle, John will find it. His work has appeared on Rotogrinders and he has been a regular on sports talk radio stations across the country. Based in the US, John operates a blog & podcast, Sports Bets Beers, which covers betting angles in the NFL, NBA, MLB, & NHL.