The Nebraska Cornhuskers closed as 30.5-point favorites against Northern Iowa on Saturday night, but the Nebraska vs. Northern Iowa point spread was as high as Nebraska -32.5. That means that whether Nebraska covered the spread or not depends on what number you got.
Nebraska came up with a goal-line stand against Northern Iowa to hold on for a 31-point win. If you had Nebraska -30.5, you won your bet. If you had Nebraska -31.5 or longer, then unfortunately, you didn't cover.
The total closed at over/under 50.5 points.
Here's everything you need to know about Northern Iowa vs. Nebraska odds and closing lines.
Northern Iowa vs Nebraska Odds, Spread, Over/Under
Northern Iowa Odds | ||
---|---|---|
Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+30.5 -108 | 50 -110o / -110u | +5000 |
Nebraska Odds | ||
---|---|---|
Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-30.5 -112 | 50 -110o / -110u | -10000 |
- Northern Iowa vs Nebraska Point Spread: Nebraska -30.5
- Northern Iowa vs Nebraska Total: Over/Under 50.5
- Northern Iowa vs Nebraska Moneyline: Nebraska -10000, Northern Iowa +5000
- Northern Iowa vs Nebraska Prediction: Nebraska -32.5
My Northern Iowa vs Nebraska best bet is on the Huskers spread, with the best line currently available at BetRivers, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Northern Iowa Panthers Betting Preview: Competition is Only Getting Tougher
Northern Iowa comes into this matchup off a pair of wins against FCS non-scholarship Pioneer Football League participants Valparaiso and St. Thomas.
The Panthers dispatched Valpo fairly easily in Week 1, 35-7, as the Beacons are one of the worst-rated teams in all of FCS. They did so by leaning heavily on their rushing attack, running for 365 yards.
Last week, the Panthers struggled with St. Thomas and needed to come from behind with two scores in the fourth quarter to secure the win (17-10). They struggled mightily in passing situations, going 11-for-25 for just 99 yards, while also posting terrible third-down numbers (25%).
Northern Iowa is going through a transition with its offensive coaching staff. It was scheduled to install the Air Raid offense this year, but new offensive coordinator Luke Falk resigned suddenly in July and it has yet to announce a replacement.
The installation of the new offense hasn't gone well as UNI has struggled to find explosiveness in the passing game. Quarterback Aidan Dunne is just 25-of-42 for 215 yards through two games against much weaker competition than what's coming for the Panthers.
While UNI has found early-season success running the ball this year, the non-scholarship teams its faced need to be considered.
The Panthers' defense struggled a bit against St. Thomas, which achieved 19 first downs and 297 total yards against UNI.
Nebraska Cornhuskers Betting Preview: An Efficient Offense
Nebraska comes in after getting revenge against Colorado in a dominating 28-10 victory in Lincoln last week.
Nebraska was up 28-0 at the half and created Havoc on the Buffaloes all night. 10 tackles-for-loss and six sacks were huge factors that stalled CU drives.
The Huskers' offense was efficient and consistent in the first half and sat on the lead in the second half to secure the win.
We also saw a similar approach by Nebraska in its Week 1 route at home against UTEP. The defensive front seven for Nebraska played extremely well, allowing only 16 yards rushing against the Buffs to go along with the Havoc numbers.
<span >How to Make College Football Picks For My Northern Iowa vs Nebraska Prediction</span>
Nebraska has some significant advantages in this matchup with UNI. The Panthers are replacing their top four defensive linemen and 10 of their top 13 tacklers from last year’s defense, while the defensive secondary is replacing all four starters from last season, as well.
Nebraska has made a concentrated effort to open up the offense this year with highly-touted quarterback Dylan Raiola.
In two games, the passing numbers are much improved, and I can see the Huskers having a field day against an inexperienced Panthers secondary.
The run game has also looked sharp, and Nebraska has four capable running backs that it can rotate through to keep players fresh.
UNI struggled on offense last week as it lacks playmakers on the outside. Through two games, it's concerning that the Panthers couldn't create separation and achieve explosive chunk plays against two inferior teams.
While the rushing numbers have been impressive, it doesn't mean much when they usually find themselves in third-down situations (26 times).
I can see UNI struggling to run the football here against the big, physical defensive front of the Huskers. Players like Nash Hutmacher and Ty Robinson should shut down what UNI wants to do in the run game.
The Panthers will have to pass the ball more effectively in order to sustain drives and move the football, and I'm not confident they can.
My play here is on Nebraska -32.5. The Huskers have put a focus on improving the offensive numbers and red zone numbers that plagued them for years.
Their advantages along the offensive and defensive line will be evident.
Based on what we've seen so far from UNI, it'll be hard to move the ball and sustain drives. Quick possessions and poor special teams punt coverage will lead to short fields for Nebraska and UNI spending too much time on defense.
Even when Nebraska's second-team defense gets some work, I see it as a tall order for UNI to reach the end zone here.
Pick: Nebraska -32.5 (Play to -34)
How to Watch Northern Iowa vs Nebraska Live: Streaming, Channel, Time
Location: | Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE |
Date: | Saturday, Sept. 14 |
Kickoff Time: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
TV / Streaming: | Big Ten Network |
Nebraska vs Northern IowaBetting Trends
- 65% of the tickets generated, as well as 55% of the money is targeting Northern Iowa to cover.
- 89% of the bets are picking the over.