The 2022 college football season opens Saturday with a tasty slate of action. One of the most notable games of the day takes place in the Big Ten opener between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Northwestern Wildcats. The conference faces the Aer Lingus College Football Classic 2022 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. It is the seventh FBS game played in Ireland, with the most recent game occurring in 2016.
Kickoff is at 12:30pm ET in Dublin. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Cornhuskers as 13-point favorites, while the over/under, or the total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 49.5 on the latest Nebraska vs. Northwestern odds. Before you make any Northwestern vs. Nebraska picks or college football predictions, you should see what SportsLine’s advanced computer model has to say.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six years, the proprietary computer model has generated a staggering profit of almost $3,600 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. He also finished the 2021-22 college football season with a 43-31 run in all of college football’s top-rated picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Nebraska vs. Northwestern and is locked in on its picks and CFB projections. You can head over to SportsLine now to check out the model picks. Now, here are some college football odds and betting lines for Northwestern vs. Nebraska:
- Nebraska vs. Northwestern Spread: Nebraska -13
- Nebraska vs. Northwestern over/under: 49.5 points
- Nebraska vs. Northwestern money line: Nebraska -550, Northwestern +400
- NEB: The Cornhuskers outscored opponents by 63 points in 2021
- NW: The Wildcats return nine offensive starters
- Nebraska vs. Northwest Picks: View the picks here.
Featured game | Northwestern Wildcats vs Nebraska Cornhuskers
Why Nebraska can cover
By any measure, Nebraska was better than its win-loss record last season. The Cornhuskers battled through close games, leading to a 3-9 finish, but metrics suggest Nebraska’s overall level of performance should have yielded a win total closer to seven or eight. Nebraska outscored its opponents by 63 points last season, including a 56-7 win over Northwestern.
The Cornhuskers also reviewed the offense in the offseason from the coaching staff to the players. New offensive coordinator Mark Whipple arrives after captaining a top-10 offense in the nation in Pittsburgh last season. At quarterback, highly touted prospect Casey Thompson transferred from Texas after one season in the Big 12’s top-five in passing efficiency. Nebraska also added an influx of talent at wide receiver, including LSU’s Trey Palmer, Texas’ Marcus Washington and New Mexico State’s Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda. The Cornhuskers are also facing a Northwestern team that had a -149 point differential last season with an active six-game losing streak.
Why Northwestern can cover
The Wildcats return nine starters on the offensive side of the ball. Northwestern has one of the best offensive line anchors in the country in left tackle Peter Skoronski, and the Wildcats have a standout running back in Evan Hull. Hull rushed for more than 1,000 yards on 5.1 yards per carry in 2021, also adding 264 yards and two touchdowns as a pass catcher out of the backfield. Slot receiver Malik Washington also returns after 44 catches for 578 yards, and Northwestern has an experienced transfer quarterback in Ryan Hilinski. Hilinski, a transfer from South Carolina, is a former top 100 prospect with five starts in Evanston.
Defensively, veteran defensive end Adetomiwa Adebawore sets the tone with 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles last season, and Bryce Gallagher anchors the linebacker, returning with 90 tackles last season and looking for a breakout campaign.
How to make Nebraska vs. Northwest picks
SportsLine’s model leans under on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 42 points. The model also says that one side of the spread hits in over 70% of the simulations. You can only see the Northwestern vs. Nebraska mock pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Nebraska vs. Northwestern? And which side of the spread hits in over 70% of the simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread Nebraska vs.