Published Oct 15, 2023
Nebraska-Northwestern odds: Huskers open as double-digit home favorites
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Zack Carpenter  •  InsideNebraska
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Nebraska vs. Northwestern odds have been set in the matchup between the Huskers (3-3) and Wildcats (3-3) next Saturday.

Nebraska football has opened as the favorite for the third time this season, and each time the Huskers have been double-digit favorites. The Huskers are a 10-point favorite over Northwestern with an over/under line set at 44.5 points for the Saturday afternoon Big Ten game (2:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network). Both teams are coming off their bye weeks.

Nebraska was a single-digit road underdog in Week 1 and Week 2 in losses at Minnesota and Colorado before it became a double-digit home favorite against MAC opponent Northern Illinois and Conference USA foe Louisiana Tech. Following back-to-back wins, the Huskers were double-digit underdogs for the first time this season against No. 2 Michigan and lost 45-7.

Nebraska was the only team in the country to open the season with road games against Power Five opponents, and the Huskers were the last team in the Power Five to play a home game. Matt Rhule's team faltered in those first two games as two straight frustrating losses were marred by turnovers from starting quarterback Jeff Sims, penalties, mistakes and other self-inflicted wounds against Minnesota (13-10 loss) and then-No. 22 Colorado (36-14).

However, the Huskers rebounded in a big way in Week 3 to beat Northern Illinois, 35-11, behind a standout performance from third-year sophomore quarterback Heinrich Haarberg, the Huskers' backup who has taken over as the team's starter for now.

Haarberg's number was called once again versus Louisiana Tech, and the Nebraska native came through. Haarberg's strong overall play boosted the Huskers to a 28-14 win over La Tech before the home loss to Michigan. He then made some big-time plays to buoy the offensive effort in a 20-7 road win over Illinois in a Friday night game on the road just before the Huskers' bye week.

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Nebraska betting trends in 2023

>> Nebraska is 3-3 straight up and 3-3 against the spread under Rhule.

>> The Huskers are 1-3 as an underdog and 2-0 as the favorite straight up. Against the spread, they have gone 2-2 as an underdog and 1-1 as the favorite. The over is 2-4 in Nebraska's games this season with the over hitting twice and the under hitting four times.

>> Nebraska is 2-1 at home and 1-2 on the road this year.

>> Nebraska entered the game against Minnesota as 7.5-point underdogs on the road with a closing total of 43 points. Nebraska covered, and the under hit in a 13-10 Husker loss.

>> Nebraska entered the game against Colorado as 2.5-point underdogs on the road and a closing total of 58 points. Nebraska failed to cover the spread while the under hit with a closing line set at 58 in a 36-14 Husker loss.

>> Nebraska was the favorite for the first time this season against Northern Illinois. The Huskers opened at -10.5 and covered that spread while the over hit for the first time this season for the Huskers (42.5) in a 35-11 Husker win.

>> Nebraska entered the Louisiana Tech game at -22 as the opening spread and an over/under that opened at 50.5. The Huskers did not cover, and the under hit in that contest with Nebraska's 28-14 win.

>> Nebraska entered the Michigan game at -17 with an over/under at 39.5. The Huskers did not cover, and the over hit in Michigan's 45-7 win.

>> Nebraska opened as a 4-point underdog with an over/under at 41.5 on the road at Illinois. The Huskers covered the spread and won straight up while the under hit in a 20-7 win.

Northwestern trends

>> Northwestern is 2-4 against the spread. The over is 4-2 as the over has hit in four of their games, and the under has hit twice.

>> Northwestern is 3-1 at home and 0-2 on the road this season.

>> The wins are over UTEP, FCS program Howard and an overtime upset over Minnesota. The wins over Howard and Minnesota both came by three points.

>> The road losses were to Rutgers, Duke (now ranked 18th in the country) and Penn State (now ranked 7th).

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