One of the reasons Nebraska fired Bo Pelini last December was because his teams “weren’t good enough in the games that mattered”, according to the school’s athletic director.
The Cornhuskers aren’t going to waste any time seeing if Mike Riley can succeed, as they hope to extend their FBS best season-opening win streak to 30 games Saturday when they play BYU for the first time.
ODDS
Nebraska opened as a 6-point favorite in its first ever meeting with the Cougars. There remains some uncertainty with the line given both teams are facing numerous suspensions. The Huskers have said five players will miss the opener, they just haven’t been identified as of yet. BYU will have suspensions as well from players involvement in last season’s bowl game brawl. Both teams have been strong over plays and the total surfaced at 65.
KEY MISMATCH
With a pair of 6-foot-6 wide receivers nicknamed the Twin Towers, the Cougars offense has visions of mismatches all over the field for quarterback Taysom Hill to exploit this season. After Hill was lost to season-ending injuries in two of his three seasons, he dedicated this offseason to work within the pocket. He’s hoping Mitch Mathews and Nick Kurtz can make that work pay off. The receivers make BYU one of two FBS teams with two listed at 6-6 or taller. Coach Bronco Mendenhall sees an array of possibilities with Mathews and Kurtz standing on opposite sides of the field. “We like tall receivers and we like rangy receivers because most corners are shorter,” the coach said. “That gives us an advantage matchup-wise.” Now the Cougars just need to take advantage of their height.
KEY STAT
BYU’s season took a plunge last year when Heisman hopeful and dual-threat quarterback Taysom Hill was lost with a broken leg. Hill is back and probably the least recognizable dual-threat in college football, but perhaps the best. Hill is the only active player in FBS with 4,000 yards passing and 2,000 yards rushing. And now he’s back in command of an offense that finished 14th nationally with 37.1 points per game, even with Hill out for more than half the season.
BETTING ANGLE
Head coach Mike Riley is about to enter the fire known as Nebraska football. Now Big Red fans want to see if the 62-year-old coach can elevate a program that seemed to hit a ceiling under Bo Pelini. To do that, Riley must win at least nine games a year. Pelini did that each of his seven seasons but Riley only did that in four of his 14 years at Oregon State. Riley was up and down in his recent openers with the Beavers, losing to FCS opponents Sacramento State and Eastern Washington in 2011 and 2013. In between they upset 13th-ranked Wisconsin. Riley said he was looking for one last adventure, and he got it. Nebraska starts the Riley era with the toughest opening opponent since 2003 when the Huskers beat Oklahoma State.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
No doubt Hill is a difference maker for BYU and having him back healthy makes them a lethal group. The offense scored a lot even when Hill went down and now the Cougs have more weapons, particularly in the passing game. The Cougars had success against Power-5 conferences going 3-0 last season and they have a nice group of returning letterman to keep that streak alive. Without Ameer Abdullah in the backfield, Tommy Armstrong has to direct the offense and while he’s shown flashes of brilliance, the inconsistency is concerning. Both teams will have several players suspended for this game, we just don’t know who as of yet. Riley failed to identify a group of five players that received a suspension and BYU is mum on whom they’re suspending from the Miami Beach Bowl brawl. It’s tough to go against Nebraska at home, but BYU looks to be good this season with Hill running the show.
BYU 35, Nebraska 31
BookMaker opened the spread for this game at -6 in favor of the Cornhuskers. The NCAA lines total surfaced at 65. Now you can wager in-game while the action unfolds with BookMaker's live betting option.
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The matchup between the BYU Cougars and Nebraska Cornhuskers will take place Saturday, September 5, 2015, at 3:30 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium. The matchup will be televised live on ABC.
