The BYU Cougars were once a 4-0 team ranked in the Top 20 in America in 2014. They finished out the season in poor form when they lost Taysom Hill to a broken leg.
It's tricky to wager on or against the Cougs at this point without seeing him play since the injury, but bettors will get a chance to do some damage in live betting on Saturday if he is right against th Nebraska Cornhuskers.
WHEN THE NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS HAVE THE BALL
Bo Pelini is out. Mike Riley is in. That means that the run-heavy offense which Pelini ran is out as well and is to be exchanged for a more pro-style look which Riley has made famous at Oregon State for years.
Still, do the Children of the Corn have the right quarterback for the job? Tommy Armstrong is going to be the man under center once again this year, and we just aren't sure about him as a pocket passer. He completed just 53.3 percent of his passes last year, and his interception rate was high at 3.5 percent. Those numbers might get worse, especially against an aggressive and underrated BYU defense which tends to be forgotten because the Cougars are off the radar as an independent team.
Imani Cross and Terrell Newby have plenty of experience in the Nebraska backfield, but neither has been a true featured back thanks to Ameer Abdullah's presence. Abdullah is gone though, and that too, has us wondering if live bettors are better served playing against the Cornhuskers in this one from start to finish.
WHEN THE BYU COUGARS HAVE THE BALL
When Hill was on his game before he broke his leg, he legitimately was a Heisman Trophy candidate. He has the potential to throw for 4,000 yards, and we know he can rip off 1,500 rushing yards in a season, too.
Hill doesn't have a ton of help around him, but he can do this all by himself. The key is just making sure that he is truly healthy and trusts his repaired leg.
The one bit of help he does have is in the form of Jamaal Williams, who is sure to become the all-time leading rusher in BYU history this season if he stays healthy.
It's entirely possible that these two men are going to run hog wild on a Nebraska defense which is starting to already look awfully thin behind its first-team. If the Cougars can stay on the field for long drives, you can bet that that will wear down this Cornhuskers defense, particularly up front. When that happens, that's when Hill and Williams start turning those four and five yard carries into 15 and 20 yard carries. Live bettors can certainly have the foresight to see this coming early on and take advantage of it in live betting.
TREND TO TRACK
The Cougars had a rough go of it last year from an ATS standpoint at just 3-8, but remember that Hill didn't play in most of those games. Yes, Nebraska is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games played outside of conference, but not a lot of those games have come against teams anywhere near this good.
If Nebraska's run defense isn't going to keep up with the Cougars, something this unit had a problem with last year at times in the Big XII, an upset is entirely possible, and live bettors might have a fantastic opportunity to take advantage.
The NCAA football betting lines and props were first available at BookMaker Sportsbook. The Nebraska Cornhuskers were laying 6-points, while the total first appeared at 65. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time odds and player props during the game. Live betting is open during every commercial break!
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The matchup between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and BYU Cougars will take place Saturday, September 5, 2015 at 3:30 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium. The contest will be televised nationally on ABC.
