The Nebraska Cornhuskers had a second straight brutal year in 2018, winning only four games in front of a fanbase that expects its program to compete for conference titles and national championships. Despite the slow start to the Scott Frost era, there is a lot of optimism heading into this season. Nebraska has a star-in-the-making at quarterback and the current college football odds are projecting a big-time turnaround in 2019. Nebraska has lost some luster off its program in the past several years but is hoping to get back to the elite tier under Frost, and a step in the right direction this year would be welcomed wholeheartedly.
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Nebraska regular season win total
o8.5 -110
u8.5 -110
Nebraska Win Total Odds Analysis
Nebraska failed to reach a bowl game last season, winning just one non-conference game and finishing 3-6 in the Big Ten. However, the oddsmakers see a team that could easily double its win total, and even that would be “under” the 8.5-win total set for the team this season.
The Cornhuskers will open up their 2019 slate against South Alabama, and then face off against Colorado and Northern Illinois in their other non-conference matchups. Nebraska begins conference play against Illinois and then has a huge showdown against Ohio State at home on September 29.
The Huskers follow that up with games against Northwestern, Minnesota, Indiana and Purdue, aiming to make some hay in that stretch. Nebraska will conclude the year with games against Wisconsin, Maryland and Iowa. Nebraska will notably miss both Penn State and Michigan in the regular season, which is a big benefit to their chances of winning nine games.
Nebraska State Odds
The expectations are high because the pairing of Frost and star quarterback Adrian Martinez has the capacity to result in a lot of success in 2019. Martinez finished last year with 2,617 passing yards while throwing 17 touchdowns against eight interceptions. He also made plays with his legs, rushing for 629 yards and eight touchdowns. Martinez is on the list of projected Heisman Trophy contenders so everyone is expecting him to take a big leap forward.
The receiver group is a bit of a question mark, as the team will not have Stanley Morgan, Jr. to lead the way. The offensive line could be a strength of the unit, and it is led by left tackle Brenden Jaimes.
The defense was an issue last year as Nebraska had trouble slowing down competent opponents. The Cornhuskers’ strength figures to be on the defensive line, where graduate transfer Darrion Daniels should help round out the group by playing effectively at nose guard.
Mohamed Barry should rack up a bunch of tackles at linebacker, while Lamar Jackson and Dicaprio Bootle give the team experience at cornerback, although the rest of the group is green. The offense should be explosive this season, but if the defense doesn’t take a step forward the team won’t be able to live up to these high expectations.
Key Stats or Trends
Frost built up a powerhouse at Central Florida before leaving for Nebraska, and while the record in 2018 wasn’t good, it certainly feels like things are heading down the right track. If Martinez can live up to the billing, the Huskers could be a contender to win the Big Ten. However, there are still some question marks on both sides of the ball, which is why eight wins or fewer could be the right pick despite all of the hype.
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