The Nebraska Cornhuskers and Northwestern Wildcats will visit Ireland. But it’s not a vacation. Instead, it is the Big Ten Conference opener for each team at Aviva Stadium in Week Zero CFB action on FOX.
Normally college football teams feast on a cupcake to start the season. Certainly, they do not want to open up with a league game against a difficult opponent, especially in the increasingly tough Big Ten Conference. But TV rules, and if the networks say, “play in Ireland in Week Zero and do it now,” the teams will comply. It’s called golden handcuffs. Nebraska and Northwestern have played in some cliffhangers in the past. And both teams are rivals in the Big Ten Conference West Division.
On Saturday, August 27, 2022, the Nebraska Cornhuskers face the Northwestern Wildcats at Aviva Stadium in Ireland. Kickoff time is set for 12:30 p.m. ET with television coverage on FOX.
CFB Week Zero Betting Odds
Nebraska Cornhuskers -13
Northwestern Wildcats +13
Total 50.5
Odds Analysis
Despite a near-decade of futility, the Nebraska Cornhuskers remain something of a national brand. Millions of gamblers remember the Go Big Red glory days and consider the program a sleeping giant.
Northwestern is a pesky program that can punch above its weight. However, the Wildcats have a ceiling that is almost impossible to bust through. Northwestern is an academically elite school in the affluent north shore Chicago suburb of Evanston. Pro sports rule the Chicago landscape, and the Wildcats often get lost in the conversation. Thus, the Cats are nowhere near a public brand or a team that generates a lot of public wagering activity. Sharps like the Wildcats for that very reason. Especially in Big Ten matchups against name-brand teams like Nebraska.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers were once a bona fide powerhouse program. But their last national championship was in 1997. And their last national championship game appearance was in 2001. The 2021 Nebraska Cornhuskers finished 3-9 and a 1-8 record in the Big Ten West. They lost each of those nine games by single digits.
Nebraska hired favorite son Scott Frost as head coach in December 2017 after Frost led the UCF Knights to an undefeated season. Of course, Frost was the last Nebraska national championship team quarterback. But after great fanfare as the “perfect fit,” Frost has flopped. He begins 2022 on one of the hottest seats in the land. Now in his fifth season, Frost must deliver a bowl, at the very least.
Mark Whipple arrives from Pitt as the offensive coordinator. Last year he tutored Kenny Pickett to a seat at the Heisman Trophy presentation. Pickett went on to become a first round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Whipple is one of the most respected OCs in the game. Frost surrendered that role after four years of frustration. One familiar face is gone from the program. Four-year starting quarterback Adrian Martinez has moved on to the Kansas State Wildcats. In his place is an exciting former Texas Quarterback.
Nebraska got a big win with new quarterback Casey Thompson. Also, they brought in transfers to rebuild a defensive line, a new kicker, a new punter, and a new season of opportunity. Last year at home, Nebraska crushed Northwestern 56-7.
Northwestern Wildcats
The 2020 Northwestern Wildcats had a season both teams would want in 2022. Northwestern won the Big Ten West and defeated Auburn 35–19 in the Citrus Bowl. Northwestern finished the season ranked 10 in the AP poll. But in 2021, Northwestern lost the final six games of the season. NU Finished 3–9, 1–8 in the Big Ten West. And then, in the offseason, All-American safety Brandon Joseph transferred to Notre Dame. But the last time Northwestern had consecutive losing seasons was in 20-13-14. The Wildcats are known for rebounding strongly from a bad campaign.
Cornhuskers vs. Wildcats Free Pick
Last year the Nebraska Cornhuskers annihilation of the Northwestern Wildcats was no accident. Nebraska has superior personnel. Now they have a revamped offense against a team that struggles to score, even in its good seasons.
BookMaker Pick: Nebraska Cornhuskers
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