Nebraska vs. Minnesota Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 1
By Reed Wallach
Minnesota opens its season at home against a new-look Nebraska team that is ushering in new coach Matt Rhule.
Nebraska will look to get on track after years of struggling under Scott Frost, but face a stout Minnesota defense that will hope to take a step forward on offense with starting quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, who had limited experience in the past.
Kaliakmanis has a big arm, can he unlock it against a Nebraska team at home?
Here's everything you need to bet this Big Ten opener.
Nebraska vs. Minnesota Odds, Spread and Total
Minnesota vs. Nebraska Betting Trends
- Minnesota went 4-7-1 to the OVER last season
- Minnesota went 7-5 ATS last season
- Minnesota went 6-4 ATS as a favorite last season
Nebraska vs. Minnesota How to Watch
- Date: Thursday, August 31
- Game Time: 8:00 PM EST
- Venue: Huntington Bank Stadium
- How to Watch (TV): FOX
- Nebraska Record: 0-0
- Minnesota Record: 0-0
Nebraska vs. Minnesota Players to Watch
Nebraska
Jeff Sims: The Georgia Tech transfer will head up new offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield's offense, who was most recently at South Carolina. Sims is a dual threat quarterback who will play behind an offensive line that returns four starters. Sims struggled with GT, passing for 1,128 yards on 188 pass attempts with five touchdowns and three interceptions, but is a capable rusher, going for 409 yards on 67 carries.
Minnesota
Athan Kaliakmanis: Kaliakmanis got plenty of time last season with the Gophers due to injury to starting QB Tanner Morgan, but was shaky in relief against a stiff Big Ten schedule. He has plenty of arm talent and will hope to unlock Minnesota's vertical passing game after the team ran the ball at a top 10 rate.
However, more pressure will come on the new QB with the team losing starting running back Mohamed Ibrahim.
Nebraska vs. Minnesota Prediction and Pick
Both teams have questions to answer early in the year. Can Kaliakmanis hit the ground running as the preseason No. 1 QB? Will Rhule get strong early returns from a new look roster?
I'm going to side with the more proven product in P.J. Fleck's Gopher's squad. While the team is outside the top 90 in terms of returning production on both sides of the ball, defensive coordinator Joe Rossi has created an elite Big Ten defense over the past several years.
The team returns several key defensive linemen such as Jalen Logan-Redding and Jah Joyner and while the secondary is fairly gutted, third year starter Justin Walley can buoy the back seven. Further, with Sims suspect passing at Georgia Tech and change in scheme, there may be some growing pains for the Cornhuskers offense.
On the other side, Kaliakmanis has showcased a strong arm and has some Group of Five weapons at wide receiver including Elijah Spencer (Charlotte) and Corey Crooms (Western Michigan) in addition to a stable of offensive linemen that can push around a questionable Nebraska defensive front that was 100th in tackles for loss, 106th in defensive line yards and 123rd in success rate.
There's too many questions for Nebraska on the road, I'm going to lay it with the home favorite that may have some more offensive upside after being a run-first unit last season.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.