Nebraska at Wisconsin Line
Written by Steve Janus - Google +
One of the biggest games in week 5 of college football is the No. 8 Nebraska Cornhuskers going on the road to take on the No. 7 Wisconsin Badgers. It is the first conference game for both teams, and the Cornhuskers first as a member of the Big Ten. Both teams are coming off impressive wins to improve to finish up non-conference play at 4-0. Nebraska downed Wyoming 38-14, while Wisconsin cruised pass South Dakota 59-10. This will be the first meeting between the two schools since Wisconsin won 21-20 in 1974.
Taking a look at the week 5 college football spreads, oddsmakers currently have the Badgers favored by 9-points over the Cornhuskers with the total set at 56 points.
Nebraska:
The Cornhuskers are averaging 42.8 points per game behind one of the top rushing attacks in the country. Nebraska is averaging 272.5 yards a game on the ground, which is the eighth best mark of any team in the country. The two players who have really done the most damage for the Cornhuskers are sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez and junior running back Rex Burkhead. The two have nearly identical rushing numbers after four games. Both have carried the ball 63 times and scored seven rushing touchdowns, the only difference is Martinez has rushed for 421 yards to Burkhead’s 420 yards.
The huge concern with Nebraska’s offense is they really struggle to move the ball in the passing game. Martinez is completing just 50.6% of his passes for just under 162 yards a game. He has just four touchdown passes all season. If Nebraska finds itself in a hole early, Martinez is going to have to make plays in the passing game.
The Badgers’ defense will be by far the biggest challenge of the season. Wisconsin is allowing just 89.3 rushing yards a game and only 157.3 passing yards. I don’t think the Badgers will keep the Cornhuskers under a 100 yards on the ground, but that defense is going to be playing with a lot of energy behind what figures to be an electric crowd at Camp Randall Stadium.
Wisconsin:
The Badgers aren’t too far behind the Cornhuskers when it comes to running the football. Wisconsin comes in 13th in the country at 245.5 yards per game on the ground. Not only can the Badgers run the ball, but they have the 26th ranked passing attack, averaging 286.8 yards per game. That balance is a big reason why Wisconsin hasn’t had a game decided by less than 34-points all season.
The Badgers went out and signed former NC State quarterback Russell Wilson after he was released of his scholarship. The senior has been better than anyone could have expected over the first four games and is starting to get some recognition as a sleeper in the Heisman race. Wilson has completed 76% of his passes for 1,136 yards with 11 touchdowns to just one interception and has added 108 yards and a score on the ground.
As good as Wilson has been, the strength of the Badgers is giving the ball to running backs Montee Ball and James White and letting them run behind one of the best offensive lines on the country. Ball leads the team with 360 yards and nine touchdowns on 63 attempts, while White has carried it just 45 times for 303 yards and three scores.
Senior wide out Nick Toon and the rest of the receiving corps has really benefited from the addition of Wilson. Toon had just 36 catches for 459 yards and three scores all of last season. In just four games he has caught 21 passes for 353 yards and five touchdowns. Jared Abbrederis has 15 catches for 233 yards and a score and Jacob Pedersen has 11 receptions for 175 yards and four touchdowns. Abbrederis and Pedersen had combined for just 28 catches for 421 yards and five touchdowns all of last year.
A lot of Wisconsin’s stats are a result of a relatively easy non-conference schedule, but they had just as easy non-conference slate last season and weren’t putting up anywhere near the offensive numbers they have to this point. Nebraska hasn’t exactly played a really tough schedule to start either. The Cornhuskers are giving up 133.3 rushing yards and 216.6 passing yards a game.
Betting Trends:
Nebraska is 10-3 ATS in their last 13 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Wisconsin is 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games following a S.U. win.
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