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Nebraska Football Favored by Nine Against Purdue in Early Betting Lines

The Huskers are favored for the fifth time in a row, leading early betting lines over the Boilermakers by at least nine points. Nebraska has covered the point spread in three of its first four games.

Austin Jacobsen

Sep 20, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Janiran Bonner (16) runs for a touchdown against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium.
Sep 20, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Janiran Bonner (16) runs for a touchdown against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
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Nebraska football is once again favored in early betting lines for the fifth straight contest.

The Huskers will face their first road test of the season against the Purdue Boilermakers in West Lafayette on Saturday. Nebraska opened up in several sportsbooks as a nine-point favorite.

The Big Red have been favorites in their first four games of the year, covering the spread in their first three contests. Nebraska covered in wins over UTEP, Colorado, and Northern Iowa. In the first Big Ten Conference match up of 2024, the Huskers were a touchdown favorite over Illinois but fell 31-24 in overtime at Memorial Stadium.

ebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) passes against Illinois Fighting Illini
Sep 20, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) passes against Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Jojo Hayden (30) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The DraftKings sportsbook has the Huskers as a nine-point favorite, while other sportsbooks such as FanDuel favor NU by nine and a half. The over/under in total points scored by both teams is set at 50½ points. Nebraska and its opponents have covered the over in each game in 2024.

The Huskers dropped out of the top-25 polls after losing their Friday matchup to now No. 21 Illinois. Purdue has had a forgettable start to its season, beginning at 1-2 after winning the season opener over Indiana State 49-0, then falling to Notre Dame 66-7. On Saturday, Oregon State handled the Boilermakers 38-21.

Purdue Boilermakers running back Devin Mockobee (45) runs the ball for a touchdown during the second half
Sep 21, 2024; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Purdue Boilermakers running back Devin Mockobee (45) runs the ball for a touchdown during the second half against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. / Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Purdue has dropped its two betting lines, opening up as 7½-point underdogs to Notre Dame and 5½-point underdogs to Oregon State. The Boilermakers are 0-2 on the year at their home stadium but hold a 4-3 home advantage in the all-time series against NU. Nebraska took the 2023 matchup in Lincoln 31-14. The teams have played each other in every season since 2013, and the series is tied at 6-6.

The Huskers and Boilermakers will battle in West Lafayette at 11 a.m. CDT, the earliest kickoff of the season for the Big Red. It will be the first time Nebraska has not been on a major network this season, with the game being streamed only on Peacock.

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Austin Jacobsen
AUSTIN JACOBSEN

Austin Jacobsen is a radio broadcaster and former Sports Director in Central Nebraska. He has seen the Cornhusker state from all corners; growing up in the Panhandle, completing his college degree in Kearney, working in the rural Sandhills, and now residing in Omaha. Austin is a statewide, regional, and national radio award winner and can usually be found at a high school football field on Friday nights and tuning in to the Huskers wherever they travel. If he is not on the road, Austin enjoys movie dates with his girlfriend and their dog, Ava.

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