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Nebraska Football Opens as Touchdown Home Favorite Against UCLA Bruins

The Huskers will be playing as a betting favorite for the first time in nearly a month. Nebraska was the underdog in its prior two contests at Indiana and Ohio State.

Austin Jacobsen

Oct 26, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Malcolm Hartzog Jr. (7) celebrates an interception with defensive back Marques Buford Jr. during the third quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium.
Oct 26, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Malcolm Hartzog Jr. (7) celebrates an interception with defensive back Marques Buford Jr. during the third quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
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Nebraska football fans and sports bettors alike have more faith in Nebraska this week compared to the Huskers' two recent road tests.

The Huskers (5-3, 2-3 B1G) are favorites heading into their home matchup with UCLA on Saturday. Sportsbooks originally set its early lines with Nebraska as a 9½-point favorite, but the spread has since narrowed to 7½. UCLA (2-5, 1-4 B1G) has struggled in this season against a brutal schedule, but the Bruins are coming to Lincoln off a bye and a 35-32 victory at Rutgers on Oct. 19.

Nebraska was listed as a three-touchdown underdog Saturday at No. 4 Ohio State and easily covered that spread in a 21-17 loss.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Shaquan Loyal (6) breaks up a pass to Nebraska Cornhuskers tight end Thomas Fidone II
Oct 5, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Shaquan Loyal (6) breaks up a pass to Nebraska Cornhuskers tight end Thomas Fidone II (24) during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images


This is the first time since Nebraska's last home contest, on Oct. 5 against Rutgers, that the Big Red are listed as Vegas favorites. The over/under total is set at 41½ points. Both teams are in the bottom half of the Big Ten conference in total scoring, as Nebraska averages 24 points per game while UCLA is in the conference's cellar at 17.4.

After back-to-back weeks as betting underdogs, Nebraska is once again a favorite for the seventh time this season. The Huskers were 6½-point dogs to Indiana in their 56-7 road loss on Oct. 19. Nebraska's only defeat as a favorite came against Illinois in overtime. The Big Red have covered the spread in five of their eight games.

Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. (17) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Purdue Boilermakers
Sep 28, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. (17) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half at Ross-Ade Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Nebraska and its opponents have failed to cover the over three times this season. The under bet paid off in the Ohio State, Purdue and Rutgers games.

The Huskers the Bruins are scheduled to kick off Saturday in Lincoln at 2:30 p.m. CDT.

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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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