Fresno State vs. Nebraska Prediction
Will Nebraska and Fresno State pile up the points when the two kick off their season against each other on Saturday at 8PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, Nebraska is the heavy favorite in this game, as the Cornhuskers are getting odds of -28 points against Fresno State. The over/under total for the contest is listed at 62 points. These two met in the 2014 season with Nebraska picking up a 55-14 win at Fresno State.
Bet on Fresno State vs. Nebraska
Nebraska had a disappointing 2015 season, going 6-7. The Cornhuskers expected more in Mike Riley’s first year as head coach. Things could be looking up this season, however, as the Huskers return veteran QB Tommy Armstrong, who threw for 3,030 yards and 22 scores while rushing for 400 yards and seven touchdowns. Also back is leading rusher Terrell Newby, who had 765 yards and six touchdowns on the ground in 2015, and leading receiver Jordan Westerkamp, who caught 65 passes for 918 yards and seven touchdowns. Where Nebraska needs to improve is on defense, where it gave up over 400 yards per game last season.
There was a time that Fresno State was a solid team outside of the power 5 conferences. However, those days appear to be gone. Fresno State was 3-9 last season and 6-8 in 2014. The Bulldogs had one of the worst defensive units in the national last year, giving up 38.1 points per game. The team is hoping the offense can help keep the D off the field this year, but they lost their leading rusher in Marteze Waller, who had 920 yards on the ground in 2015. Zack Greenlee was their top passer for 2015, but he transferred to UTEP. Chase Virgil, a redshirt freshman, is being given the starting QB job for the Bulldogs, but could get the hook early if he struggles.
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Despite having losing records, Fresno State and Nebraska are both good at hitting the over, likely due to their poor defense. The Bulldogs were 9-3 with the over in 2015 while Nebraska was 8-5. The total is somewhat high, but this is a game where touchdowns could be scored frequently. The Cornhuskers will certainly be able to put up a big number and there is nothing to believe their defense will completely shut down Fresno State.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 1 PREDICTION: FRESNO STATE/NEBRASKA OVER 62