Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers Spread Bet

Nebraska Cornhuskers (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS)

College Football Week 1

Date and Time: Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 8PM EDT

Where: Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

TV: Fox

Point Spread: NEB +6.5/MINN -6.5 (Bet on CFB at -105 instead of -110 at BetAnySports!)

Over/Under Total: 46

The Nebraska Cornhuskers come into Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers as these Big Ten west division rivals open up their respective college football seasons. Both teams are being thrown in the deep end a bit here to open the season, as many of the teams in their conference are getting week-one layups. Both teams here have a chance to start the season with a spark in the form of a conference win. Will we see a Minnesota team continue its upward progression? Or will start to see the handiwork of new Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule resonate ahead of schedule? Let’s break this one down!

State of Both Teams

We see two teams heading in opposite directions. The program trajectory for the Golden Gophers has been quite positive, with head coach PJ Fleck having led this squad to consecutive 9-win seasons. They’ve beaten Nebraska in those seasons both times. The Cornhuskers ditched their coach three games through last season, and when a team like that dumps a former player as head coach three games into a season, it speaks volumes. The Cornhuskers squeezed four wins out of last season, but with three wins apiece the prior two seasons, we are clearly in a period of suffering for Nebraska, unlike anything they’ve experienced since the late fifties.

With Newness Brings Hope

It is perhaps difficult to get behind Matt Rhule after he flopped so hard in the NFL, but being back at the level where he most thrived is, in fact, promising for him and the ‘Huskers. He is in a good situation, and while there will be demands and expectations on Rhule, Nebraska has fallen so far that he will be afforded time to get this thing back up to speed. It just doesn’t feel right having Nebraska so in the dumps like this, basically becoming fodder for the top-half of the conference over the last several years. I think it’s important to consider Rhule’s track record. It’s not just that he improved programs where he coached. We’ve twice seen him take programs that were overturned on their backs in Temple and Baylor and get them to double-digit win status in really short order. Whether he can replicate that success in the Big Ten is another matter, but I don’t think it’s crazy to expect a better Nebraska team this season.

Main Questions to Answer

While returning talent on both sides is at about the same level, PJ Fleck’s squad has what could be a perceived advantage in having players accustomed to his system, with talent having been recruited accordingly. While Nebraska optimists would like to see the hire of Rhule represent “the return,” a more-patient perspective might be what’s in order. The Huskers have a long way to travel if they wish to even resemble what they once were. While Rhule has whipped teams into shape quickly, both his first seasons at Temple and Baylor were more table-setters for what was to come.

Still, Rhule seems to manufacture a nice energy immediately with a team. We see a Golden Gophers team that is coming off two good seasons, but player turnover is a concern. Tanner Morgan, their longtime starting QB, is gone, and, along with him, a large part of the offense both up-front and at RB and WR. Expecting Minnesota to be as good as they’ve been could lead one astray, as will be assuming we see the same sagging Nebraska team of recent seasons. New Cornhuskers QB Jeff Sims, from Georgia Tech, doesn’t seem like much of a passer despite rampant athleticism. That assessment could be a misnomer, being that it’s going to be difficult to judge any transferring Georgia Tech QB with their offense being so imbalanced. But at the very least, I’d expect Rhule to use Sims efficiently and clean up a lot of the self-sabotage from recent Nebraska seasons.

If Minnesota has indeed depreciated, do Rhule and his staff have enough talent to make it work? That O-line is no longer a standout part of the team, and it’s iffy if they can carry out what figures to be a more run-heavy offensive approach without some bumps. They look to have a more-attacking defense, but the front is just not likely to take advantage of a revamped Minnesota offensive front. There is more talent in the back, and they’ll need it against the talented receivers Minnesota has. But with a new face at QB, will the Golden Gophers be comfortable airing it out? With new co-coordinators running an offense with a lot of new faces, we enter 2023 with the Minnesota offense being a bit of a blind spot. QB Athan Kaliakmanis isn’t very highly-regarded and was pretty bad in relief of Morgan last season.

Take the Points

I think the continuity advantage with Minnesota has been disrupted by the departures and the possible new-look offense that is a bit up in the air. Rhule’s immediate impact may be questionable, but at a minimum, he is an upgrade. With Nebraska’s new QB a more athletic running sort, along with it being unlikely that Minnesota and Kaliakmanis can make this an air show, I see a game that could be a bit of a grind, where having a little point-cushion will be helpful. I don’t love being on the wrong side of that TD spread at 6.5 as of press time, but I see Nebraska hanging in there well and covering the spread.

Loot’s Pick to Cover the Point Spread: I’m betting on the Nebraska Cornhuskers plus 6.5 points. 

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