College football odds: Undefeated Nebraska an underdog against Wisconsin
The Nebraska Cornhuskers are 8-0 straight up and 5-2-1 against the spread in their last eight games, including a perfect 7-0 record so far in 2016. The Cornhuskers will try to remain perfect this Saturday on the road against the Wisconsin Badgers.
Nebraska is an 8.5-point road underdog in Madison at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. In their last seven games as a betting underdog, the Cornhuskers are 6-1 ATS.
With senior quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. doing a better job of protecting the football than he has in previous seasons, the Cornhuskers have developed into a solid contender in the Big Ten. He has thrown only five interceptions this season after throwing a combined 28 over the last two seasons.
With Nebraska ranked 14th in the nation in scoring defense and allowing only 17.7 points per game, ball security on offense is critical, and the team currently owns a +5 turnover margin.
The Cornhuskers are 9-5 straight up and 11-3 ATS in their last 14 road games per the OddsShark College Football Database. Nebraska is 3-0 SU and ATS in its last three games on the road.
Wisconsin's defense is among the nation's elite, ranking ninth in the country in total yards allowing 301 yards per game and fourth in scoring defense allowing 14.3 points per game. But on offense, the Badgers rank 96th in scoring with just 24.3 points per game. The team's quarterback play has not been strong with Alex Hornibrook and Bart Houston combining for eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Despite Wisconsin's offensive woes, the Badgers are 5-2 SU and 6-1 ATS thanks to their defense and running game.
The total on Saturday is set at 43 points for the Cornhuskers vs. Badgers matchup. The UNDER is 5-0 in Nebraska's last five games and 4-1 in Wisconsin's last five.
Both of these teams have been outstanding on defense this season, setting the stage for what should be a tough physical game in which points will be difficult to come by. Nebraska hasn't faced a team as good as Wisconsin yet, but the Cornhuskers' recent success on the road and strong play overall point to a potentially close game down the stretch.