Nebraska vs. Cincinnati Prediction, Betting Odds & Expert Picks: College Football Week 1
With a loaded slate of action upon us, it's time for my Nebraska vs. Cincinnati prediction as we dive into our college football picks. The action gets underway on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET (ESPN) from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
Nebraska, led by head coach Matt Rhule, is a 6.5-point betting favorite for this contest. I'm targeting Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby on the player prop markets as part of my college football predictions for Week 1.
🏈 Nebraska vs. Cincinnati expert picks
College football expert picks made Wednesday; odds subject to change.
- Moneyline pick: Nebraska ML (-245 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐
- Against the spread pick: Nebraska -6.5 (-115 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐
- Over/Under pick: Under 53 (-110 via Caesars) ⭐
🔮 Nebraska vs. Cincinnati prediction & best bet
Track the latest college football scores for line movement and matchup info.
🌽 Nebraska -6.5 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐
Will Nebraska’s star quarterback, Dylan Raiola, finally live up to the hype? Last year, head coach Matt Rhule made a late-season switch to offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, and, once they made the change, Raiola’s passing yardage per game improved from 211.2 to 235.7 while improving his passing efficiency score from 128 to 136.
Those improvements may not seem like much, but those games included tilts with Wisconsin, Iowa, and Boston College. With a full offseason to work with Holgorsen and two transfer wide receivers in Nyziah Hunter (Cal) and Dane Key (Kentucky), I want Nebraska here because Raiola should improve in his sophomore season.
On the other side is a Cincinnati team that returns veteran quarterback Brendan Sorsby, whose career passing efficiency rating (132.9) is solid but not impressive. Importantly, that score dropped when he played on the road (126.5) – and that’s with a 173.3 versus Texas Tech inflating his average. He now must play behind a mostly new offensive line, and I expect Rhule’s defense to capitalize.
Back Nebraska to cover the 6.5 for -115 (53.49% implied win) at bet365 to score a $8.70 profit on a $10 bet.
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💰 Best Nebraska vs. Cincinnati player prop bet
Our college football player prop odds tool shows the best odds for every market across legal sportsbooks in your area.
⬇️ Brendan Sorsby Under 28.5 Rushing Yards (-115) ⭐⭐⭐
Cincinnati lost a number of starters on the offensive line, and the Bearcats didn’t add much talent in the trenches from the portal, only getting guard Taran Tyo (Ball State) and tackle Joe Cotton (FCS South Dakota). Struggling RT Deondre Buford returns but might be a liability with his sub-55 PFF grade over the last two seasons.
Head coach Scott Satterfield may feel comfortable with this unit, but I don’t, especially not against a defensive mind like Rhule.
While Sorsby can run, as he averaged 37.7 rushing yards per game a year ago, I think the Huskers get to him for a few sacks. Since sack yardage counts as negative rushing yards for quarterbacks, that should negate most of his positive work as a scrambler. Smash the under 28.5 rushing yards for -115 at bet365 for an $8.70 profit on a $10 bet.
📊 Nebraska vs. Cincinnati odds: Week 1
College football odds update live in real time.
📈 Nebraska vs. Cincinnati betting odds analysis
Nebraska opened as a 6.5-point betting favorite for this game, and that’s exactly where the Cornhuskers stand at the moment. There hasn’t been much movement on this market, and I don’t expect to see much ahead of kickoff.
Where we have seen movement is the total. After opening at 50.5, it has ticked up to 53.5 and 54, depending upon where you look. However, Cincinnati was a dismal 4-7-1 to the Over last year, while Nebraska was even worse at 4-9. Don’t be surprised if this number comes down slightly.
🚑 Nebraska vs. Cincinnati injuries
📺 Nebraska vs. Cincinnati game info
- When: Thursday, Aug. 28
- Kickoff: 9 p.m. ET
- Where: Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, Mo.)
- How to watch: ESPN
❓Nebraska vs. Cincinnati FAQs
Who is the favorite to win Nebraska vs. Cincinnati?
Nebraska is a 6.5-point betting favorite to win Thursday’s Nebraska vs. Cincinnati game.
How do college football spread odds work?
When betting on college football, the favorite needs to win by a certain number of points to cover the "point spread" - also known as the betting line. Conversely, the underdog needs to lose by fewer than the points displayed in the spread or win outright to cash. For example, a 3-point favorite would need to win by more than a field goal to reward bettors.
How do college football moneyline odds work?
When betting on college football, the underdog will have the "longer" odds and is typically priced at "plus-money" odds that indicate the profit on a $100 bet. For example, a team with +150 odds would turn a $100 bet into a $150 profit - or a $10 bet into a $15 profit - according to our odds converter.
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