Minnesota at Nebraska Lines, Expert Pick & TV Info

Take a look at the Big Ten West Division standings. Minnesota, No. 19 Nebraska and No. 7 Wisconsin are all tied for first place. We should have some clarity on which team will be the primary challenger to the Badgers when the Gophers visit the Cornhuskers on Saturday. NU is a TD favorite in the college football lines.

Minnesota at Nebraska Lines, Expert Pick & TV Info

To Nebraska we go. @AAA_Minneapolis calculated the amount equipment will be packing. Get more travel info: https://t.co/AjaIjIEEJU pic.twitter.com/Bw93k7rk4w

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) November 8, 2016

When: Saturday, Nov. 12, 7:30 PM ET Where: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln TV: Big Ten Network Stream: Big Ten website Radio: Minnesota / Nebraska Opening NCAA Football Lines: Huskers -7 (49.5)

Why Bet on Minnesota?

The Gophers (7-2, 4-2) is off a 44-31 win over Purdue. Rodney Smith ran for 153 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Mitch Leidner ran for 74 yards and two more scores. Smith topped the 100-yard mark for the fourth straight game and sixth time this season as Minnesota won its fourth straight. The Gophers finished with 235 rushing yards, marking the sixth time they’ve recorded 200 or more yards on the ground this season. The Gophers had five rushing touchdowns for the second consecutive game. Minnesota finished with 466 yards of total offense, just three yards shy of this season’s best against a Big Ten opponent. Minnesota had 469 yards at Penn State. The Gophers’ season-high in total offense was 593 yards versus Indiana State. Minnesota scored 21 points off Purdue turnovers. Through nine games, the Gophers have tallied 90 points off opponents’ turnovers, while allowing only 23 points off their own turnovers. The Gophers will be without linebacker Cody Poock for the rest of the season. Poock originally injured his shoulder against Penn State, causing him to miss games against Iowa and Maryland. With Poock out, Minnesota will be shorthanded at middle linebacker against Nebraska on Saturday, as Nick Rallis will miss the first half due to a targeting penalty in the closing minute of the Purdue game. Saturday’s game will be Minnesota’s first this season against a ranked opponent and its first since it played three straight against No. 15 Michigan (Oct. 31), No. 1 Ohio State (Nov. 7) and No. 8 Iowa (Nov. 15) last season. Minnesota has lost seven straight games against ranked opponents dating back to the 2014 season.

Why Bet on Nebraska?

The Huskers were embarrassed 62-3 by No. 6 Ohio State last week. Nebraska gave up a pick-six on a tipped ball on the game’s third play from scrimmage, and the Huskers were unable to recover. NU also lost starting QB Tommy Armstrong to injury. Armstrong, who became Nebraska’s career total offense leader with 93 total yards in the first half, hit the side of his head on the field out of bounds after gaining a first down deep in Ohio State territory with just over six minutes left in the first half. Armstrong briefly lost consciousness and didn’t return. Before his night ended, Armstrong pushed his career total offense mark 10,254 yards, surpassing the previous school record of 10,233 yards set by his predecessor Taylor Martinez. For the game, Nebraska managed just 204 yards of total offense, including just 78 rushing and 126 passing. Terrell Newby led the Husker ground game with 13 carries for 54 yards to become the 29th back in Nebraska history to reach 2,000 career yards. The 59‐point loss was Nebraska’s largest under Mike Riley. The previous largest margin of defeat was 10 points at Purdue last season. Riley said Ryker Fyfe would start if Armstrong can’t play this week. He would be backed up by Zack Darlington. Armstrong has started 42 games at Nebraska. He holds the career record for passing yardage at Nebraska and is the only active FBS player with 8,000 yards passing and 1,500 rushing. Before Nebraska’s entrance into the Big Ten, the Huskers played more non-conference games against Minnesota than any other school. The schools played every year from 1934 to 1952, and again each season from 1967 to 1974. That this is a night game bodes well for NU. The Huskers have won 18 straight home night games in Lincoln. NU is 44-5 all-time in Memorial Stadium night games. The Huskers’ dominance at night in Lincoln has been impressive, as 33 of the home night wins have been by at least 13 points. Nebraska’s most recent loss in a night game at Memorial Stadium came against No. 4 Missouri in 2008.

Minnesota at Nebraska Expert Pick: Nebraska

Cornhuskers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS loss. Under is 4-1 in Golden Gophers last 5 vs. a team with a winning record. Go Nebraska on NCAA Football odds if Armstrong plays and under the total.