The Nebraska football team finished the 2016 season a 9-4 record, though there were some who believe that was a rather "soft" 9-4. It's hard to argue the team looked like one of the better schools in the country as they finished the season with three blowout losses in their last four contests. Mike Riley and company revamped the defensive coaching staff and started getting ready for a new man under center this spring but there are still quite a few questions surrounding the current administration. Those questions have most recently been reflected in a new set of over/under odds just released by a prominent bookmaker.
These over/under odds have to do with where they are setting the expected win totals for Nebraska and the rest of the college football world.
Nebraska football considered middle of the pack
While it should be pointed out that the over/under for the Huskers is not an official prediction, but rather where Vegas believes people will lay an equal amount of money on both sides, the fact that CG Technology has set the over/under for wins for Nebraska at just 6 (six) should raise some eyebrows in and around Lincoln. By comparison's sake, teams usually considered on a lower tier than Nebraska like Duke and Indiana have had their number set at 5.5 and Kentucky has theirs at 6 at well.
Other schools, like North Carolina State, Missouri, and Utah teams are sitting at 6.5.
With the Cornhuskers breaking in that new defense, and a new quarterback, as well as a pretty difficult schedule it appears Vegas is not exactly convinced we're going to be seeing another 9 win season in 2017.
Where the rest of the Big Ten compares to Nebraska
If the Huskers having their mark set at six wins wasn't enough of an insult, here comes the injury.
Ohio State has the second highest number with 10, while Penn State and Wisconsin both sport over/unders of 9.5 and Michigan is close behind with 9.
Northwestern has a prediction of at least seven wins while Michigan State, coming off one of its worst seasons in the last two decades has a prediction over 6.5. Of the teams listed in this new report by ESPN, Indiana is the only team with a lower number in the Big Ten than Nebraska.
Obviously, there isn't a football fan in the state who wouldn't like to see the Cornhuskers prove this prediction wrong but it does give Cornhusker faithful a bit of a look at what the rest of the country is expecting for the Big Red in the upcoming season.
