The Nebraska football hype train is rolling down the tracks at an alarming speed. While Husker fans have certainly been excited about the upcoming season, it's been interesting to watch the national media join the parade.
From Tim Brando to Phil Steele, there has been a drumbeat of people who should know what they are talking about, saying the Huskers are going to be players this season.
We're not talking about players to post a better record than 4-8.
The national media has talked about NU being players in the National Championship picture. That latest evidence of this is one sportsbook giving very, very good odds for the Huskers to make the playoffs, at the very least.
Nebraska football sitting among the best in the country
SuperBook USA put out their much-ballyhooed odds to make the College Football Playoffs, and there were few surprises right at the top of the list. Alabama and Clemson are right at the top of the list with 1/6 odds.
For those new to the sports gambling scene, that means players would have to place six dollars on Alabama or Clemson in order to win a dollar.
In other words, they are very close to sure bets.
Georgia is 1/1, making them very favored to make the CFB playoffs as well. Michigan and Ohio State come in with very good odds as well, with 9/4 and 3/1 odds as well.
Big Ten shakeup in the works?
The Wolverines and Buckeyes being near the top of the teams expected to make the College Football playoffs shouldn't be a surprise. That Iowa and Wisconsin aren't coming in right after them might be a bit more of a surprise to some.
Nebraska has the third-highest odds of making the playoffs according to that Sportsbook at 6/1 odds. Wisconsin is actually the only other team in the conference mentioned at all with 20/1 odds. In other words, the Cornhuskers are considered much better odds than the Badgers to make the playoffs.
The Huskers have a better shot, according to Sportsbook USA to make the playoffs than some other national powers that have certainly been better than the Nebraska football team recently. Florida, Auburn, Notre Dame, Oregon, Michigan State, Penn State, and others are all considered to be longer shots to compete for the national title than the Huskers.
The question, especially when it comes to odds to win a title, always have to be, are these laid out because they genuinely believe the Huskers can win to the point where they contend for a title or is this about attracting bettors.
It's a safe bet Nebraska football fans are going to be happy to see 6/1 odds to make the CFB Playoffs. Whether they will believe it enough to put their money where their collective mouths are, won't be known for a little while just yet.