Nebraska at Minnesota Betting: Matt Rhule Era Begins with Increased Expectations
Does tradition-rich Nebraska finally have right coach in place?
The Matt Rhule Era officially kicks off Thursday (8 p.m. ET) when the Nebraska Cornhuskers visit the Minnesota Golden Gophers in Big Ten play. According to college football spreads, Minnesota is a 7-point favorite (-120) and -290 to win outright, with Nebraska priced at +240. The projected total is 43.5 (-110).
Read on as we break down the Nebraska at Minnesota betting odds in our game preview.
Nebraska at Minnesota 
Where: Huntington Bank Stadium; Minneapolis
Streaming: FOX
Rhule Arrives with Big Expectations
The Nebraska Cornhuskers made one of the boldest hires of the offseason coaching carousel, convincing Matt Rhule to return to college. There’s immense pressure as Nebraska’s program has slid into irrelevance over the last few decades. However, Rhule might be the right man to help lead the Cornhuskers back up the NCAA football rankings.
Rhule successfully turned around less traditional programs, Temple and Baylor, before fizzling out with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. While his debuts at those schools resulted in a combined record of 3-21, Rhule should get off to a much faster start with the Cornhuskers. Jeff Sims is expected to start at quarterback after transferring from Georgia Tech, and the talent around him is suitable. Running back Anthony Grant is returning, and Rhule plucked Billy Kemp IV (Virginia) and Arik Gilbert (Georgia) from the transfer portal to help elevate the passing game. They’ll compete alongside Malachi Coleman, one of the nation’s top 100 ranked freshmen.
Oddsmakers expect improvements. The Cornhuskers are projected for 6.0 wins, nearly as many as the last two seasons (7-17) combined. They haven’t made a bowl since 2016 (Music City Bowl), which also happens to be their last winning season.
The Big Ten remains a bear, but at least Nebraska finally appears to have the right coach in place. Rhule’s addition bodes well for the Cornhuskers.
Changes Abound for Golden Gophers
Not to be confused with Michigan or Ohio State, the Minnesota Golden Gophers have been one of the top programs in the Big Ten the last two seasons. Back-to-back 9-4 campaigns culminated with bowl victories. Last year, the Golden Gophers capped things with a 28-20 win over Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl.
What will they do for an encore? Projected for 7.0 wins, the Golden Gophers are expected to take a slight step back. That said, they should remain firmly in bowl contention.
While All-Big Ten running back Mohamed Ibrahim is off to the NFL, Minnesota is fortunate to return Athan Kaliakmanis under center. Kaliakmanis, nicknamed the “Greek Rifle,” started five games in 2022 for Tanner Morgan, affording him some valuable on-the-job training. After a shaky start, Kaliakmanis showed promise, throwing for 319 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-16 victory at Wisconsin, according to NCAAF scores.
He’s now in charge of an offense that lost not only Ibrahim, a 1,600-yard rusher but also three starters on the offensive line, including All-American center John Michael Schmitz. That’s a lot to account for, especially considering Kaliakmanis is no given himself. That’s important to remember when assessing the Nebraska at Minnesota betting odds.
Handicapping the Game
After a failed experiment in the NFL, Rhule is back in college. For a master program-builder, it’s the right place to be. Nebraska has fallen flat in recent years, and it’ll take time to rebuild one of the sport’s most storied programs. But this is a difficult place to start his tenure with the Cornhuskers. On the road. In the Big Ten.
Minnesota is certain to have its hands full this season. Its schedule is brutal, with six games against preseason Top 25 opponents: No. 21 North Carolina (Sept. 16), No. 2 Michigan (Oct. 7), No. 25 Iowa (Oct. 21), No. 3 Ohio State (Nov. 18) and No. 19 Wisconsin (Nov. 25). But that shouldn’t matter this week.
This is an opportunity for Kaliakmanis and the new-look Golden Gophers to build some early momentum. While their offense has undergone many changes, they’re further along than Nebraska. It’s hard to put much trust in the Cornhuskers before seeing how they look under Rhule. Because of that, Minnesota is a comfortable favorite in the Nebraska at Minnesota betting odds.
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