Holiday Bowl: Washington vs. Nebraska Betting Preview
This Holiday Bowl Washington vs. Nebraska betting preview is courtesy of SBG Global, where the line on Nebraska was -14. The total came in at 52.5. This game goes off Thursday night (December 30) at 10 pm EST on ESPN. Be sure to monitor the spread closely.
The Washington Huskies will hope to play better on Thursday night in the Holiday Bowl against Nebraska than they did earlier this season when they were blown out 56-21. Washington had to win their last three games of the season just to make a bowl game while Nebraska collapsed in the Big 12 title game and lost to Oklahoma.
Nebraska is a 14 point favorite with a total of 52.5 at SBG Global.
The Cornhuskers are playing in the Holiday Bowl for the second straight year. Last year they routed Arizona 33-0 and the oddsmakers see a similar type of game on Thursday night. This is not a great Nebraska team though and Washington does have the revenge motive so perhaps the game will be closer than the two-touchdown point spread.
Washington is led by quarterback Jake Locker who threw for 2,209 yards and 17 touchdowns this season. It was not a banner year for Locker whose draft status has fallen considerably from where it was a year ago. The Huskies do have a running game though, led by running back Chris Polk, who had 1,287 yards and eight touchdowns this college football season. Wide receiver Jermaine Kearse also had a good season with 1,001 yards and 12 touchdowns. Washington had major problems on defense this season as they allowed 31.2 points per game. The Huskies were terrible against the run allowing 198.8 rushing yards per game and that is a major concern against Nebraska that ran over them in the previous meeting.
The game in September between these teams was a rout because Nebraska ran at will against the Huskies. They had 383 rushing yards as quarterback Taylor Martinez led the team with 156 rushing yards and three rushing TDs. Martinez combines with running back Roy Helu Jr. to give Nebraska a potent backfield. The Huskers have the talent to dominate Washington again but whether they are motivated to do so is a big question.
Here are the football betting stats for Thursday’s game. The Huskies are 3-0-1 Against The Spread in their last 4 games overall. The Huskies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 bowl games. The Cornhuskers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 bowl games.
The Over is 4-0 in the Huskies last 4 vs. the Big 12. The Under is 6-1 in the Cornhuskers last 7 bowl games.
