The Boilermakers (+2) are gearing up to welcome their in-conference counterpart No. 25 Nebraska Cornhuskers (-2) to Purdue. The afternoon game is scheduled to kick off at 12:00 p.m. ET and FOX will televise the action.
Betting Preview: Purdue Boilermakers vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers
In this Saturday Big Ten matchup, Nebraska is tabbed as the favorite and is currently giving up 2 points. The Cornhuskers are also receiving -130 moneyline odds while the Boilermakers are +110. Oddsmakers have determined the over/under (O/U) to be 55 points. There will probably be some solid in-game betting opportunities in this showdown.
Betting odds have moved some from where they initially opened. The opening line was 3 and the game’s O/U was set originally at 55.5.
The Cornhuskers are 1-7 against the spread (ATS) and are down 2.3 units so far. They’ve been a good under bet and have posted an O/U record of 2-5-1.
The Boilermakers have been a disappointment to moneyline bettors this season, losing 8.7 units. The team is 4-4 ATS and has an even O/U record of 4-4.
The Cornhuskers have gone 4-4 straight up (SU), including 2-3 SU against conference opponents. The Boilermakers are 2-6 SU overall and 1-4 SU in conference play.
Each team enters the matchup having lost two straight. The Cornhuskers are trying to get back on track after a 38-31 defeat to Indiana last week. the Cornhuskers completed 20-of-23 passes for 294 yards and one touchdown. Noah Vedral went 14-for-16 for 201 yards while Luke McCaffrey completed five-of-six for 71 yards and one touchdown. Wan’Dale Robinson (83 rushing yards on 22 attempts, one TD) and Luke McCaffrey (76 yards on 12 carries) led the ground attack in the loss while Robinson (six receptions, 71 yards) and JD Spielman (five catches, 97 yards) handled the receiving duties.
One game ago, Illinois took care of this Purdue team by a score of 24-6. The Boilermakers defensive unit allowed the Fighting Illini to rush for 242 yards on 53 attempts, including two rush TDs. Dre Brown put up a solid showing in the win, recording 131 rushing yards on 18 attempts for Illinois. As a group, the Boilermakers collectively completed 15-of-33 passes for 136 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Jack Plummer went eight-for-20 for 71 yards and one interception while Aidan O’Connell was seven-of-13 for 65 yards and one touchdown. King Doerue (37 yards on 15 rush attempts) mounted the ground attack in the defeat as David Bell (five receptions, 18 yards) and Brycen Hopkins (five catches, 45 yards) led the pass-catching attack.
Nebraska has run the ball on 63.3 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Purdue has a rush percentage of 41 percent. The Cornhuskers have produced 193.6 rush yards per game (including 206.8 per game against Big Ten opponents) and have 17 scores via handoffs this year. The Boilermakers are logging 68.6 rush yards per game (79.8 in conference) and have four total rushing TDs.
The Cornhuskers offensive scheme has tallied 219.8 yards/game in the air overall (200.6 per game against conference opposition) and has eight passing TDs so far. The Boilermakers have recorded 301.3 pass yards per outing (259 against Big 10 competition) and have 19 total pass scores.
Defensively, Nebraska appears to have the upper hand when it comes to limiting the pass. The team has allowed opponents to run for an average of 177.3 yards and pass for 223.4 yards per game. The Purdue defense has allowed 244.3 yards per game to opposing passers and 167.9 yards per game to opposing runners. The Cornhuskers are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of only 5.58 to opposing QBs, while the Boilermakers have given up a 6.83 ANY/A.
Offensively, Vedral has amassed 272 passing yards this season, and has completed 73 percent of his 26 attempts with zero scores through the air and has yet to throw an interception. Vedral has a 9.89 adjusted net yards per pass attempt overall, although that number sits at 7.19 over the past two games.
In the other huddle, Jack Plummer has managed to complete 90-of-158 passes for 1,036 yards, seven TDs and five INTs. Plummer’s ANY/A stands at a less-than-ideal 4.67 for the year and 4.58 over his last two outings.
When these two squads met a year ago, Purdue knocked Nebraska off by two touchdowns 42-28.
Nebraska Cornhuskers at Purdue Boilermakers Betting Pick
SU Winner: Nebraska, ATS Winner: Nebraska, O/U: Over
Betting Trends
- Each team has produced eight pass plays of 40+ yards. The Cornhuskers have have made 13 pass plays of 30+ yards while the Boilermakers have created 17 such plays.
- The Nebraska defense has allowed five pass plays of 40 yards or more, while Purdue has given up nine such plays.
- The Nebraska offense has created 14 rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while Purdue has created one such runs.
- The Cornhuskers defense has allowed 13 rushing plays of 20 yards or more, while the Boilermakers have given up 16 such runs.
- The Nebraska defense has 18 sacks on the year while Purdue has 16.
- As a team, Nebraska has rushed for 3.8 yards per attempt over its last three games and 4.0 over its last two.
- Purdue has averaged 3.0 yards per carry over its last three outings and 2.7 over its last two.
- Over its last three contests, Purdue is 2-1 ATS and the under cashed in two of those three.
- The Over/Under for Nebraska’s previous game was set at 54.5. The over cashed in the team’s 38-31 loss to Indiana.
- In its last three matches, Nebraska is 0-3 ATS and the under cashed in two of those three.
- The O/U for Purdue’s last match going into it was 54.5. The under cashed in the team’s 24-6 defeat to Illinois.
- Nebraska has lost four of its last five games SU, with a three-point victory over Northwestern on October 5th representing the only win over that stretch.
- Purdue has dropped six of its last seven games SU, with a 26-point win over Maryland on October 12th accounting for its one victory over that span.
