Nebraska at Minnesota

Time: 6:30 PM CST

Spread: MIN -7.5

Total: 50

Odds c/o 5dimes

The Nebraska Cornhuskers stand at 4-2 following its 13-10 defeat of Northwestern last week. The Huskers will take to the road to face Minnesota in Week 7 as 7.5-point underdogs according to NCAA oddsmakers at bookmaker 5dimes. The betting total is set at 50 points, and the game will kick off at 6:30 PM CST Saturday.

NEB

Nebraska has fared well against the weaker teams on its schedule but it was handily defeated by No. 5 ranked Ohio State in week 5. It by three to Colorado in Week 2. The Huskers have a plus 2.2 point differential in scoring 28.7 while holding opponents to 26.5. It has No. 42 rush offense in the nation, generating 196.3 yards per game, but its pass attack lingers in the bottom-third in amassing just 219.3 per contest.

Adrian Martinez is the do-it-all threat that drives Nebraska’s offense. He has thrown for 1,245 yards at a 60.3 percent clip with seven TDs and five INTs. He has been sacked 15 times for an 82-yard total loss. But Martinez also leads the team in rushing attempts (85) and rushing yardage (341) while ranking No. 2 in rushing touchdowns as well (with three). No. 1 running back Dedrick Mills has rushed 67 times for 322 yards and a team-best six touchdowns. Maurice Washington leads the team in yards-per-carry at 6.3 per, and he has 278 yards and a TD.

Wan’Dale Robinson is mostly a receiver but has 43 attempts for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Robinson has also caught 25 passes for 326 yards, which ranks No. 1 in receptions and No. 2 receiving yardage. JD Spielman leads the team in total receiving yards with 410, and he has one touchdown. Robinson has come out of the backfield to catch 11 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns.

Tight end Jack Stroll functions as the No. 3 receiver with his 11 catches for 157 yards and a touchdown. Between having a Tight end prominent in the offense along with a running back making receiving plays (and a receiver making running plays) the Huskers are so loaded at the skill positions it is tough to see its offense not continuing to make strides as 2019 wears on.

MIN

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are 5-0 but have not faced a tough test yet this season. It has knocked off San Diego State, Fresno State, Georgia Southern, Purdue, and Illinois. This week will be its toughest game so far as it hosts Nebraska. It next faces Rutgers, then Maryland, before facing three ranked opponents in four weeks after that. The Gophers are about to find out what it is made of.

So far, Minnesota has some inflated figures. It boasts a plus-9 point differential while averaging middle-of-the-pack performance in both passing (No. 57) and rushing (No. 71). Tanner Morgan has been super at quarterback for the Gophers. He has thrown for 1,250 yards at a 70.3 percent clip with 13 TD passes and just three interceptions. He has been sacked 2.66 times per game for a total loss of 117 yards, but he still boasts an outstanding passer rating of 198.1

Minnesota’s top rushers have all fared well, too. Rodney Smith has 100 carries already and has amassed 536 yards and three touchdowns with a 5.4 yard-per-carry average. Mohamed Ibrahim and Shannon Brooks have combined for 50 rushes and 240 yards between them. Morgan has struggled with his own rushing, with 30 attempts for -41 yards, though he did score a touchdown and also had a 17-yard run. Minnesota’s No. 1 receiver has done major work: Rashod Bateman has 23 catches (No. 2 on the team) for 537 yards (No. 1) and four of the 13 team receiving touchdowns. Tyler Johnson has caught a team-best 28 catches for 350 yards and has a team-best five touchdowns.

Chris Autman-Bell has caught just 11 passes but averages 20 yards-per-reception and has three touchdowns. The Gophers have balanced its attack fairly well, while reliant heavily on its No. 1 RB and No. 1 WR. Will it have enough depth to continue dominating in this fashion or will the Gophers have to turn to some secondary and tertiary options more so as the season wears on?