#9 Nebraska Cornhuskers at Wyoming Cowboys
War Memorial Stadium – Laramie, Wyoming
Saturday, September 24, 2011, 7:30 pm Eastern: TV: Versus
Opening Line: Nebraska -23 1/2
Current Line: Nebraska -21
Opening Total: 56 1/2
Current Total: 58
Opening Money Line: Nebraska -1700 Wyoming +1100
Current Money Line: Nebraska -1300 Wyoming +900
Nebraska and Wyoming are playing for just the sixth time ever, despite the two states bordering each other. Nebraska has won all meetings in the series, but this is the first game in Laramie as the other 5 were in Lincoln. Expect lots of Cornhusker fans to make the trip to Laramie Saturday. Nebraska and Wyoming haven’t played since 1994. Both teams are 3-0 this season. Nebraska is coached by Bo Pelini and has wins over Chattanooga 40-7, Fresno St 42-29, and last week over Washington 51-38. Nebraska goes on the road for the first time this season for this game. Wyoming, coached by Dave Christensen, has wins over Weber St 35-32 and Texas St 45-10 (both at home), and last week the Cowboys escaped with a 28-27 win at Bowling Green.
Last week Washington and Nebraska were tied at 17 in the first half before Nebraska scored 27 unanswered points to pull away, Washington scored 3 late touchdowns to cover the 17 point college football betting line 51-38. Nebraska had 464 total yards including 309 rushing yards. Quarterback Taylor Martinez had 155 passing yards with two touchdown passes and 83 yards with a rushing touchdown. Rex Burkhead had 22 carries for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns for the Huskers in the win. Washington had 420 total yards, but 9 penalties and 3 turnovers doomed them in the loss.
Nebraska is averaging 422 yards and 44.3 points a game. The Cornhuskers average 252.3 rushing yards a game, which is eleventh best in the country. Nebraska has 5 turnovers and have allowed 4 sacks. The Huskers are 18/46 on third and fourth down conversions. Nebraska is allowing 364.7 yards and 24.7 points a game. The Cornhuskers are giving up 232 passing yards a game. Nebraska has forced 5 sacks and 5 turnovers this season. Nebraska opponents are 23/55 on third and fourth down conversions.
Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez is the leading rusher and passer for the Huskers. Martinez is 31/64 passing with 490 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, along with 51 carries for 384 yards and 6 rushing touchdowns. Martinez and running back Rex Burkhead basically are responsible for the vast majority of the offense. Burkhead has 48 carries for 250 yards, and 5 touchdowns. If one of the two is injured then the Cornhuskers will struggle mightily on offense, much like they did last year when Martinez was recovering from a high ankle sprain for the second half of the season. No Cornhusker receiver has more than 7 catches and 116 yards and a touchdown. Jamal Turner and Quincy Enunwa are two of the top receivers. Kicker Brett Mahar is 16/16 on extra points and 7/7 on field goals with a long of 50. DT Jared Crick and OL Andrew Rogdiguez are both listed as questionable against Wyoming.
Sometimes you just have to get lucky in college football, and Wyoming certainly did last week in their 28-27 win at Bowling Green. Despite giving up 514 total yards, including 437 passing yards, to the Falcons, Wyoming was up 28-14 in the fourth quarter. Bowling Green scored 2 late touchdowns but Wyoming blocked the PAT on the last play of the game to seal the victory for the Cowboys. Bowling Green miscues were the difference in the game. The Falcons had 6 turnovers including a fumble returned for a touchdown by the Cowboys. Wyoming had 396 total yards in the win. Wyoming is 3-0 for the first time since 1996.
Wyoming is averaging 492.3 total yards a game including 226.7 rushing yards a game. Wyoming is scoring 36 points a game. Wyoming has 4 turnovers and has allowed 2 sacks. Wyoming is 19/46 on third down conversions. The Cowboys are giving up 414.7 yards, including 287.7 passing yards a game. Wyoming is allowing 23 points a game. Wyoming has forced 10 turnovers and 9 sacks this season. Cowboy opponents are 15/44 on third down conversions.
Wyoming quarterback Brett Smith is 68/110 passing with 797 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions, along with 30 carries, 154 yards, and 3 touchdown runs. Running back Ghaali Muhammad has 26 carries, 198 yards, and 2 touchdowns along with a catch for 4 yards. Brandon Miller has 27 carries for 169 yards and a touchdown, along with 3 catches for 76 yards. Alvester Alexander is out for the season with a leg injury. He had 34 carries, 137 yards, and 3 touchdowns along with 8 catches for 115 yards. Receiver Robert Herron has 17 catches for 176 yards, and 2 touchdowns along with 3 carries for 25 yards. Chris McNeill has 12 catches for 139 yards and a touchdown. Mazi Ogbonna has 14 catches for 127 yards and a touchdown. Dominic Rufran has 9 catches for 127 yards and a touchdown. Daniel Sullivan and Stuart Williams split the kicking duties. Sullivan is 10/10 on extra points and 1/2 on field goals with a 20 yard kick. Williams has kicked 5 extra points this year for the Cowboys.
Wyoming is 2-1 against the spread this season and the over is 2-1 as well. Nebraska is 0-3 ATS this season and the over is 2-1 this season. Nebraska is 9-2 ATS in their last 11 road games as a favorite of 10.5 points or more, but 3-12-1 overall in the last 16 as a favorite of 10.5 points or greater. The Cornhuskers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 September games, as a favorite, and overall. Wyoming is 20-8 ATS in their last 28 non conference games, 8-17-1 in the last 26 versus teams with winning records, and 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games.
Nebraska is clearly the better team here, but the Huskers have struggled recently to cover big numbers like this. Going to Laramie is a tough road trip because the only way to get there is a 2 hour bus trip from Denver and because of the altitude. Nebraska also has games against Wisconsin and Ohio St coming up in the next 2 weeks. I like Wyoming to cover the spread as the Huskers will overlook them as they travel to Madison next week. This Wyoming team is feisty and could surprise some teams in the Mountain West.
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