Vegas betting odds have been released on BIG10 team win totals following the completion of spring ball. Nebraska Football’s were set at +7.5. The odds of Nebraska winning 8 games (the over) is set at -122, which equates to about 55% chance, in betting terms.
However, I would encourage you to hold on before either placing this bet, OR using it to assume Nebraska will have an 8 win or more season. I did some research on what the preseason win totals were for Nebraska for the last 5 years, and if they exceeded those expectations or not.
See here:
2024: 7.5 (Actual 6-6)
2023: 6.5 (Actual 5-7)
2022: 7.5 (Actual 4-8)
2021: 6.5 (Actual 3-9)
2020: 4.5 (Actual 3-5)
As you can see in the last 5 years Nebraska never met OR went over its preseason win total. In fact, I had to dig back to 2016 to find the last time Nebraska exceeded its pre-season win total. In 2016, they were predicted 7.5, and won 9 regular season games, finishing 9-4.
I posted a poll on X (@rwcornsports) to see what the fans would say is the bare minimum win total for them to feel progress in year three under Matt Rhule. Feel free to check back later, but at the time of me writing this, it’s split even between 7,8 or 9 wins. Based off of where it sits right now, 7 regular season wins (1 more than last year) would be what it would take for the average Husker fan to see progress in year 3.
Modest.
I would submit that 7 regular season wins would be fine if we win the bowl game. 8-5 would be my floor this year. However, I would really feel a lot better about the direction of the program with 8 regular season wins. Nebraska seems to be building in the right direction with Rhule, but in order to take off, especially with recruiting, Nebraska needs to start being in the conversation for the BIG10 title, and sooner rather than later, the playoffs. 7 would still be a step in that direction, but too small a step for my taste.
Lots of new players and coaches this year, which makes it harder to gauge. One thing I know for sure is that 28 August will be here before we know it, and then we will see what this team is made of.
Go Big Red.