Nebraska Cornhuskers at Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Preview
27 August 2021
Nebraska comes into this game with plenty of optimism, but they also have a head coach that is firmly on the hot seat. Life in the Big Ten Conference has not been too kind to the Cornhuskers since they joined, but they should be one of the top teams in the West Division this season.
Illinois has found itself at the bottom of the Big Ten Conference for a number of seasons, and it could be the same story in 2021. The Fighting Illini do have a new head coach in Bret Bielema, and he has had success in this league before.
Nebraska comes into this game as a 7.5-point betting favorite over the Fighting Illini.
Nebraska Can Score
Adrian Martinez is back again as the quarterback of the Nebraska offense, and he has given opposing teams some real trouble in the Big Ten Conference. Martinez is a dual-threat at that position, and he will be able to make some big plays against the Fighting Illini defense.
The biggest issue for Nebraska might be on the defensive side of the ball, even though there are at least ten starters returning. The Cornhuskers gave up close to 30 points per game a season ago, and that is not good enough to win games.
Nebraska has more talent on both sides of the ball on Saturday, but they will need to perform.
Defense a Problem For Illinois
Illinois is going to have to figure out a way to get some stops if they are going to start winning football games in the Big Ten Conference. The secondary has really let this team down in the past, and there are going to be plenty of young players on the field this season.
Brandon Peters should be under center for Illinois when the regular season begins and has had plenty of success during his Big Ten career. The Fighting Illini want to run the ball, and there are a handful of players that should get touches at that position.
Cornhuskers Roll Over Illini
Illinois is going to be an improved college football team this season, but they just had a long way to go. The Fighting Illini do have some talented pieces on offense, but that defense still has a number of glaring holes.
Nebraska is going to put up a ton of points in this game as Adrian Martinez will be the best player on the field. There are still some question marks on defense for the Cornhuskers, but that is not going to come into play in the season opener.
Nebraska needs a big win to kick off the 2021 regular season, and that is what will happen. Bet the Nebraska Cornhuskers -7.5 as they roll over the Illinois Fighting Illini and pick up a double-digit win on Saturday.
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