Nebraska’s best start in years has oddsmakers leaning hard its way, and Maryland is the next team asked to deal with the Huskers’ surge.
The football team is off to its best start since 2016, and it’s also enjoying its strongest opening under Matt Rhule. That momentum has turned into respect at the betting window, where Nebraska opened Sunday evening as a 14.5-point favorite over Maryland, according to DraftKings. The total sits at 52.5, a sign that the market expects the Huskers to score plenty.
The two programs are moving in opposite directions as 2026 continues. Nebraska keeps stacking wins and building the case that it’s the best version of the program in the last decade.
Maryland, on the other hand, is coming off a 54-3 loss to UCLA, a result that appears to have hit the low point of Mike Locksley’s time with the Terps. After starting 2-0 and hoping to stay in bowl contention, Maryland has dropped two straight, and the path only gets steeper from here.
For Nebraska, this is another chance to show that the start is real. The Huskers haven’t won two straight Big Ten games to begin conference play in a long time, and they’ve also rarely been favored by this much in back-to-back weeks. Last week against Michigan State, they were nearly a touchdown favorite on the road in East Lansing.
If Nebraska handles Maryland and covers again, it would move to 5-0 for the first time since 2016. And this may not be the last time the Huskers are expected to win big; the schedule gets a lot more demanding in two weeks when Indiana comes to town.
In Other News...
Nebraska Suddenly Faces A Dylan Raiola Twist Matt Rhule Didnt Hide
Dylan Raiolas name has suddenly come back into Nebraskas orbit in a way few around the program probably expected. During Oregons game against USC, starter Dante Moore went down with an injury and Raiola stepped in, then helped push the Ducks to a 41-27 win. For Nebraska, it adds another layer to a matchup that already carried plenty of interest, especially with Raiola having once been part of the Cornhuskers future before ending up in Eugene.
Matt Rhule didnt try to hide his regard for Raiola when the topic came up, and that only sharpens the intrigue around what comes next. Raiola has looked strong in his Oregon appearances, and there is a real possibility he could be the one lining up against Nebraska in the upcoming game. For the Huskers, it would turn a familiar name into a very different kind of problem, and one they may have to prepare for quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Rhule Just Shut Down One Nebraska Oregon Storyline
Matt Rhule pushed back on the chatter surrounding Dylan Raiola after the former Nebraska quarterback transferred to Oregon, making it clear there is no lingering issue between them. Rhule said he continues to support his former players and even praised Raiola for how he handled the job after stepping in for an injured Dante Moore, a reminder that the Nebraska-Oregon matchup has more than one storyline attached to it.
The timing makes the whole thing feel even more relevant, with Nebraska set to face Oregon and Raiola potentially in line to start if Moore is still recovering. For Husker fans, it adds another layer to a game that already had plenty of interest, but Rhules comments helped shut down the idea that this one needs to come with personal baggage attached. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska QB Commit Just Delivered One Of The Weeks Wildest Highlights
A busy week of high school football produced plenty of clips worth slowing down for, and Nebraskas quarterback commit was right in the middle of the conversation. The roundup also spotlighted several other highly rated prospects, including quarterbacks Trae Taylor and Chase Grove, running back David Gabriel Georges and wide receiver Dakota Guerrant, a reminder that the Huskers are tracking a deep group of playmakers as the fall schedule starts to heat up.
Among the biggest moments was a game-winning Hail Mary catch by Braylen Gibbs, the kind of finish that tends to travel fast across recruiting circles. For Nebraska fans, the headline grab from a future signal-caller is the obvious hook, but the larger takeaway is that the Cornhuskers continue to have a presence in a weekly showcase loaded with committed talent and late-game drama. [Read more 🡒]