BYU Cougars vs Nebraska Cornhuskers College Football Preview & Pick

College Football Preview: BYU Cougars vs Nebraska Cornhuskers

Written By David Hess (Follow me on Twitter @DavidHess311)

When: 3:30 PM ET, Saturday, September 5, 2015
Where: Lincloln Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska
Televised: ABC

Odds:  Nebraska opened as 7 points favorites and it has been bet down slightly to 6.5. The Total took a pretty big hit as it was bet down from 65.5 to 60.

The BYU cougars has a solid 8-5 season a year ago, but their season did end on a down not with a 55-48 2OT loss to Memphis is the Miami Beach Bowl. This year's team is loaded and are one of the teams that are not from a power 5 conference that have aspirations of making it to the playoffs. Even if the run the table they will still need help. The Cougars have 8 starters back on offense, including QB Taysom hill, who missed a lot of time last season. Christian Stewart did a fine job but he s not the dual threat QB that Hill is. Taysom really makes defenses defend so much more when he is in there. Hill will have his top RB back from last year and 3 of the 4 top pass catchers, while the OL is very good. This team will put up a lot of points this year. The defense allowed 27.5 ppg last year and they return just 5 starters from that group, but they also have 23 lettermen back on defense and one of the better DLs around, so I do expect some improvement on this side of the ball.    

Nebraska went 9-4 last year, but their season didn't end on an up note as they lost to USC in Holiday Bowl in a thrilling 45-42 game. The Huskers do jave their sights set higher this year, but it will not be easy as they have a new HC and just 12 starters back. They did lose just 16 lettermen and have 60 back this year, so this is a pretty experienced team. he Offense will be led by QB Tommy Armstrong, but the big loss for this offense s the departure of RB Ameer Abdullah, who ran for 1611 yards and 19 TDs last year. Terrell Newby takes over at RB and he does have some experience, but is no Ameer. The Huskers also lose top WR Kenny Bell, but 7 have experience as 9 of their top 11 pass catchers from last year all return.  A weak spot may be on the line where they rate as the 8th best in the league. Defense is really where this team must improve, especially aflter allowing 59, 28, 34 and 45 poin ts in their last 4 games last year. This defense got tired and they lost 4 of their top 5 tacklers from a year ago, but they did recuit well on tyhe defensive side of the ball and should not have the same late season collapse as last year. 

Both of these teams are run-first teams and that tends to chew up the clock. I look for that here. BYU has Taysom Hill back and he will run the ball a lot, but he will be going up against a very solid corps of LBs and a DL that rates as one of the better in the Big 10. When the Huskers have the ball they will have a new starter at RB and their OL is one of the Weaker in the Big 10, while BYU comes in with what looks like a very good DL. The strengths of these offenses will be the run, but the strength of these two defenses looks to be on the line. That will make it hard for these teams to just march up an down the field with easy. I just can't see these teams getting to 60 points in this one. 

Take (178) BYU/ Nebraska Under 60

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