2023 College Football odds: Matt Rhule believes Nebraska on cusp of success

Lincoln, Nebraska, hasn’t seen its beloved Cornhuskers play winning football since 2016. Can bettors bank on that trend changing in 2023? With new head coach Matt Rhule at the helm, that answer could be yes.

Rhule is renowned in the college football ranks for bringing programs back to relevance. He so did with both Temple and Baylor and now, fans, bettors and Nebraska’s athletic department are depending on him to do the same for the Cornhuskers.

As it turns out, sportsbooks expect this year’s Nebraska squad to have more success than it has recently. At FanDuel Sportsbook, the team’s Over/Under win total sits at 6.5 after winning just seven games combined in the past two seasons.

Let’s take a look at some of the odds for Nebraska’s 2023 season.

Big Ten Conference championship winner: +7500 (ninth-longest)
Odds to win Big Ten West: +1400 (second-longest)
Odds to beat Michigan: +15000
Odds to beat Michigan State: +50000
Odds to beat Ohio State: +12000
Odds to beat Penn State: +16000

— odds as of 8/28/2023

Rhule joined Colin Cowherd on Thursday’s edition of “The Herd” to discuss his expectations for his first season in Lincoln, saying that the team’s success will largely depend on the leadership of his upperclassmen. 

“I think [we’ll be viable this year],” Rhule said. “I told our guys the other day it usually takes me three years, and I wish I could do it faster; I’m just not smart enough to be able to do it in one year. But there’s a bunch of guys on this roster that are seniors. … If guys like Jeff Sims, if guys like all the great juniors and seniors that we have, make it their team, then I think we’ll be a team that people have to deal with, week in and week out.”

Matt Rhule plans to lean on upperclassmen this season

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule joined Colin Cowherd on “The Herd” to set the expectations entering his first year as Nebraska head coach.

Rhule also cautioned fans not to put too much stock into him this early in his tenure.

“If it’s me, then better wait until Year 2 or Year 3. Our guys have really taken the bull by the horns. One thing about being in Nebraska is these guys love the University of Nebraska, they love being Cornhuskers, and they want to be the team that gets us back on track. … I think [fans] are just hungry for a step in the right direction. … Yes, there are expectations, and people want us to win, but we also need to go back to playing in a way that Nebraska’s used to. 

“We need to be a physical team. We need to be a hard-nosed team.”

Are you betting on Nebraska to turn it around this season? Stay tuned to FOX Sports as the college football season unfolds!

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