No. 12 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Wisconsin Badgers Betting Pick

Betting Odds

Opening Line: Nebraska -3
Over/Under: 49

Time: 8:17 PM EST Saturday December 1, 2012 on FOX

While Nebraska earned their way into the Big 10 title game Wisconsin was lucky to get in since the finished behind Ohio State and Penn State in the Leaders Division, but both of those teams were bowl ineligible. The winner of this game will face either Stanford or UCLA in the Rose Bowl while the loser is out of the BCS picture.

Wisconsin has won the Big 10 the last 2 seasons, but they lost 3 of their last 4 games, only finished at 4-4 in the Big 10, and the lost to Nebraska earlier this season. The Huskers have won 6 straight games and their defense has only given up an average of 10.5 points in their last 2 games.

In their last games of the season Nebraska beat Iowa 13-7 while Wisconsin lost to Penn State 24-21 in OT.

Nebraska is 6-5-1 ATS with an O/U record of 6-4-1 and Wisconsin is 5-7 ATS with an O/U record of 7-4.

Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez was stuffed facing the Iowa defense last week, but for the season has 2,483 passing yards with 21 TD and 8 INT and he is also the Huskers’ 2nd leading rusher. He has a good WR corps and may be the guy that Wisconsin must key on, as in the earlier loss to the Huskers Martinez passed for 181 yards and 2 TD and rushed for 107 yards with a TD.

Nebraska’s leading RB is Ameer Abdullah and the Huskers also got back RB Rex Burkhead, who rushed for 57 yards in the 2nd half in the win over Iowa. The Huskers have no lack of rushing options and will be facing a Wisconsin run defense that ranks 12th in the nation.

Wisconsin has used 3 QB’s this season with senior Curt Phillips getting the last 3 starts. The Badgers only rank 112th in the nation in passing yards per game and Phillips will have to limit his mistakes and do not look for him to air it out facing a Huskers’ pass defense that is the top-ranked unit in the nation.

For Wisconsin to win this game they will need a good game from star RB Montee Ball, who has rushed for over 1,500 yards on the season. He had 93 yards in the loss to Nebraska earlier this season and his late fumble iced the game for the Huskers. Nebraska’s run defense only ranks 73rd in the nation, but if they defend the run like they did against Ball and the Badgers in the earlier win they should win this game.

Nebraska is 3-0-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record, 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall, and they have an Under record of 5-2-1 in their last 8 vs. a team with a winning record.

Wisconsin is 1-3 ATS in their last 4 games overall, 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss, and they have an Over record of 4-1 in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.

ATS Game Pick

Nebraska -3