In-conference play is the theme of Week 7 of the 2022 NCAA college football season. One of the upcoming rivalry matchups worth keeping an eye on is a Big Ten clash between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Purdue Boilermakers – two schools that are 2-1 against their conference.
Nebras ka enters the matchup following back-to-back wins, whereas Purdue is riding an impressive three-game winning streak. Only time will tell which team's success will continue once Week 7 is in the books.
Nebraska vs Purdue Odds
According to FanDuel Sportsbook's'college football odds, Purdue is a clear-cut -550 favorite on the moneyline (13.5-point spread) in a game with a 58.5-point over/under.
What should college football fans expect in this matchup, and where can bettors find value?
Nebraska vs Purdue Prediction and Best Bet
Nebraska's defense has left a lot to be desired this season. Four of the school's six opponents have scored 30-plus points, while the unit has also surrendered a whopping 477.6 total yards per game (No. 120). While things have looked better over Nebraska's last two outings, Indiana and Rutgers are going through their own struggles.
Meanwhile, Purdue's won four of its last five games and things seem to be clicking. The Boilermakers have tallied 27.8 points per game this season (No. 62) while quarterback Aidan O'Connell is coming off a game that saw him throw for 360 passing yards and two touchdowns (with an interception).
Nebraska sits outside of the top 100 whe n it comes to passing yards allowed, so O'Connell should have plenty of opportunities to succeed. The fact that the Boilermakers have also won three of their last four meetings against the Cornhuskers is just the icing on the cake.
Having said that, I could see this game being a close one. Despite the Boilermakers being the 16.5-point favorite, the only time that they beat the Cornhuskers by 17-plus points was in the rivals' first-ever meeting back in 1958, which was a 28-0 shutout.
While I'm taking Purdue to win, I'm willing to back Nebraska at +16.5 on the spread. With neither defense being lights out, taking the total hitting over 58.5 points is also playable.