Opening odds for every Big Ten football game in Week 2
The Big Ten fared well in the opening week of the college football season, finishing a combined 8-1 in interconference games.
No teams in the conference play each other this coming week, but there are still a few games which deserve a close eye.
Here are the opening odds for every game involving in a Big Ten team in week two, presented by DraftKings Sportsbook.
Maryland will match up with Charlotte on Saturday, and the Terps come in as 24.5-point favorites. The two teams played last year, with Maryland prevailing, 56-21.
Note: Odds are not yet available for games Indiana vs. Indiana State, Ohio State vs. Youngstown State, Michigan State vs. Richmond and Penn State vs. Delaware.
Friday
Illinois (+3.5) at Kansas, 7:30 p.m ET
O/U: 56
This one looks to be a doozy, featuring two programs that have made steady strides over the past few seasons, but both are coming off imperfect starts to this season. The Illini barely scraped past Toledo in their opening game, needing a late field goal to secure a 30-28 win. And the Jayhawks needed a strong second half to eventually pull away from Missouri State, 48-17.
Expect a close one in Lawrence.
Saturday
Nebraska (+3) at Colorado, 12 p.m. ET
O/U: 58
This matchup is filled with intrigue. Both teams looked to reinvent themselves under new management this season, with Matt Rhule taking over at Nebraska and Deion Sanders taking over at Colorado.
Rhule and the Huskers got off to a disappointing start, though, as they fell to Minnesota in a defensive slugfest, 13-10. But for Sanders and the Buffaloes, everything went right in their first game. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders had a Heisman-like performance, tossing 510 yards and four touchdowns as Colorado stunned TCU on the road, 45-42.
Will Colorado repeat its magic or will Nebraska give the Buffs a reality check?
Purdue (+3) at Virginia Tech, 12 p.m. ET
O/U: 49.5
Purdue started its season on a wrong note with a 39-35 home loss to Fresno State. Meanwhile, Virginia Tech took care of business against Old Dominion, winning by three scores.
Purdue’s offense, led by transfer quarterback Hudson Card, looked good to start the season, but its defense was abysmal. Virginia Tech’s explosive ground game, led by Bhayshul Tuten, could run wild if the Boilermakers don’t sharpen up between the trenches. Needless to say, it should be an exciting affair in Blacksburg.
UNLV at No. 2 Michigan (-36), 3:30 p.m. ET
O/U: 57
Michigan unsurprisingly opens up as a massive favorite after dismantling East Carolina last weekend, 35-0. The Wolverines might have the best defense in the country, and they’ll be a handful for UNLV to deal with. The Rebels, under first-year head coach Barry Odom, beat Bryant by 30 in their first game, but will need more than a miracle to compete with Michigan in the Big House.
Iowa (-4) at Iowa State, 3:30 p.m. ET
O/U: 36.5
The over/under line of 36.5 might be generous. In the first five minutes of its matchup with Utah State with Cade McNamara under center, Iowa’s offense looked to be functional — a rare sight in past years. But after two straight touchdown drives, the Hawkeyes managed just 24 points overall and scraped past Utah State, 24-14. Iowa State, meanwhile, is in shambles at quarterback.
Preseason starter Hunter Dekkers was charged in an ongoing gambling investigation, leaving redshirt freshman Rocco Becht to lead the Cyclones.
No matter who wins Saturday, the Cy-Hawk game will likely be a scrappy and ultimately close one.
UTEP at Northwestern (+1.5), 3:30 p.m. ET
O/U: 38.5
After Northwestern dropped its season opener to Rutgers, 24-7, head coach David Braun said that just stepping onto the field was the only time he had smiled in the past few weeks. Of course, that was in reference to the hazing allegations that shellshocked the program in the offseason. Northwestern now returns home to Ryan Field for the first time since its internal implosion, and will hope to give the fans something to cheer about.
No. 19 Wisconsin (-6) at Washington State, 7:30 p.m. ET
O/U: 55
On paper, this is one of the top games of the week, at least in terms of competition. A few years ago, this game would’ve featured two teams with completely different play styles, but Wisconsin has since adapted a more wide-open offense under Luke Fickell. The Badgers didn’t look amazing in their 38-17 win over Buffalo, but still look primed for a solid season. Expect for Saturday night to tell us a lot about Wisconsin.
Eastern Michigan at Minnesota (-20), 7:30 p.m. ET
O/U: 47
Minnesota stuck to its identity in week one, grinding out a 13-10 victory against Nebraska. Head coach P.J. Fleck’s squad likely looks at this game as a tune-up one before heading off to Chapel Hill to take on No. 21 North Carolina. But, Eastern Michigan isn’t a slouch of an opponent. While the Gophers will very likely take down the Eagles, their opponents are coming off a nine-win season and have MAC title aspirations. They did struggle a bit against Howard in their opener, but a 20-point spread is steep.
Temple at Rutgers (-9), 7:30 p.m. ET
O/U: 45
These teams met last year, with Rutgers sneaking out of Philadelphia with a 16-14 win. Both teams come into the contest 1-0, and on paper this seems like a good matchup. The Scarlet Knights should have the edge, but it will come down to the play of quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, who still has to convince the Rutgers fan base that he is the guy.
