Nebraska football remains a slight favorite in betting odds despite dropping its third Big Ten Conference game on Saturday.
The Huskers (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten) opened as a 4½ point favorite in early betting lines for NU’s West Coast trip to UCLA (3-5, 3-2 Big Ten) Saturday. Betting lines for the contest opened on Wednesday, Oct. 29, but changed drastically Sunday morning as the line gave three points back to the Bruins. Nebraska is still favored as of Sunday afternoon by 1½ points.
DraftKings, FanDuel, and bet365 set the line for Nebraska at 1½ points, while Caesars favors the Huskers at two points. Nebraska has been listed as a favorite eight times this season, including its neutral-site matchup with Cincinnati in the season opener on Aug. 28 at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium and in back-to-back road games at Maryland and Minnesota.
Nebraska running back Isaiah Mozee goes for 16 yards on this catch from quarterback TJ Lateef against Akron. / Kenny Larabee, KLIN
Nebraska has been listed as an underdog twice this season, falling to Michigan 30-27 at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 20 and dropping to USC on Saturday, 21-17.
The over/under total for Nebraska and UCLA was set at 44½ points. The total adjusted, adding a half-point to the over/under at 45 points as of Sunday afternoon. The total points are a significant decrease from last week, as the Huskers and USC total was set at 57½ points, Nebraska’s second-highest on the season.
Nebraska is 3-5-1 this season against the spread in 2025, going 3-2-1 at Memorial Stadium, 0-3 away from Lincoln, 1-4-1 as a favorite, and 1-1 as an underdog. The Huskers won the season opener over Cincinnati 20-17 but failed to cover as six-point favorites, but rebounded with blowout wins over Akron (68-0) and Houston Christian (59-7) as 34½-point favorites against the Zips and 48½-point favorites against the Huskies. Nebraska’s 30-27 loss to Michigan failed to cover the Nebraska 1½-point underdog line, as the Huskers then failed to cover the final 13-point spread in a 38-27 home win over Michigan State.
Nebraska wide receiver Dane Key reels in a touchdown reception against USC. / Kenny Larabee, KLIN
The Huskers failed to cover back-to-back road lines as a seven-point favorite at Maryland on Oct. 11, then dropped a Friday night tilt at Minnesota 24-6, failing to cover the 6 1/2-point spread. Nebraska met the spread at seven points when facing Northwestern, earning the outright win 28-21. Nebraska did cover as a 4½-point underdog against USC, covering in the 21-17 home loss.
The Huskers are 6-3 on the season in their over/under history, failing to maintain their perfect home in point totals with Saturday’s under against USC. Nebraska failed to cover the point total in its season opener at Arrowhead Stadium against Cincinnati and against USC (59½ points), but did hit the over against Akron (47½ points), Houston Christian (59½ points), Michigan (47½ points), Michigan State (48½ points), and Northwestern (44½ points). Nebraska is 1-1 in road over/unders, notching 65 total points in the Huskers’ road win at Maryland and covering the 47½ total points, but could not muster enough scoring to match the 47½-point total at Minnesota.
UCLA is 3-5 against the spread this season, matching its overall season record. The Bruins are 1-3 at home against the spread, 2-2 on the road, 0-3 as a favorite, and 3-2 as an underdog. UCLA had covered three straight against Northwestern, Penn State, and Michigan State, but failed to cover in back-to-back weeks against Maryland and Indiana.
Indiana’s Dominique Ratcliff (91) pressures UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava (9) during the Indiana versus UCLA football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
UCLA is 3-5 in overs this season, going 2-2 at home, 1-3 on the road, 0-3 as a favorite, and 3-2 as an underdog. Likewise, the Bruins have been streak in its recent total history, going 2-3 in the last five weeks going under the point totals against Northwestern (46½ points), (Michigan State (51½ points), and Maryland (52½ points). UCLA did hit the over in the Penn State upset (48½ points) and in the 56-6 loss at Indiana on Oct. 25 (53½ points).
UCLA is ninth in the Big Ten Conference after five conference matchups with a 3-2 Big Ten record. The Bruins sit behind conference leaders Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa, Oregon, USC, Minnesota, and Northwestern. UCLA suffered its first conference loss to Northwestern on Sept. 27, prompting the removal of previous coach Deshaun Foster. Following the firing, UCLA is 3-1, garnering upset wins over Penn State, Michigan State, and Maryland before falling 56-6 against No. 2 Indiana on Oct. 25.
“That would be like the most disappointing thing,” UCLA interim coach Tim Skipper said during his bye week press conference on Monday. “Our style of play wasn’t what it’s been — you didn’t see the strain, you didn’t see the fanatical effort, those type of things, and you’re going to need to play that way when you play these top teams like we just did.”
UCLA Bruins interim head coach Tim Skipper (left) and new offensive coordinator Jerry Neuheisel (right) on the sideline during second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Rose Bowl. / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
“Now your body’s starting to feel the wear and tear of the season and things like that,” Skipper said, “so we’re just going to concentrate on getting the Bruins better and healthy and playing fast and still with the focus of, this is how we want our style of play to be and this is how it’s going to be all the time.”
Nebraska is 12th in the Big Ten Conference standings, matching Illinois’ conference record at 3-3. The Huskers will now be without starting quarterback Dylan Raiola, as the program announced on Sunday that Raiola would miss the rest of the season with a broken fibula.
“(Nebraska backup quarterback) TJ [Lateef] has a bright, bright future. He’s going to do a lot of good things,” Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said. “And I thought he might be able to run and make some plays.”
Nebraska quarterback TJ Lateef scrambles for a seven-yard gain during the third quarter against Houston Christian on Sept. 13, 2025. / Kenny Larabee, KLIN
The Huskers head to the Rose Bowl to take on UCLA on Saturday. The game is set for an 8 p.m. CST kickoff with television coverage on FOX. The contest can also be heard across the Husker Radio Network’s affiliate stations.
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