The Iowa Hawkeyes, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and the Minnesota Golden Gophers are Big Ten Conference schools that will see college football sportsbook action in week 1 of the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. As is the custom, each program will kick off their respective season with a game against a non-conference opponent. Not unsurprisingly, the Big 10 teams enter as the favourites in each of the following matchups.
Wyoming Cowboys at Iowa Hawkeyes
- Date: Saturday, September 2nd
- Time: 12:05 PM
- Venue: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
Online Sportsbook NCAA Football Lines:
Wyoming +12 (-110) 55 (-110) +350
Iowa -12 (-110) 55 (-110) -440
The Hawkeyes will have to start their season without starting cornerback Manny Rugamba, who was suspended for an offseason violation of team policy.
As a result, Michael Ojemudia will take over a starting spot along with first-teamer Joshua Jackson, according to head coach Kirk Ferentz. Freshman defensive back Matt Hankins is likely to see some action too. No one will benefit more from Rugamba’s absence than Cowboys’ quarterback Josh Allen, but Ferentz was quoted by ESPN as saying that “We’ve been working with that in mind. We’ll be ready.” As for Iowa’s own starting QB, Ferentz said the competition between sophomore Nathan Stanley and junior Tyler Wiegers “neck and neck.”
Buffalo Bulls at Minnesota Golden Gophers college football sportsbook preview
- Date: Thursday, August 31st
- Time: 7:05 PM
- Venue: TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- NCAA football lines:
Buffalo U +26 (-110) 50½ (-110) +2000
Minnesota U -26 (-110) 50½ (-110) -4000
A few days ago first-year Minnesota head coach PJ Fleck announced that senior Conor Rhoda and sophomore Demry Croft were named co-starting quarterbacks.
Fleck just told media that both QBs Conor Rhoda and Demry Croft will play vs Buffalo. Names both starter, guys have earned right to play.
— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) August 17, 2017
As such both QBs will play against the Bulls in the season opener, though we’ll probably have to wait until then to find out which one starts the game. According to Fleck, his decision is “not a controversy” and is “what’s best for our program right now.” Rhoda is a fifth-year senior who started one game against Maryland in 2016 in place of an injured Mitch Leidner, while Croft is a sophomore who redshirted last season. He appeared in three games in 2015, including the second half versus Northwestern when Leidner was benched.
Arkansas State Red Wolves at Nebraska Cornhuskers College Football Sportsbook Preview
Date: Saturday, September 2nd
Time: 8:05 PM
Venue: Memorial Stadium Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
NCAA football lines:
Arkansas State +16½ (-110) 47 (-110) +600
Nebraska -16½ (-110) 47 (-110) -900
The Cornhuskers will not be rotating quarterbacks and that’s just fine with redshirt freshman backup Patrick O’Brien. “Nothing really changes in the way I prepare — I prepare to be the starter,” he told The World-Herald on Thursday. “I could go in any time. That’s just my mentality.” Head coach Mike Riley named Tanner Lee the starting QB a few days after the spring game. “I respect that decision,” O’Brien said. “I’m going to do whatever’s best for the team. If that’s being second string for the team at the moment, that’s what it’s going to be.” And that’s wraps this college football sportsbook rundown.