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2024 College football odds: Take Nebraska, Miami in Week 1; other best bets

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2024 College football odds: Take Nebraska, Miami in Week 1; other best bets


College football is so back. 

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The entire country is playing this weekend, meaning every single team is on the field. However, while that might increase the urge to wager heavily, I suggest being judicious with your Week 1 wagers, as teams with new rosters will see their first time on the field together.

Let’s get into my picks for Week 1.

(All times ET)

UTEP @ Nebraska -27.5 (3:30 p.m., FOX)

I love this spot for the Cornhuskers, who are looking to win their opening weekend contest for the first time since 2019.

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Matt Rhule is entering his second season at Nebraska with high expectations, after the Cornhuskers added five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola to a team that’s returning a ton of production. Nebraska returns speedsters at wide receiver, quality running backs and four of five offensive linemen. 

In short, the offense will be better with a competent quarterback who doesn’t turn the ball over and an offensive line that can block. 

Nebraska’s defense returns eight starters off a unit that was fantastic last season. In fact, it was seventh in rushing defense and 27th in passing defense. The D does an outstanding job of limiting explosive plays as well.

UTEP is coming to Lincoln with everything new — a new head coach with new players on offense and defense — and I anticipate it’s going to be a struggle for the Miners. Their offense is mostly composed of transfer players from Austin Peay, who followed new head coach Scotty Walden and a brand new offensive line. All five starters from last season are gone and playing on the road at Nebraska in this unit’s first start is a recipe for disaster. 

UTEP returns only three starters on defense and that unit is going to be tested by Nebraska’s size and length.

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Also, worth noting is Rhule’s record as a head coach in his second season at a program. After winning two games at Temple in 2013, his 2014 Temple squad opened the season with a 37-7 win at Vanderbilt. While at Baylor, Rhule’s squad opened his second season with a 55-27 win against Abilene Christian after winning just a single game the year before. 

We’ve seen this before from Rhule’s teams, and I expect a big win to start Year 2 against an inferior opponent.

PICK: Nebraska (-27.5) to win by more than 27 points 

Can Nebraska, Michigan challenge Ohio State in the Big Ten?

Miami @ Florida +3 (3:30 p.m., FOX)

Call me a Mario Cristobal homer, but I believe in this Miami Hurricanes team. The Miami roster has finally matured in the trenches after a few years of building via high school recruiting. The Hurricanes were able to add quarterback Cam Ward and running back Damien Martinez via the portal to complete their offense. 

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However, Miami’s defense was much improved in 2023, but there are question marks in the secondary this season that could hinder its success against the Gators. Florida’s wide receivers are the best unit on its offense, but the Gators will need their offensive line to step up and give quarterback Graham Mertz time to throw. The Florida offensive line allowed a sack on 10% of pass attempts last season, ranking near the bottom in the country.

But back to Miami. 

Whenever I talk positively about the Hurricanes, the response is always the same: “What about Mario Cristobal and his game management?” 

Well, that’s a concern … against Cal in Berkeley or when they are playing a three-win team. 

I’m not concerned about a Cristobal team in a big game. I saw him, at Oregon, beat Ohio State at The Shoe with a limited quarterback and missing his best pass rusher. His Ducks team beat a top-10 Utah team to win the Pac-12 in 2019, followed by a Rose Bowl win against Wisconsin. 

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This Miami team has the talent of those Ducks teams, and the Canes will be focused for this game. 

PICK: Miami (-3) to lose by fewer than 3 points or win outright

QUICK HITTERS

Idaho @ Oregon Over 62.5 (7:30 p.m., Big Ten Network)

Oregon might score 63 points by itself. 

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Oregon has played two FCS programs under Dan Lanning and the Ducks scored 70 against Eastern Washington and 81 against Portland State. Now, Idaho is better than those programs, but this is about the Ducks offense. It is even more talented than the last two seasons, with players all over the two-deep looking to make an impact on the field. 

When the Ducks eventually go to their second string quarterback, the offense will not miss a beat. Dante Moore is a former five-star quarterback and the future of the program. The Ducks offense will look to score and score and score when Moore comes into the game. 

PICK: Over 62.5 points scored

Illinois State @ Iowa -22.5 (noon, Big Ten Network)

This number is disrespectful to Iowa. 

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I get it folks — Iowa’s offense was poor last season. But that was last season. 

This season, Iowa has a new offensive coordinator, a healthy quarterback and a much better offensive line. Also, after hearing all about how awful their offense was all offseason, I’d imagine the Hawkeyes will look to dominate on that side of the ball this weekend. 

Illinois State finished 6-5 last season and is no FCS juggernaut. They will be lucky to score a touchdown and even with that score, I think Iowa gets into the 30s. 

Remember, the Hawkeyes scored 41 against Western Michigan last season.

PICK: Iowa (-22.5) to win by more than 22 points

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Follow along with FOX Sports for the latest news on the NFL and other sports.

Geoff Schwartz is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He played eight seasons in the NFL for five different teams. He started at right tackle for the University of Oregon for three seasons and was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection his senior year. Follow him on Twitter @GeoffSchwartz.


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Nebraska softball team hits four homers en route to series win over No. 7 Bruins

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Nebraska softball team hits four homers en route to series win over No. 7 Bruins


LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Athletics) – The No. 9 Nebraska softball team hit four home runs, including three in the second inning, to down the No. 7 UCLA Bruins by a score of 8-4 on Sunday afternoon at Bowlin Stadium.

With the win, the Huskers clinched the series over the Bruins and moved to 26-6 on the season with an 8-1 mark in Big Ten play. UCLA fell to 29-5 (10-2 Big Ten).

Hannah Camenzind accounted for three RBIs and two hits for the Big Red, as she knocked a three-run homer as part of the Huskers’ six-run second inning. Alexis Jensen and Ava Kuszak contributed the other two home runs in that inning. Jordy Frahm was 2-for-4 with a homer and Lauren Camenzind went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Jesse Farrell also added two hits.

Jensen (13-2) threw six innings with four runs and six hits, along with five strikeouts, to claim the win in the circle. Frahm threw a scoreless final inning to close out the win. Brynne Nally (2-1) took the loss for UCLA.

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UCLA loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first, but NU worked its way out of a jam and only allowed one Bruin run.

Frahm tied the score, 1-1, in the bottom of the first on a solo shot to center field.

In the bottom of the second, Farrell singled and Jensen hit a 273-foot homer to score the both of them. Frahm singled and Coor walked to set up an H. Camenzind homer and Kuszak hit a solo shot immediately after to give the Huskers a 7-1 advantage.

UCLA added a run in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 7-2.

Farrell singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth and advanced to second on a throwing error. Kacie Hoffmann singled to send Farrell to third and Farrell crossed the plate on a Lauren Camenzind RBI single to extend the lead to 8-2.

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The Bruins knocked a two-run homer with no outs in the top of the fifth but the Huskers retired three of the next four batters to earn the 8-4 win.

Nebraska is set for a midweek game against the Creighton Bluejays in Omaha, Neb., on Tuesday, March 31. The contest will start at 5 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed on ESPN+ and can be heard across the Huskers Radio Network.

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No. 24 Nebraska wins slugfest over Indiana

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No. 24 Nebraska wins slugfest over Indiana


A windy day led to a wild slugfest at Hawks Field Saturday, but No. 24 Nebraska baseball knocked off Indiana, 12-7, clinching the conference series for the Cornhuskers while running Nebraska’s home record to 11-0.

The Huskers scored three runs in the first and two in the fourth to build a 5-0 lead. The Hoosiers answered with three in the sixth and one in the seventh to cut the NU lead to 5-4. Nebraska took control of the game with seven runs in the bottom of the seventh to grow the lead to 12-4. IU scored one in the eighth, but drew no closer.

Drew Grego was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Dylan Carey drove in five runs and hit a home run, while always drawing a pair of walks. Case Sanderson was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of walks. Jeter Worthley added a 2-for-4 showing with an RBI and a walk. Carson Jasa (5-1) earned the win, throwing 5.2 innings for NU. He allowed four hits while striking out 10 and walking five. For Indiana, Owen ten Oever was 1-for-3 with three RBI. Cooper Malamazian was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The Huskers aim for the sweep Sunday at Hawks Field against Indiana. First pitch is slated for noon with pregame coverage at 11:30 a.m. on KLIN.

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No Kings protests return to Nebraska, draw hundreds and thousands

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No Kings protests return to Nebraska, draw hundreds and thousands


LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) – Hundreds of Nebraskans protested against the Trump administration Saturday along Nebraska Parkway in Lincoln, and thousands protested near Northwest Radial Highway in Omaha as part of No Kings demonstrations statewide.

Protesters along Nebraska Parkway in Lincoln on March 28, 2026. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)(Nebraska Examiner)

The third iteration of No Kings protests organized border to border gatherings to vent displeasure at President Donald Trump and his administration’s policy decisions. The Lincoln protest was held on the Helen Boosalis Trail between North 27th Street and North 56th Street.

“I don’t like what’s going on … I know it’s not the world I want to live in,” said Ford Kloepper, a 17-year-old Lincoln resident.

Kloepper said people his age are going to take the “brunt” of Trump’s “mistakes.” He pointed to the recent U.S. conflict in Iran as a motivator to protest for him, as he doesn’t want to get “drafted into a war in the Middle East for no reason at all.”

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Many of the protesters, much like previous demonstrations, held anti-Trump signs with slogans like, “Trump lies” and “Stop Trump, save democracy.” Others held American flags and wore costumes. Volunteers from different groups gathered signatures for ballot initiatives and at least one candidate. One of the petitions sought to let voters decide on a state constitutional amendment requiring larger majorities to repeal or change any law passed by voters. Volunteers for nonpartisan U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn collected signatures to get him on the November ballot. 

People gather at the Omaha No Kings protest. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)
People gather at the Omaha No Kings protest. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)(Nebraska Examiner)

Organizers planned 18 protests across Nebraska. In Omaha, the rally was held at Gallagher Park, with thousands of protesters filling the sidewalks and grassy areas near the intersection of Maple Street and the Northwest Radial. 

Organizers said the spot let protesters draw attention to historic Benson and all of the restaurants, galleries and coffee shops that have made the neighborhood a cultural destination since 1887.  Among the crowd filled with a variety of ages and races was Lorin and Elwin Moseman, waving signs that said, “End Wars Before Wars End Us” and “No Kings No ICE.”

It was the Mosemans’ third anti-Kings rally, and despite the chill of the day, they said they wouldn’t have missed it. 

“It could have been an ice storm,” said Elwin, who was motivated in particular by “the Epstein files and Trump being in them, this stupid war we’ve got involved with Iran.”

His wife, Lorin, said she came to “stand up for democracy.”

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“I want to show up, stand up and speak out about our country,” she said, decrying “leadership incompetency from the very beginning.”

She said the nation needs a presidential job description and interview, and she was not short on words to describe her disgust and disappointment about current leadership: “Shameful, disgusting, exhausting.” 

“We’re in a broken world,” she said.

Nearby, a bundled up woman in a wheelchair held onto a sign that said, “I’m mad about everything.”

Lorin and Elwin Moseman of Omaha were among the thousands of protesters who participated in...
Lorin and Elwin Moseman of Omaha were among the thousands of protesters who participated in the Omaha demonstration on Saturday. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)(Nebraska Examiner)

Sara Peterson led buses carrying about 75 protesters from First United Methodist Church of Omaha. She said people felt a sense of unity and joy seeing the chanting crowd, which she said reflected her group’s makeup — diverse in age, ethnicity and political party.

“We’re not alone,” she said “It’s an exciting day to be a part of.”

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Peterson called the rally a “tangible sign of people coming together … for democracy.” Her group included church members and their friends — some of whom never participated in such a protest or rally before but felt the urge and were nudged “out of their comfort zone to take back our country and democracy.

Since the return of Trump for a second term, the anti-Trump group has organized national protests. Nebraska, much like the rest of the nation, saw multiple demonstrations throughout 2025. 

The group also bought ads in local newspapers ahead of the Saturday protests. Nebraska Republican Party chair Mary Jane Truemper had no immediate comment on the protests.

As Election Day gets closer, political observers have wondered how organizers might harness the political energy, whether the demonstrations might signal a coming wave of change at the polls, or whether momentum will fizzle after the crowds go home. Some have argued Democrats and progressives are good at mobilizing people for large-scale protests but have lagged conservatives in building local infrastructure to affect sweeping policy changes.

Back in Lincoln, Erik Betts, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln student, said the political winds are in Democrats’ favor, and he feels the possibilities are endless, even in a reliably red state. He said he thinks Osborn could beat Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, and he hopes the “blue” wave might be large enough to beat Nebraska 1st Congressional District Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, a former speaker of the Legislature. 

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“We need to really show up this time …We’ve got to take this motivation … and make a difference,” Betts said. 

Betts said events like these help him stay hopeful because it reminds him that he is not alone.

“When you are in your own house and just scrolling on social media, it’s easy to feel just defeated,” Betts said. “So I come out as much to show support for everyone else, to feel that maybe a bunch of people agree with [me] and things can change.”

Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Aaron Sanderford for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com.

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