It doesn't happen often, but once in awhile college football teams who met on the field in the regular season get re- matched in a post season bowl the same year. That is the case with the 2010 Holiday Bowl where the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers of the BIG 12 Conference will play the Washington Huskies of the PAC 10, Thursday (10:00 pm ET, ESPN) at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Washington hosted Nebraska on Sept. 18 and took a thorough beating, losing by 35-points. Oddsmakers at most offshore sports wagering sites currently list Nebraska as a -13 1/2 spreads favorite. Be sure to get the latest College Football Point Spreads for all the 2010-11 bowl season.
The betting public is wagering heavily, by 82 percent, against the spreads on Nebraska while wagering for a SU Huskers win is at 85 percent. A majority of bettors are wagering the game's points scored will go OVER the posted 40 1/2 total.
It's sort of an odd year in the Pac 10 when one of their top non-BCS bowl partners, the Holiday Bowl, has to take a 6-6 team. In spite of Washington's win over USC in week-4, they underperformed early losing six of their first nine games. The Huskies managed to get hot in November, winning their last three games to get bowl qualified.
Nebraska won the BIG 12 North, but a loss to Oklahoma in the league championship game eliminated them from BCS Bowl consideration. The Cotton Bowl took Texas A&M over the Huskers for that bowl, one that takes the leagues second place team.
The earlier game between Nebraska and Washington was a mismatch and tonight's Holiday Bowl appears to be equally, a mismatch.
Holiday Bowl Prediction: The Big 12 Conference has not done well in bowls this year going 1-3, with the only win by Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl. The league should improve on that tonight as Nebraska will win by two touchdowns. BEST BET – Huskers -13 1/2.
