20 Dec 10 College Football Odds: NebraskaCornhuskers The Underdog in Big 12 Finale

Eric Francis/Getty ImagesNebraska will play its final game in the Big 12 before heading to the Big Ten in 2011 by trying to end its 11-year title drought with a win over the Oklahoma Sooners in the Big 12 Championship game this Saturday. The 13th-ranked Cornhuskers have won two Big 12 conference championship games since the league formed in 1996 and participated in another, but haven’t won the title since 1999. The two schools will meet for the 86th time with the Sooners leading the series 44-38-3. Nebraska won last season’s game 10-3 in Lincoln, but the South has won the last six Big 12 title games with an overall 10-4 advantage. Our latest college football odds show football jerseysthe Sooners at -6.5 over the Huskers with a game total of 54. With a 47-41 win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Stillwater last weekend, the ninth-ranked Sooners earned their way to this Saturday’s big dance. It wasn’t easy, though. Sophomore QB Laundry Jones stumbled out of the starting block early on tossing a few bad passes, including one that was returned for a touchdown, but he also made some clutch throws late that went for 80-plus-yard touchdowns. Jones has completed 66 percent of his passes for a whopping 3,947 yards with 34 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions. To say it’s been a good season is an understatement. Meanwhile, the Huskers needed to win their final game of the season against Colorado to make it make it to this game, and on an impressive effort behind backup QB Cody Green, who was standing in for injured starter Taylor Martinez.It was one of Nebraska’s best games of the season as they thrashed the Buffaloes, 45-17. The big question now is if Martinez will return in time for Saturday’s matchup. He is currently listed as day-to-day. While Green has proven he has the arm to Vikings jerseyget the job done, he lacks the running skill of Martinez, who has 974 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns to go with his 1,435 passing yards and nine touchdowns. His dual-threat ability could be useful in keeping the Sooners defense on its heels. If Martinez does not return, the rushing tandem of Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead will be counted on to Steelers jerseycarry out the running plan. Helu has rushed for 1,120 yards and 10 touchdowns while Burkhead has rushed for 822 yards and seven touchdowns. The Sooners will hope to counter with its rushing attack, led by senior DeMarco Murray, who has rolled-up 1,053 yards and 14 touchdowns. But Murray is banged-up and is questionable for this one. Roy Finch is a capable replacement, but Murray’s absence would definitely limit the Sooners' effectiveness on the ground. That may force Jones to pass more than he wants, but a skilled receiving corps that turned in the big plays in the waning minutes at OSU will be there. Both defenses are solid allowing less than 23 points per game but the Sooners defense has shown more holes at times this season as they allowed 41 points last week, 33 to Texas A&M, and 36 to Missouri while Nebraska has been stingy allowing three, nine, and 17 points in their last three games. Oklahoma is 4-1 against the spread in their last five Big 12 games, while the favorite has covered in seven of the last 10 meetings of these two. Matt’s Free Prediction: Nebraska +6.5Even with the possibility of being without Martinez, the Huskers will eke out the win here with its better running attack and stringy defense. Interested in making some money this college football season? Check out what our expert college football handicappers have to offer in their weekly college football picks