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2009 Holiday Bowl Odds: Arizona v. Nebraska Football Picks & Predictions

Written by Jimmy Boyd on December 28, 2009

The 22nd-ranked 8-4 Arizona Wildcats take on the 20th-ranked 9-4 Nebraska Cornhuskers on December 30th on ESPN in the 2009 edition of the Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. Football odds makers are giving the slight edge to the Huskers, listing Nebraska as a 1-point favorite with the total set at 40.

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Arizona and Nebraska figure to provide college football fans with one of the better non-BCS matchups. Perhaps that is because both teams could have easily ended up in BCS games. Nebraska won the Big 12 North for the first time since 2006 to earn the right to play Texas for the Big 12 title. Double digit favorite Texas was expected to mop up the floor with the Huskers, but Nebraska came up just one second short of earning a BCS bowl berth when Texas QB Colt McCoy just did get the ball out of bounds to stop the clock with one second remaining to set up a game-winning field goal.

The Wildcats can certainly relate as they fell 44-41 in two overtimes to then-No. 11 Oregon in a game where first place in the Pac-10 was on the line. Arizona did not endure any letdowns after that game and bounced back with wins over rival Arizona State and USC to finish tied for second place in the Pac-10.

Nebraska boasts one of the best defenses in the country, led by Heisman Trophy finalist Ndamukong Suh. The Huskers finished second in the nation in scoring defense, only allowing 11.2 points per game, and ninth in total defense, allowing just 284.5 yards per game. The Huskers were able to hold a Texas offense averaging 451.6 yards per game to just 202 total yards in the Big 12 title game. The massive 6-foot-4, 300-pound Suh, was a unanimous first-team All-American selection after leading the Huskers with 82 stops, 12 sacks, and 23 tackles for loss. Suh completely dominated the Big 12 title game despite being faced with constant double teams.

For as dominant as Nebraska’s defense has been, its offense has been extremely feeble. The Huskers were held to a season-low 106 yards against Texas and have been held to less than 270 yards in four of their last five games.

QB Zac Lee has struggled, and as a result, the Huskers have had to rely on Roy Helu and the running game. Helu rushed for the third-most yards in the Big 12 (1,139), but he was held to only 28 against Texas. It is worth noting that the Cornhuskers are on an 8-3 ATS run when facing teams with a winning record. If you like the Huskers to take care of business behind their strong defense, bet Nebraska at -1 at Bodog.

While Suh has been truly dominant this season, the Arizona offense line is one of the most equipped units to keep him out of the backfield. The Wildcat offensive front only allowed 11 sacks on the season, which tied for 10th-fewest in the country. QB Nick Foles looks like he could be a good one for the Wildcats, finishing as the conference’s fourth-rated passer. Nebraska will also be faced with the stiff task or limiting speedy running backs Nic Grigsby and Keola Antolin, who combined for 1,100 yards and nine scores during the regular season.

Arizona also boasts a tough defense. It ranks 21st in the nation in total defense, allowing only 315.8 yards per game. Down the stretch, the Wildcats have been especially stingy, allowing two or fewer touchdowns in four of their last five games. It is worth noting that the Wildcats are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games as an underdog. If you like the Cats in this matchup, bet Arizona at +1 at Bodog.

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