Akron vs. Nebraska Picks and Prediction, Saturday, September 6, 2025
The Akron Zips (0-1) and the Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0) will meet in a non-conference battle in Week 2 of the college football slate in this Akron vs. Nebraska prediction. Akron lost 10-0 at home in their opener against Wyoming, failing to cover as 4.5-point home dogs. Nebraska picked up a strong neutral site win over Cincinnati 20-17, but missed the cover as 5.5-point favorites. Kickoff is set for 7:30 EST and can be found on the Big Ten Network. Keep reading to see our Akron vs. Nebraska prediction, and do not miss any of our winning NCAAF Predictions!
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Slow Start for Akron
The Akron Zips are hoping to compete in the MAC this season, and bring back a veteran quarterback, but none of that mattered as they lost 10-0 in a low scoring opener against Wyoming. Akron could not get its offense going in their opener, and now will face an even tougher defense as they take on the Cornhuskers out of the Big Ten. The Zips won just four games last season, missing out on any chance of bowl season.
The Zips are bringing back Ben Finley, he is a 6'3, 200 pound junior who started last season for Akron. Last season he passed for 2.604 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He was not as sharp in the opener against Wyoming, going only 16 for 38 passing with 139 yards without being able to lead any scoring drives. Finley was on the roster at NC State and California before coming to the Zips. Their tun game could not get moving in their opener, as Marquese Williams was their leading rusher with just 30 yards on six carries as their sophomore back.
Their top pass catcher on the day was out of the backfield, as Sean Patrick had four catches for 47 yards, while also rushing for 26 yards in his freshman debut. Kyan Mason is another freshman, he is a 5'9 wideout who finished with three grabs for 29 yards. The defense is only returning two starters, including Justin Anderson who started in the secondary last season as a sophomore.
Cornhuskers Start Strong
The Nebraska Cornhuskers have a highly touted quarterback and look to make noise in the Big Ten this season after hiding in the background for the past several seasons. Dylan Raiola was the top-rated quarterback in his high school class and is now back for his sophomore season, looking to build on his freshman effort as a starter. Nebraska took on Cincinnati in their opener, a challenging game which was played at Arrowhead Stadium, with Nebraska sneaking out a 20-17 victory.
Matt Rhule is in his third season of coaching the Cornhuskers after making stops in the NFL. They outgained Cincinnati 353-271in the first game of the season, with Raiola finishing the game with 243 passing yards on 33-42 passing with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Raiola was mobile, but he did not show that off in the opener as he finished with a net of negative one yard. Emmett Johnson had a much stronger day out of the backfield; he finished with 108 yards on 25 carries as a junior who ran for 598 yards last season with the Cornhuskers.
Nyziah Hunter is a 6'1 sophomore receiver who transferred in from Cal. He finished with six grabs for 65 yards and a touchdown. Dane Key had another six catches for 51 yards as a 6'3 transfer who came in from Kentucky. The Cornhuskers did not have a single sack, while Malcolm Hartzog Jr. grabbed an interception from the safety spot.
Akron vs. Nebraska Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Earle Sports Bets | +2,298.00 |
| 2 |  Ross Benjamin | +1,840.00 |
| 3 |  Rob Vincilleti | +1,757.00 |
| 4 |  David Hess | +1,745.00 |
| 5 |  Dan Kaiser | +987.00 |
Spread Pick for Akron vs. Nebraska
- Nebraska -34.5 (4 units)
I know what you are thinking, laying 34.5 points is insanity, but let's look at some of the facts. First off, Vegas would never let this number get this high unless they were expecting and receiving serious money on the Cornhuskers. This number did not appear out of thin air. Next, Nebraska is looking for a statement win, they snuck by Cincinnati, a solid win, but their three point victory did not catch a lot of headlines week one. If the Cornhuskers win this game by a measly 10 points, no one will be impressed. Nebraska has a slew of transfer wideouts who came to play with Raiola, and the sophomore quarterback will not disappoint in this one. Akron did not score against Wyoming; they won't do much more here against Nebraska.
Take Nebraska to cover.
Over/Under Pick for Akron vs. Nebraska
Over 47.5 (4 units)
If you like Nebraska in this one like I do, there is very little reason to take the under. If Nebraska is going to cover 34.5 points, they obviously need to score at least 35 points. That leaves a bare minimum of 13 points above the spread to be scored between these two teams combined to hit the over. I listed several reasons why Nebraska should be able to fill up the scoreboard earlier, and even if they want to slow the game down, they have a strong running back in Johnson who can lead scoring drives. Akron does have a returning starter at quarterback, and we have to think they will not go scoreless in their first two games.
Take the over.
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