Vegas Says Wisconsin will Roll Over Nebraska

Well, that didn't take long.


In the world of sports gambling, time waits for no line -- and Las Vegas didn't wait long to make the Wisconsin Badgers a heavy favorite in their first-ever Big Ten showdown with Nebraska.


Although both teams are relatively even in the polls (Wisconsin is No. 7 and the Huskers are No.8 in the Associated Press poll), Nebraska is a 10.5-point underdog at most sportsbooks heading into Madison on Saturday.


That might surprise some, considering the Huskers are ranked in the Top 10 and boast an undefeated record. However, Nebraska hasn't played anybody really tough yet -- and they've struggled at times against those inferior opponents.


Vegas must be thinking: The Huskers haven't been crushing anyone and Wisconsin represents an entirely different beast. The Badgers are likely the class of the conference in 2011 and Nebraska has to play them at Wisconsin. No easy task.


The place is going to be going crazy and that's probably worth at least a field goal, maybe more.


You can argue that Vegas isn't giving Nebraska that much respect with such a high spread, but I'm not sure that's accurate. I think most people would tell you that -- until Nebraska can put together a complete game in all three areas of play -- they can't beat the best teams in the country.


Which Wisconsin certainly is.


Having said that, you could also argue that line is ridiculously high. The Huskers still haven't lost -- and they really haven't been close to losing. Fresno State kept it close and Washington was overwhelmed (except for a last-minute flurry). The Huskers can be extremely potent on offense -- and Wisconsin may not stop them.


No matter what, it's clear that Vegas is like everybody else who follows college football. The wiseguys are asking the same question we are: Just how good is Nebraska?