By way of Geoff Schwartz
FOX Sports activities NFL Analyst

Right here we move. The day we enthusiasts and bettors were looking ahead to has in any case come. The beginning of school soccer is right here!

This primary weekend of school ball is Week 0, however do not let the 0 trick you into pondering those video games can be losers. Those matchups won’t best be entertaining, however I am even selecting certainly one of them to head over the 50-point-total mark.

Will this be the yr Nebraska in any case lives as much as the hype from previous years? Can Vanderbilt get started the season with a large win over Hawaii’s Rainbow Warriors and end up they are worthy of being part of the SEC?

Let’s dive into my very best bets for Week 0 of the 2022 school soccer season, with all odds by the use of FOX Wager.

Northwestern @ Nebraska (12:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FOX)

The primary recreation of the varsity soccer season is a Giant Ten matchup in Dublin, Eire! This one is between the Northwestern Wildcats and the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and on this matchup, I’m rolling with the Cornhuskers.

Nebraska will have to have a breakout season in Scott Frost’s fourth yr as head trainer. The staff went 3-9 closing season, however all the ones losses had been by way of unmarried digits. In certainly one of their losses, they’d a 94% win expectancy. However their win expectancy was once between 47-49% within the different 3 losses. Necessarily, they had been a significantly better soccer staff than their report indicated. 

Nebraska introduced in new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple who led the College of Pittsburgh to new offensive heights in 3 seasons with the Panthers. Texas switch Casey Thompson leads Nebraska’s offense at quarterback, however they’ve a shaky offensive line that lacks revel in. That inexperience is usually a detriment to an offense that does have skill at talent positions.

On this Week 0 matchup, then again, Nebraska’s offense is going through a dreadful Northwestern protection. Northwestern allowed over 30 issues a recreation closing season, and I’m no longer certain why this season could be any other.

When Northwestern has the ball, don’t be expecting any fireworks. With 3 other quarterbacks getting the majority of the throws, the Wildcats’ offense ranked one hundred and twentieth in yards according to force and 102 in explosive play price closing season. The presumed 2022 starter, Ryan Hillinski, threw for just below 1,000 yards, finishing 54% of his passes and had adjusted air yards according to strive at simply above 4. Yikes. 

Closing season, this Nebraska protection was once superb at preventing explosive performs and retaining groups from scoring. I do not see Northwestern scoring many issues on this one.

I’ll take Nebraska and lay the issues.

PICK: Nebraska (-13.5 at FOX Wager) to win by way of greater than 13.5 issues

Vanderbilt @ Hawaii (10:30 p.m. ET Saturday, CBSSN)

I used to be tempted to take the Rainbow Warriors with the issues as Vanderbilt laying 8 at the highway is preposterous. However I’ll take the over and be expecting fireworks on offense as a substitute. 

Hawaii went thru an low season upheaval. The Rainbow Warriors had a trainer get fired and more than one avid gamers with revel in bolt. However now it kind of feels like they are hitting the reset button. Hawaii legend Tommy Chang returns to the island as the top trainer, and I be expecting the uptempo, run-and-shoot offense to transport the ball smartly by contrast Vandy protection.

Closing season, Hawaii’s protection allowed a ton of yards and issues. They misplaced 10 avid gamers off that unit, which, taking into consideration how dangerous they had been, could be a just right factor. Alternatively, Hawaii remains to be a tender staff going through an SEC opponent with massive our bodies in advance. 

The Commodores of Vanderbilt will have to be capable of run the ball till their center’s content material. I are expecting a back-and-forth recreation with lots of issues!

PICK: Over 53.5 issues scored by way of each groups mixed at FOX Wager

Wyoming @ Illinois (4 p.m. ET Saturday, Giant Ten Community)

Wyoming was once overwhelmed within the switch portal, dropping their very best avid gamers on all sides of the ball. This isn’t nice for a staff that received simply 4 video games in 2021 and had bother executing the fundamentals. 

At the different aspect is Illinois. The Preventing Illini didn’t have an efficient offense closing yr. They had been close to the ground of the game in scoring and passing yards. Alternatively, they can run the ball, and I’d be expecting extra of that with new offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. who was once with Bret Bielema in Arkansas. 

The Cowboys of Wyoming do not need the horses they want to compete for 60 mins on this recreation, as Illinois will forestall them from scoring (twenty fifth in defensive issues according to force closing season). Search for the Preventing Illini put on down the Cowboys’ protection in the second one part. 

PICK: Illinois (-11 at FOX Wager) to win by way of greater than 11 issues

Geoff Schwartz performed 8 seasons within the NFL for 5 other groups. He began at proper take on for the College of Oregon for 3 seasons and was once a second-team All-Pac-12 variety his senior yr. He’s an NFL analyst for FOX Sports activities. Practice him on Twitter @GeoffSchwartz

Obtain the FOX Tremendous 6 app in your probability to win hundreds of bucks at the greatest wearing occasions each week! Simply make your choices and you might want to win the grand prize. Obtain and play nowadays!

Get extra from Faculty Soccer Practice your favorites to get details about video games, information and extra.