Nebraska opened as a 4-point favorite over Iowa.

The Heroes Game on Friday will feature a 3-8 squad and a 9-2 squad. The 9-2 side has a chance to win the Big Ten West if it comes out on top and gets some help from elsewhere in the league. The 3-8 side will be playing without its starting quarterback. And the 3-8 side remains a betting favorite in the eyes of Vegas.

Nebraska has struggled mightily this season. It has lost 5 straight games and faces the prospect Friday of a 2nd losing streak of at least 6 games in the first 4 years under coach Scott Frost. But the Cornhuskers will be playing at home, and each team that has faced them so far this season has cautioned their record isn’t indicative of their quality. Of Nebraska’s 8 losses, 7 have come by 8 points or less.

Vegas actually likes the Huskers over the No. 16 Hawkeyes.

And Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica, ESPN’s college football betting expert, shared Wednesday night that Vegas’ line is actually a first.

Fallica went on to say that in the other 82 instances since 1978 where teams with those records played each other, every 3-8 or worse team was at least a 7.5-point underdog.

What’s more, Nebraska hasn’t actually beaten Iowa in a game since 2014. The Hawkeyes have won 6 straight.

Nebraska will look to end that streak on Black Friday, with kickoff between the 2 set for 1:30 p.m. ET on BTN.