If the line moved down from -6.5 to -5.5, here’s what that usually signals:
1. Reverse Line Movement (RLM)
This is when the line moves opposite of the public money.
- You said earlier: most of the money was on Nebraska (NU).
- If that’s still true but the line drops from -6.5 → -5.5, it likely means:
- Respected sharp money (professional bettors) has come in on the other team.
- Sportsbooks are reacting to that sharp action, even if the public is still pounding NU.
2. Possible Reasons
a) Sharps See Value on the Opponent
- They may think Nebraska is overvalued, or that matchup data favors the underdog more than models suggest.
- This happens a lot when the early hype is on the favorite.
b) Injury or Information Shift
- Sometimes insider news — like a player injury, weather changes, or practice reports — triggers sharp bets and line adjustments.
c) Book Balancing
- The book may be managing liability.
- If too much exposure builds on NU and sharp action takes the dog, they shade the line lower to balance the risk.
3. Market Sentiment
A line drop like this is a warning sign:
The market (especially sharp bettors) may no longer agree with the “Nebraska should be -14” narrative.
- It could mean the true value is closer to -5.5 or -6 — not a double-digit favorite.
4. What to Watch
- If it drops further, like to -5 or -4.5 → strong sharp action on the underdog.
- If it bounces back up, like to -6 or -6.5 → books adjusted but still see heavy buyback on Nebraska.