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Rice Owls vs. Texas A+M Aggies Week 1 Betting Predictions & Preview

Texas A&M vs Rice College Football Handicapping

A long offseason for the Texas A&M Aggies finally comes to an end. While they’ll have to play the first 30-minutes of this contest without star quarterback Johnny Manziel, the Aggies will surely be happy to finally get an opportunity to do their talking on the football field.

Texas A&M Aggies (11-2) vs. Rice Owls (7-6)
Date: Saturday, August 31, 2013
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Venue: Kyle Field
City: College Station, Texas
O/U Odds: 67
Spread: Texas A&M -27
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The Aggies will be forced to play the first half of their opener without defending Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel who will be forced to sit out the first half of this game as part of an agreement between the school and the NCAA, but at least Johnny Football’s eligibility is no longer at stake.

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Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy in 2012, and he’ll look to build on that impressive season. His 5,116 yards and 47 total touchdowns will be hard to duplicate, but keep in mind that as a result of A&M blowouts, Manziel sat out five full quarters of football, and played only one possession in five others.

As much fun as it is to watch Manziel pile up stats, he isn’t all that big, so utilizing the team’s running backs will be a key point of focus this season, and those backs will have a chance to shine in the first half of this game. Returning starter Ben Malena and Trey Williams complement each other nicely, but all eyes will be on Oklahoma transfer Brandon Williams who has shown the type of potential that could lead to him playing a major roles on Sundays in the not too distant future. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Defensively, the Aggies match up well with the Owls because they’re great at stopping the run, but have trouble defending the pass. Don’t be surprised if the team plays around with some different lineup combinations as they gear up for their meeting with Alabama on Sept. 14.

Rice returns 18 starters this season after winning their final five games a year ago. The team’s defense was one of the worst in the nation last season, but they did look a lot better down the stretch. 10 starters from that unit. They’ll face a tall task continuing to improve against one of the SEC’s elite teams.

Senior quarterback Taylor McHargue will lead the offense after throwing for 2,209 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, while remaining a threat with his feet. The team’s ground game will be the key to keeping the offense moving – they piled up 201.8 rushing yards per game a year ago. Each starter along the offensive line from a year ago returns this season.

Oddly enough, the Aggies are bigger favorites in the first half (14 points) than they are in the second half (27 points for game, indirectly 13 points for second half). Expect a spirited effort from Manziel in the second half of this game, if he’s even needed by then.

Texas A&M should have little trouble handling Rice on their home turf.

The Aggies are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games against Conference-USA opponents.

The play: Texas A&M -27

By Gino Bottero

Gino is new to CappersPicks.com but NOT new to the online gambling industry.He's got an AMAZING knack for discovering hidden gems when it comes to betting on sports. Stick with him as he predicts when a team will have a letdown! Check Gino out for NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB betting articles all season long!