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Free NCAA Football Prediction: Owls vs Razorbacks Odds
Looking for Rice Owls vs. Arkansas Razorbacks free picks? College football betting sees the Owls taking on the Razorbacks on Saturday, September 4 at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, AR. Cappers Picks provides complimentary handicapping picks all NCAA football season long so stay tuned for more FREE college football game Week 1 predictions like this Owls Razorbacks free pick.
College Football Handicapping Analysis: Week 1
Rice Owls (0-0) vs. Arkansas Razorbacks (0-0)
Date: Saturday, September 4, 2021
Time: 1:00 pm EST
Venue: Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR
NCAA Football ATS Spread Odds: Rice +19.5 / Arkansas -19.5
NCAA Football Moneyline Odds: Rice +1000 / Arkansas -1150
NCAA Betting Total Odds: O/U 49.5
Week 1 college football sees the Rice Owls and Arkansas Razorbacks meet at Razorback Stadium.
November 23, 1991… The SWC played its final campaign in 1991 before everyone went their separate ways. Rice and Arkansas? Oh, baby, did they know each other as well as anyone back in the day.
These two teams were on each other’s schedule for 62 consecutive seasons up until that November night in 1991 I mentioned. The Hogs were 16 – 2 in their final 18 matchups having basically dominated the Owls as the conference closed shop.
Ironically, you can find both of these two team’s totals sitting at O/U 5.5 wins. One of them is obviously taking this contest and Arkansas is certainly expected to do as much being favored by nearly 3 scores. Hog Suey has had to endure 4 consecutive losing campaigns in Fayetteville, as head coach Sam Pittman enters year-2 of his contract with the Hogs.
Oh, and um, that was not a typo about the 5.5 wins for Rice this season. I know, RIght? The last time we saw it was the 2014 season. Rice went on to play and beat Fresno State in the Hawaii Bowl, 30 – 6, and finished the year 8 – 5. Seems like a long time ago. Can either program take this win and use it as momentum in 2021? Time will tell as it always does!
The Razorbacks are favored by nearly 3 TDs in this Conference USA vs. SEC matchup.
Rice Owls
Rice head coach Mike Bloomgren has 3 years under his belt in Houston but the win count only sits at a total of 7 games over that time. So, how is the Rice team total listed at 5.5 wins in 2021? That’s a good question and I gave out my 130 teams totals prediction video for all 130 teams last week. Rice? Yeah, I took that Under 5.5 Rice Futures Bet and it will be close if I am being honest.
There is some decent talent in place this season but the schedule as a whole looks difficult to navigate a way to 6 wins. Arkansas, Houston, and Texas to start the season certainly pins them back at an expected 0 – 3, right?
Rice would, obviously, have to end the year 6 – 3 to earn that potential bowl bid, even with Texas Southern on that non-conference slate… ugh!
We all know the Rice defense has been a semblance of the strength of this team for the last couple of seasons. Scoring has been the major issue at hand but here comes the help and reasoning why Vegas expects some wins.
Marques Tuiasosopo! You know him, you love him, he’s the pride of Seattle and UDub! Marques was the starting QB for the Huskies at the turn of the century, and his coaching resume since is legit. Just look up his Senior season in 2000 and that will about cover his playing career for you.
Of course, DC Brian Smith has NFL ties to the Jets as well which makes this one, bug tight-knit group. And as you would expect, when three former NFL coordinators and coaches slide down to the NCAA level, there will be a sense of accountability, teamwork, and expectation to know everyone around you.
Rice brings back 9 guys on both sides of the ball, and they essentially have 12 players on that D that saw plenty of playing time last year. As long as the Rice defense can hold its own again, it will help to keep them in games.
Luke McCaffery coming in from Nebraska poses an interesting dynamic. McCaffery made 2 starts in Lincoln and had a TD / INT ratio of 3 / 6 with amassing 608 passing yards overall.
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Hogs have decided that year 2 of the Sam Pittman Era will begin with a new starting QB. KJ Jefferson has done enough to convince Hog Nation that he deserves to tout that #1 jersey all over the field. The dude can ball and we really don’t even have a ton to go by either.
Um, if you haven’t seen this PDF out of the Arkansas camp? You must be crazy and you need to totally deny you like information. GAME NOTES
That is F**king awesome to look over and it really gives you the scoop on what is happening this weekend and beyond. Not that I want to point you elsewhere to get info but I could never post enough of that sheet here. LoL
In all honesty, I don’t know if the hype will fit the bill, and I have suggested the Arkansas Team Total Futures Bet Under Wins on my personal Youtube page.
I am not convinced that Hog Suey will go hog wild every Saturday, although I do hear that the tailgate party is coming back this year! Oh, snap! Have you been to an Arkansas pregame tailgate party in your life? No? Wel doesn’t tell me you have seen it all then, baby!
Anyway, I am concerned that this offense will have its growing pains, and we know the defense still has many an issue to deal with. Remember now, 34 PPG ain’t gonna get it done, just sayin’.
Wideout Trey Knox should definitely become best friends with KJ, because, at 6-5 along with Treylon Burks at 6-3, they both really present nice options to move the chains and rack up some YAC. IF either of them can get open in time, look for Jefferson to tuck that ball in and use his legs to keep the chains moving.
The run game might be underrated a bit, but he will help aid some of those stats with some quick scoots to break out of the pocket and make something out of nothing when he can. That is certainly a factor as to how he managed to win the starter’s role on opening day.
NCAA Football Handicapping Trends
- Owls are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog.
- Over is 4-1-1 in Owls last 6 vs. SEC.
- Over is 7-2-2 in Owls last 11 non-conference games.
- Over is 6-2-1 in Owls last 9 games in September.
- Razorbacks are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 vs. CUSA.
- Razorbacks are 2-6-2 ATS in their last 10 games as a home favorite.
Free Week 1 NCAA Football Pick
Does that say that we need anything over 50 points to cash ourselves a ticket on the total? Well slap my ass and call me crazy! We are all over this total to open the 2021 season!
4* Free Week 1 NCAA Betting Pick:
Points! A lot of them and enough to grab the 50 we’ll need to make it rain, baby! I mean 49 points could come from Arkansas alone IMO and I expect Rice to contribute to that total too.
How is this for your prediction… Hog Suey 44 – Owls 23 and we see sixty and change!
4* Free Week 1 NCAA Betting Pick: Over 49.5
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