Free NCAA Pick: Sam Houston vs. Rice Odds
Looking for Sam Houston Bearkats vs. Rice Owls free NCAA Week 1 picks & NCAA odds? NCAA betting sees the Bearkats taking on the Owls on Saturday, August 31st at the Rice Stadium. Cappers Picks provides complimentary NCAA handicapping picks all season long including all NCAA Week 1 games so stay tuned for more FREE NCAA predictions like this Sam Houston Rice matchup.
2024 NCAAF Handicapping Analysis: Week 1
(0-0) Sam Houston Bearkats vs. Rice Owls (0-0)
Date: Saturday, August 31st
Time: 7:00 ET
Venue: Rice Stadium, Houston, TX
Week 1 ATS Betting Lines: (BET NOW!) Sam Houston +10 | Rice -10
Week 1 CFB Moneyline Odds: Sam Houston +307 | Rice -406
College Football Betting Total: O/U 49.5
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Bearkats vs. Owls Gameday
Get ready, college football fans—Week 1 is here, and it’s time to cash in! We’ve got your free NCAA handicapping picks all season long, and this Sam Houston vs. Rice showdown is one you don’t want to miss. On Saturday, August 31st, the Bearkats and Owls square off under the lights at Rice Stadium in Houston, TX.
With Rice favored by 10 points and the total set at 49.5, this matchup is ripe for some smart betting action. Sam Houston’s +307 moneyline could be tempting for those looking to sprinkle on an upset, but Rice’s -406 odds show they’re the clear favorite to take care of business at home.
Sam Houston Bearkats
Sam Houston comes into the season ranked 130th in our pre-season power rankings after finishing with a 3-9 record last year. The Bearkats were 1-5 on the road and 2-4 at home. They were favored in just three games, going 0-3, and were the underdog in nine games, finishing 3-6.
Looking ahead, we are giving them a 30.2% chance of being bowl-eligible this season. In the futures market, they are at +1840 to win the Conference USA title, which gives them a 5% chance of making it to the Conference USA Championship game. Our rankings place them 116th in terms of their chances of being bowl-eligible and give them a 3.1% chance of winning their conference.
Sam Houston Bearkats Stats
Sam Houston’s offense was 94th in the country last season, averaging 20 points per game. They struggled on third down, converting just 35.5% of their opportunities (96th). The Bearkats were also limited in the running game, finishing 123rd in rushing yards per game with just 89.2 yards per contest. In the passing game, they averaged 222.3 yards per game, which was 78th nationally.
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Grant Gunnell, who threw for 100 yards last season, is the top returning quarterback, with Jase Bauer joining from Central Michigan. Bauer threw for 1881 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions last season. The Bearkats also added Jay Ducker from Memphis in the backfield, and they will look to build on John Gentry’s 394 rushing yards from last season. Noah Smith, who had 782 receiving yards and six touchdowns, is the top returning wide receiver for Sam Houston.
Sam Houston’s defense allowed 26.2 points per game last season, ranking 42nd in the nation. They struggled against the run, giving up 163.2 rushing yards per game (112th), and were also weak against the pass, allowing 229.6 passing yards per game. Opposing quarterbacks posted a combined passer rating of 79.9 against the Bearkats, placing them 41st in the country. Additionally, opponents completed 60.7% of their passes against Sam Houston.
Rice Owls
Rice comes into the season with a 70.2% chance of being bowl-eligible, according to our pre-season power rankings, which place them 95th in the country. Last season, Rice finished with a 6-7 overall record, going 4-4 at home and 2-3 on the road. The Owls were the underdog in seven of their 13 games, going 4-3, while they were favored in just five games, finishing with a 1-4 record as the favorite.
Currently, the odds for Rice to win the American Athletic Conference are +1740, with an implied chance of 5% to make it to the Conference title game. Our power rankings give them a 3.5% chance of winning the American Athletic Conference title.
Rice Owls Stats
Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman, who transferred from Florida, is one of the new wide receivers for the Rice Owls this season. Last year, the Owls’ passing game averaged 252.5 yards per game, ranking 42nd nationally. They also ranked 21st in passing yards per attempt, with 7.6 yards. Overall, Rice averaged 29.5 points per game, placing them 41st in the country. However, the running game struggled, finishing 103rd in rushing yards per game, with just 111.5 yards.
At the quarterback position, E.J. Warner, who threw for 3076 yards and 23 touchdowns last season at Temple, has joined the team. Rice also has AJ Padgett returning, who threw for 721 yards and eight touchdowns last season. The top returning running back for the Owls is Dean Connors, who rushed for 771 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
Rice finished the season ranked 68th in the country, allowing 28.1 points per game. Their run defense was a weakness, as they allowed 154.5 rushing yards per game, ranking 94th nationally. The Owls were slightly better against the pass, giving up 212.2 passing yards per game, which put them 69th in the country. Opposing quarterbacks completed 59% of their passes against Rice last season.
Sam Houston Bearkats vs. Rice Owls NCAA Football Betting Trends
- The Sam Houston Bearkats are 4-1 in their last five games as an underdog.
- Conversely, the Rice Owls are 2-2-1 ATS in their last five games as a favorite.
- Also, the Sam Houston Bearkats are 5-3 ATS in their last ten road games.
- On the other side, the Rice Owls have gone 5-5 across their last ten home games.
- Over the Sam Houston Bearkats’ last 3 road games, the over/under record is 1-2.
- The Rice Owls’ have an over/under record of 0-3 in their last 3 games at home.
4* Free 2024 Week 1 NCAA Betting Prediction: Rice -10
Rice is the -10 point favorite at home in their week one matchup against Sam Houston. We have a projected final score of 27-16 in favor of the Owls, and we like Rice to cover the spread.
For the over/under, with the line set at 49.5 points, our projection of 43 points suggests that taking the under is the best play.
Stay tuned for more insights and expert predictions as we dive headfirst into what promises to be an electrifying start to the 2024 college football season!
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Sam Houston Bearkats vs. Rice Owls NCAA Betting Tweet Of The Day
WE PLAY FOOTBALL THIS WEEK‼️#GoOwls👐 x #RFND pic.twitter.com/9PZbfPb933
— Rice Football (@RiceFootball) August 26, 2024
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