Sam Houston Bearkats vs Rice Owls Betting Pick & Prediction 8/31/24

ESPN+ will be covering the season opener for both the Sam Houston Bearkats and the Rice Owls as they face off in a week one non-conference matchup. The game is set for 7:00 ET at Rice Stadium in Houston. The over/under line is currently 49.5 points, with Rice favored by -10.5. The money line odds have Rice at -427 and Sam Houston at +319.

SAM HOUSTON BEARKATS VS RICE OWLS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Sam Houston Bearkats +10.5

This game will be played at Rice Stadium at 7:00 ET on Saturday, August 31st.

WHY BET THE SAM HOUSTON BEARKATS:

• We have the Rice Owls winning this one by a score of 30 to 25
• Even though we like the Rice Owls to win, our ATS pick is to take the Sam Houston Bearkats at +10.5
• Look for this game to go over the line of 49.5 points

Will The Sam Houston Bearkats Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs

Sam Houston comes into the season ranked 130th in our pre-season power rankings, with a 28.3% chance of being bowl-eligible. However, we are currently giving them a 0% chance of winning the Conference USA title. The futures odds have them as high as +1820 to win the conference, which is the 4th worst in the Conference USA. Their odds to make it to the Conference USA title game are +550, giving them a 15% implied probability.

Last season, Sam Houston finished with a 3-9 record, including going 1-5 on the road and 2-4 at home. They were favored in just three games, going 0-3 as the favorite and 3-6 as the underdog. This season, they are 112th in our rankings in terms of their chances of being bowl-eligible.

Grant Gunnell, who threw for just 100 yards last season, is the top returning quarterback for Sam Houston. The Bearkats also brought in Jase Bauer from Central Michigan, who threw for 1881 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions last season. The team’s passer rating last season was 79, placing them 96th in the country.

On the ground, Sam Houston’s rushing attack ranked 123rd, averaging just 89.2 yards per game. John Gentry, who ran for 394 yards last season, is the top returning running back, and the team also added Jay Ducker from Memphis. In terms of passing, the Bearkats averaged 222.3 yards per game, which ranked 78th nationally. Overall, Sam Houston averaged 20 points per game last season, placing them 94th in the country.

Sam Houston’s defense last season allowed 26.2 points per game, ranking them 42nd in the country. They struggled against the run, giving up 163.2 rushing yards per game, which ranked 112th nationally. In the passing game, they allowed 229.6 yards per game, which was 103rd in college football. Quarterbacks had a combined passer rating of 79.9 against the Bearkats, placing Sam Houston 41st in the country.

Are The Rice Owls Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?

Heading into the season, Rice is ranked 95th in our pre-season power rankings, with a 70.3% chance of being bowl-eligible. Last season, the Owls finished with a 6-7 overall record, going 2-3 on the road and 4-4 at home. They were favored in five of their 13 games, going 1-4 as the favorite and 4-3 as the underdog.

Currently, we are giving them a 3.5% chance of winning the American Athletic Conference. In the futures market, they are listed at +1700 to win the conference and +550 to make it to the Conference Championship game, with a 15% implied probability.

Rice’s offense last season was fairly balanced, with the passing game averaging 252.5 yards per game (42nd) and the rushing attack averaging 111.5 yards per game (103rd). Overall, the Owls ranked 41st in the country in scoring, putting up 29.5 points per game. Quarterback E.J. Warner, who threw for 3076 yards and 23 touchdowns last season at Temple, has joined the team, and he will be competing with returning quarterback AJ Padgett, who threw for 721 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

Dean Connors, who rushed for 771 yards last season, is the top returning running back for the Owls. Rice will also be looking for contributions from transfer running back Coleman Bennett. In the receiving corps, Landon Ransom-Goelz is the top returning player with 380 receiving yards last season. The Owls are looking to improve their 3rd down conversion rate, which was 38% last season (72nd).

Rice finished last season ranked 68th in the country, allowing 28.1 points per game. Their run defense was a weakness, as they gave up 154.5 rushing yards per game, placing them 94th nationally. In the passing game, the Owls allowed 212.2 yards per game, which was 69th in the country. Opposing quarterbacks completed 59% of their passes against Rice last season.