Rice Owls vs UConn Huskies Betting Pick & Prediction 10/26/24
UConn is the -6.5 point favorite as they host the Rice Owls in a week nine non-conference matchup. Kick-off is set for 3:30 ET at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford. The over/under line is currently 46.5 points. The UConn Huskies are 4-3 on the season, while the Rice Owls come in with a 2-5 record. The game will be broadcast on CBSS.
RICE OWLS VS UCONN HUSKIES BETTING PICK
The Pick: Rice Owls +6.5
This game will be played at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at 3:30 ET on Saturday, October 26th.
WHY BET THE RICE OWLS:
- We have the UConn Huskies winning this one by a score of 23 to 20
- Even though we like the UConn Huskies to win, our ATS pick is to take the Rice Owls at +6.5
- We see this game finishing below the line of 46.5 points
Will The Rice Owls Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs
Rice enters Week 9 with a 2-5 record and a 107th-place ranking in our CFB power rankings. Their chances of becoming bowl-eligible are slim, at just 5.3%. On the road, they are winless at 0-3, while at home, they’ve gone 1-2.
Rice’s average scoring margin this season is -2.9 points per game, and they are 2-4 against the spread. As favorites, they’ve gone 0-2 ATS, but they are 2-2 as underdogs.
The Owls’ over/under record is 2-4, with their games averaging 49.4 points. Their average over/under line has been 48.3 points, and this week’s line is set at 46.5 points.
Heading into week 9, Rice’s offense is averaging 23.3 points per game, placing them 112th in our offensive power rankings. They are 11th in the nation in passing attempts, with 38.7 per game, and 13th in completions, averaging 23.7. Their passing game ranks 60th, with 234.7 yards per game, and they have a 61.3% completion rate.
Quarterback E.J. Warner has thrown for 1,573 yards, with 10 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 76. Dean Connors leads the rushing attack with 472 yards, averaging 6 yards per carry, and has scored six touchdowns. Matt Sykes has 465 receiving yards on 38 catches, with three touchdowns.
Rice’s defense is ranked 22nd nationally in passing yards allowed, giving up just 169.3 yards per game. Opposing quarterbacks have completed 57.3% of their passes against Rice, with a passer rating of 91.8.
In their recent game against Tulane, Rice allowed 24 points, giving up 307 total yards, including 155 rushing yards on 39 attempts and 152 passing yards.
Are The UConn Huskies Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?
UConn enters Week 9 with a 4-3 record, ranked 79th in our power rankings. They have a 97.8% chance of reaching bowl eligibility but are out of the race for the FBS Independents title. At home, the Huskies are 3-1 this season.
UConn is 3-0 as the favorite and 0-3 as the underdog, with an average scoring margin of +11.7 points per game. Their ATS record stands at 3-3, going 2-1 as the favorite.
Their over/under record is 3-3, with an average line of 47.8 points. UConn games average 55.4 points, and they’ve beaten the over/under by an average of 3.5 points.
UConn’s offense is averaging 33.6 points per game heading into week 9, placing them 28th in the nation. They are also 26th in rushing, averaging 199.9 yards per game on 40.4 attempts per game. Durell Robinson leads the team with 433 rushing yards, averaging 7 yards per carry, and has scored four touchdowns.
Quarterback Joe Fagnano has thrown for 999 yards and 11 touchdowns, with three interceptions. He has a passer rating of 117. UConn ranks 61st in passing yards per game, averaging 234.3 yards. Skyler Bell leads the receivers with 534 yards and four touchdowns.
UConn’s defense enters this week ranked 38th nationally, allowing 21.9 points per game. In their recent matchup against Wake Forest, they gave up 23 points, surrendering 397 total yards, including 274 passing yards, though they did manage to force an interception.
Opponents are averaging 203.3 passing yards per game against UConn, completing 59.3% of their throws. On the ground, UConn is allowing 149.6 rushing yards per game on 35.3 attempts per contest.