Not sure you might call Texas vs. Rice an all-new competition when they meet Saturday in Houston. I meanthey are in Texas, but the Owls haven’t won a game in the show in Rice Stadium since 1994. How long ago was that? ESPN was desperate for something to broadcast on a Sunday since the MLB season had been canceled due to the players’ strike, so Texas-Rice was moved to Sunday.
Overall, Texas directs the all-time series 72-21-1, 23-13-1 at Houston, 3-0 in NRG Stadium and has taken the past 13 overall. They were both in the Southwest Conference before that was formally dissolved in May 1996. Needless to Say, Texas is in Rice at Conference USA and the Big 12. The previous meeting was in 2015.
Rice just isn’t a fantastic program with just 11 wins because 2015. They were 1-11 at David Bailiff’s final season in 2017 and »improved » to 2-11 last year under first trainer Mike Bloomgren. The reason Rice got to play with 13 games was because is permitted to for financial reasons. The Owls’ wins last season were over Prairie View A&M (hardly ) and Old Dominion.
This year, the Owls played well Week 1 at a 14-7 loss at a Army group that was great but then fell week from Wake Forest. Starting quarterback Wiley Green left one carted away and delivered into the hospital. All tests were negative on the freshman. I often doubt he performs here, though. Senior Tom Stewart seems likely to get started. The Harvard transfer was 19-for-30 for 185 yards and a touchdown instead of Green vs. Wake Forest.
Maybe Stewart will enhance an offense that ranks 120th in yards per game (282.0), 118th in scoring (14.0) and 113th in passing (158.0). Rice is better for standing 128th in pass performance D defense and 118th against the rush.
Rice is 3-6 all time playing NRG Stadium; it usually plays campus. The Owls haven’t defeated a ranked team since Nov. 11, 1997, vs. No. 21 BYU.
Texas fans are definitely bummed their group dropped 45-38 in the home to LSU last week at the first and still only Best 10 matchup of the year, however UT is still in nice shape to create the College Football Playoff when it ends up, including the Big 12 title game. Each year but one has won the national title. No two-loss group, though, has reached the playoff. Nine of Texas’ 11 declines under Tom Herman have come by 10 points or fewer.
Junior Sam Ehlinger has turned into one of the better quarterbacks of the country. Whilst running for a fifth rating, a very good LSU shield was torched by him for 401 yards and four touchdowns. It was only the first as Colt McCoy vs UCF in 2009 and the sixth passing game in Texas history. Ehlinger, obviously UT grossing because McCoy, also tied his career with the five TDs. 31 touchdowns have pitched to just 3 interceptions. Texas is 11-4 in that span.
One injury notice from that LSU loss was that nickel cornerback BJ Foster injured his hamstring and will miss. He started six games as a freshman in 2018, recording 45 tackles, including nine for a loss and 2.5 sacks, to proceed with an interception.
It is definitely not a question of if Texas wins here but if it covers. I have a tendency to think the Horns might be somewhat flat in their « street » game of the year and following that close call vs. LSU. Additionally, UT opens Big 12 play next week with a much tougher challenge . Oklahoma State.
Totally free NCAAF Pick: Rice +32.5 (-112) at Pinnacle
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