Lending Tree Bowl Odds: Rice-Southern Miss prediction, odds and pick

Rice Owls and Southern Miss Golden Eagles will play in the Lending Tree Bowl on Saturday night at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. Rice just snuck into bowl eligibility, going 5-7 this season. Southern Mississippi won their final game of the season to get to 6-6 and bowl eligible.

AJ Padgett will start at quarterback for Rice. Cameron Montgomery is the team's leading rusher with 498 yards. Ari Broussard leads the rushing with nine rushing touchdowns. Luke McCaffrey and Bradley Rozner are injured. The Golden Eagles have allowed 139.3 rushing yards per game this season. Rice has averaged 25. 3 points and 370.0 yards of offense per games. Southern Miss has allowed 32 sacks.

Southern Miss is playing in the Lending Tree Bowl. Trey Lowe will start his fourth straight game for the Golden Eagles. Southern Miss has averaged 24.3 points and 332.7 yards of offense per game. Rice has struggled to contain their opponents. Southern Mississippi has 39 sacks and 16 interceptions.

Rice may have a better future with Padgett, but their presence does not look very encouraging in this one. Southern Miss should roll.

Rice-Southern Miss is a final Lending Tree Bowl prediction and pick. Southern Miss are -6.5 (-110), over 45.