Rice Football Preview: Odds, Schedule, & Prediction

Rice will enter the American Athletic Conference with optimism. 

The Owls and five other Conference USA teams – UTSA, North Texas, Charlotte, UAB, and FAU – are new members of the AAC. Last year, the Owls went 5-8 and were 3-5 in CUSA, which was tied for eighth. Rice did earn a bowl bid, losing to Southern Miss, 38-24, in the LendingTree Bowl. 

Boosted by the addition of West Virginia transfer J.T. Daniels at quarterback, the offense is expected to be improved after averaging 25.2 points per game.

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Rice has the 12th-best odds to win the AAC at +6000, via BetMGM.

Rice’s win total Over/Under is 4.5, with both Under 4.5 and Over 4.5 at -110.

9/2 at Texas

9/9 vs Houston

9/16 vs Texas Southern

9/23 at USF

9/30 vs East Carolina

10/7 vs UConn

10/29 at Tulsa

10/28 vs Tulane

11/4 vs SMU

11/11 at UTSA

11/18 at Charlotte

11/25 vs FAU

Bold indicates AAC contests.

OL Clay Servin

TE Jack Bradley

LB Josh Pearcy

CB Jordan Dunbar

The offense will have a new look with the addition of Daniels. 

The well-traveled Daniels is playing for his fourth team. He began at USC, then went to Georgia and last year threw for 2,107 yards and 13 touchdowns in 10 starts at West Virginia. He is a former five-star quarterback and should get a chance to show his skill in head coach Mike Bloomgren’s offense. In July, the offense suffered a blow when receiver Bradley Rozner, who would have been among the best in the AAC, transferred to N.C. State.

Redshirt junior receiver Luke McCaffrey, the brother of 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, should be one of the more dynamic players in the AAC. McCaffrey had 58 receptions for 723 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed for 148 yards and one touchdown.

Senior tight end Jack Bradley made 12 starts and had 28 receptions for 260 yards and two touchdowns. 

Redshirt senior running back Juma Otoviano is the leading returning rusher after gaining 403 yards and one touchdown. 

Redshirt senior left tackle Clay Servin is the leader of the offensive line. He has made 38 consecutive starts and 45 in his career. The other returning offensive line starter is redshirt sophomore Ethan Onianwa. Last year, he made 12 starts and was third on the team with 860 offensive snaps. Guard Brant Banks, a graduate transfer from Nebraska, should be a key addition.

While the offense is dynamic, Rice will have to improve on defense after allowing 34.2 points per game, which was eighth in Conference USA. 

Redshirt junior linebackers Chris Conti and Myron Morrison were the top two tackles last season and should lead a strong unit. Conti had 75 tackles, and Morrison recorded 73 while also contributing 6.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. 

Redshirt junior linebacker Josh Pearcy led the team in both tackles for loss (10) and sacks (6.5). He also recorded 50 tackles. 

Junior safety Gabriel Taylor was third on the team with 60 tackles and also added six pass breakups and two interceptions. 

Redshirt junior nose tackle Izeya Floyd had a career-high 440 defensive snaps, which is the most among returning interior linemen. 

Rice doesn’t have the depth to contend in the AAC, and the Owls will be hard-pressed to top last year’s total of five wins. 

The reason is the schedule. The Owls begin the season visiting Texas and then hosting Houston.

There is also a three-game stretch beginning Oct. 28 when Rice faces the top three teams in the AAC media preseason poll – No. 1 Tulane, No. 3 SMU and No. 2 UTSA – in successive weeks. The Owls certainly didn’t get an easy draw.

Still, Daniels is good enough to keep the Owls competitive, but one can see the Owls being worn down by this difficult schedule. Anything above five wins should be considered a major success.