In a battle featuring two schools that like to run the football, Head Coach Mike Bloomgren and the Rice Owls (+13) are set to face off against their conference rival Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (-13) at Johnny (Red) Floyd Stadium. Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET and you can watch the action live on ESPN+.
Betting Preview: Rice Owls at Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
Rice is a live dog and is currently getting 13 points in this Saturday CUSA game. The Owls are also receiving +375 moneyline odds while the Blue Raiders are -550. This CUSA matchup should provide several decent in-game betting opportunities, and oddsmakers have set the over/under (O/U) at 47 points.
The sharp action is siding with the Blue Raiders. The opening line was -11 and the game’s total hasn’t changed after it was set initially at 47.
The hapless Owls have lost 7.2 units so far in 2019 and are 3-5-1 against the spread (ATS). The team has recorded an O/U mark of 4-5.
The Blue Raiders are down 2.5 units for moneyline bettors this season. They’re 4-5 ATS and six of their games have gone over the total.
The Owls have gone 0-9 straight up (SU), including 0-5 SU against CUSA opponents. The Blue Raiders are 3-6 SU overall and 2-3 SU in conference play.
The Owls fell to Marshall 20-7 in a matchup where the Owls completed 11-of-26 passes for 103 yards and one touchdown. Jovoni Johnson went 10-for-17 for 97 yards and one touchdown while Tom Stewart completed one-of-nine for six yards. Juma Otoviano (66 rushing yards on 14 attempts) and the signal-caller Johnson (65 yards on 13 carries) led the running attack. Austin Trammell (four receptions, 35 yards, one TD) and Brad Rozner (two catches, 27 yards) shared the receiving duties in the defeat.
Middle Tennessee just fell 34-20 to Charlotte. Asher O’Hara completed nine-of-17 passes for 118 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. O’Hara (148 yards on 15 rush attempts, one TD) handled the running game while Jimmy Marshall (two receptions, 17 yards, one TD) and Zack Dobson (two catches, 17 yards, one TD) led the pass-catching corps in the loss.
Rice has run the ball on 55.6 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Middle Tennessee has an overall rush percentage of 51.7 percent. The Owls have produced 111.7 rush yards per game (including 121.2 per game against Conference USA opponents) and have eight scores on the ground this year. The Blue Raiders are logging 183.7 rushing yards per game (226.2 in conference) and have 15 total rush TDs.
The Owls offense has averaged 161 yards in the air overall (155.2 per game against conference opposition) and has nine passing scores so far. The Blue Raiders have recorded 214.7 pass yards per game (199 against CUSA competition) and have 14 total pass TDs.
Defensively, Rice should have the upper hand in both facets. The team has let opponents run for an average of 151.8 yards and throw for 242.9 yards per game. The Middle Tennessee defense has given up 260.8 yards per game to opposing passers and 210.1 yards per game to opposing runners. The Blue Raiders are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of 7.67 to opponents, while the Owls have given up a staggering 8.60 ANY/A.
O’Hara probably has the advantage over Wiley Green in this one. The Blue Raiders man under center has an adjusted net yards per pass attempt 6.46 for the year and 5.20 over his past two outings while Green’s ANY/A is 4.72 (and 1.93 over the past two outings).
These two conference adversaries did not get a chance to face each other last season.
Rice Owls at Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Betting Pick
SU Winner: Rice, ATS Winner: Rice, O/U: Under
Team Betting Notes
- The Rice defensive unit has sacked opposing QBs 11 times this season. Middle Tennessee has produced seven sacks.
- The Middle Tennessee offense has lost three fumbles in 2019 while Rice has let nine get away.
- Both passing attacks have produced four pass plays of 40 yards or more. The Owls have have made seven pass plays of 30+ yards while the Blue Raiders have accounted for 15 such plays.
- The Rice defense has allowed eight pass plays of 40 or more yards, while Middle Tennessee has given up four such plays.
- The Rice offense has created eight rushing plays of 20+ yards, while Middle Tennessee has created 15 such runs.
- The Owls defense has allowed 11 rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while the Blue Raiders have given up 13 such runs.
- Rice, as a team, has produced 2.9 yards per carry over its last three games and 2.2 over its last two.
- Middle Tennessee has averaged 7.5 yards per carry over its last three contests and 8.1 over its past two.
