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The Rice Owls look to improve as they enter the 2023 campaign. We are here to share our college football odds series and make a Rice over-under total win prediction and pick for the 2023 season.
Rice went 5-8, including 3-5 in the ACC, during the 2022 season. Now, they look to improve on that mark and make some noise in the 2023 season. The season started terribly for the Owls as they fell 66-14 to USC. However, they bounced back with a big 52-10 win over McNeese State. The Owls then defeated Louisiana 33-21 in the following week. Next, they fell 34-27 to Houston. The Owls defeated UAB 28-24. Then, they lost 17-14 to Florida Athletic. The Owls bounced back with a 42-41 win over Louisiana to put themselves at 4-3. Next, they lost 56-23 to Charlotte before beating UTEP 37-30 to put themselves at 5-4. But things fell apart quickly after that.
The Owls lost 45-10 to Western Kentucky. Then, they fell 41-7 to UTSA. The next week saw them lose 21-17 to North Texas. Finally, they ended their season with a 38-24 loss to Southern Miss in the Lending Tree Bowl.
Rice did not see any of their players find a team in the 2023 NFL Draft. Thus, they hope to build some NFL-calibre players in 2023. Head coach Mike Bloomgren returns for his sixth season. Ultimately, he is 16-39 during his tenure at Rice.
Here are the College Football Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Over/Under Win Total Odds
Over 4.5 wins: -110
Under 4.5 wins: -110
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Why Rice Can Win 4.5 Games
There is some optimism at Rice about how this team can produce. Ultimately, it is a matter of consistency. The offense showed last season how good they can be when they are firing on all cylinders.
The Owls were 4-0 when garnering over 430 yards. Conversely, they were 1-8 when it did not reach that feat. Rice must find ways to move the chains and get some yards on the ground and through the air. Curiously, they do not have a quarterback set in stone.
T.J. McMahon threw for 18 touchdowns last season before injuries broke him down. Then, AJ Padgett threw for five touchdowns and 634 yards over the final three games of the season. One of them will claim the starting quarterback position, and both have the opportunity to make a mark for the Owls.
But the defense can also become a focal point if certain players can execute to perfection. Therefore, it is a matter of getting there. Linebacker Myron Morrison is an exceptional tackler. Meanwhile, linebacker Chris Conti led the Owls with 26 tackles. Both will play significant roles in this defense. Likewise, linebacker Josh Pearcy can rush the passer.
There are still some questions on the defensive line. However, defensive tackle Izeya Floyd is ready to make an impact. Floyd has 40 tackles over two years. Thus, look for him to create havoc on defense.
Rice will win five games because of a solid defense and a good quarterback situation. Ultimately, there is talent across the board that can make some noise.
Why Rice Can Not Win 4.5 Games
Talent is good to have when you are attempting to win football games. However, teams with talent must also execute. If the execution is bad, the talent will not matter, and the team will still struggle.
Rice had 32 turnovers last season. Moreover, they fumbled the ball 23 times. The Owls finished the year with a -14 rating in turnover margin. Consequently, many of these turnovers cost them games. The Owls were 2-8 when they had at least one turnover. Conversely, they were 3-0 when they did not commit a single turnover. The goal is to hold onto the ball and not throw it to the other team. Likewise, they must move the chains better.
The defense can only do so much when the offense turns the ball over. Additionally, the defense will struggle when the offense constantly puts them in bad situations. Losing linebacker Treshawn Chamberlain will hurt. Amazingly, he produced 217 tackles over five years. It will be difficult to replace his production.
Rice will not win five games because they still will struggle with turnovers. Also, they lost a key piece of their defense, and it will hurt them in the end.
Final Rice Over/Under Win Total Prediction & Pick
There is plenty of potential for this team to do well. However, they are in an unforgiving conference with plenty of talented teams. Expect Rice to struggle a lot. Therefore, do not have high expectations for this group as they continue to struggle as a team.
Final Rice Over/Under Win Total Prediction & Pick: Under 4.5 wins: -110
