The Rice Owls (+24) are flying east to face their CUSA counterpart FIU Golden Panthers at Riccardo Silva Stadium. ESPN+ has the TV rights and the matchup is scheduled to get underway at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Rice Owls at FIU Golden Panthers Betting Preview
FIU has been tabbed as heavily favored in this matchup and is currently giving up 24 points to Rice. If the Golden Panthers stumble early it would produce a nice betting opportunity in-game. Oddsmakers have set the over/under (O/U) at 53 points.
The underwhelming Owls are 2-5 against the spread (ATS) and have lost 4.2 units so far. The team has posted an O/U mark of 5-2. The Golden Panthers are up 2.0 units this season. The team is 5-1 ATS and has an O/U record of 2-4.
The Owls have gone 1-6 straight up (SU), including 0-3 SU against conference opponents. The Golden Panthers are 4-2 SU overall and 2-0 SU in conference play.
Rice enters this matchup on a two-game unbeaten streak while FIU has dropped its last six in a row. The Owls are hoping to get back in stride after a 42-0 shutout to UAB last week. The passing attack left much to be desired as the Owls completed 13-of-28 passes for 136 yards. Evan Marshman went six-for-16 for 57 yards while Shawn Stankavage completed seven-of-12 for 79 yards. Austin Walter (31 rushing yards on 19 attempts) led the ground attack. Trammell (four receptions, 40 yards) and Walter (three catches, five yards) handled the receiving duties in the defeat.
FIU just got a 24-21 win over Middle Tennessee. James Morgan completed 27-of-36 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns. Napoleon Maxwell (45 rushing yards on 13 attempts) mounted the running game as Bryce Singleton (eight receptions, 81 yards) and CJ Worton (five catches, 113 yards, one TD) led the receiving attack in the win.
Looking at offensive play-calling, each of these squads has a similar run-pass ratio on the season. Rice’s run the ball on 56.6 percent of its offensive possessions while FIU has an overall rush percentage of 58.2. The Owls have rushed for 158 yards per game (including 78 per game versus Conference USA opponents) and have six touchdowns on the ground this year. The Golden Panthers are logging 166 rush yards per game (130 in conference) and have 12 total rushing TDs.
If the numbers so far this season can translate to this game, then it seems like the Golden Panthers should hold an advantage when it comes to quarterback protection, as their offensive line has allowed only six sacks while the D-line has logged 10 sacks. The Owls O-line has given up 12 sacks and their defense has forced only nine sacks.
The Owls offensive scheme has logged 174 yards per contest through the air overall (145 per game versus conference opposition) and has nine passing TDs so far. The Golden Panthers have produced 256 pass yards per contest (305.5 in the CUSA) and have 14 total pass scores.
Rice has let opponents rush for an average of 173 yards and pass for 267 yards per game. The FIU defense has allowed 211.8 yards per game to opposing passers and 185.3 yards per game on the ground. The Golden Panthers are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of just 5.88 to opposing QBs, while the Owls have given up an ugly 10.80 ANY/A.
Passing-wise, Stankavage has amassed 853 yards on the year. He’s completed 57 percent of his 147 attempts with nine scores through the air and six interceptions. He’s got a 4.68 adjusted net yards per pass attempt, including 3.86 over the last two outings.
James Morgan has managed to complete 83-of-130 passes for 1,027 yards, 10 TDs and four INTs for FIU. His ANY/A sits at 7.43 for the season and 15.04 over his past two outings.
When these two teams faced each other last year, FIU won by a pair of field goals 13-7.
RELATED: Week 8 College Football Betting Odds and Predictions
Free Prediction: Rice Owls at FIU Golden Panthers
SU Winner – FIU, ATS Winner – Rice, O/U – Under
Click Here to Start Betting Today!
Notes
Team Betting Trends
The O/U for Rice’s last game was set at 54.5. The under cashed in the team’s 42-0 loss to UAB.
Rice has produced 3.1 yards per carry over its last three outings and 1.3 over its last two.
FIU has averaged 3.5 yards per carry over its last three contests and 4.6 over its past two.
The FIU offense has lost three fumbles this season while Rice has lost five.
In its last three games, Rice is 0-3 ATS and the under cashed in two of those three.
The Over/Under for FIU’s last match was 60.5. The under cashed in the 24-21 win over Middle Tennessee.
In its last three matches, FIU is 2-1 ATS and the under cashed in each of those three.
FIU has won five of its last six games SU, with a -14-point loss to Miami (FL) on September 22nd representing its lone slip-up over that stretch.
The Owls offense has recorded one pass play of 40+ yards, while the Golden Panthers have accounted for seven such plays.
The Rice defense has allowed 11 pass plays of 40 or more yards, while FIU has given up four such plays.
The Rice offense has created 14 rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while FIU has created six such runs.
The Owls defense has allowed 12 rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while the Golden Panthers have given up nine such runs.
The FIU defensive unit has sacked opposing QBs 10 times this year. Rice has produced nine sacks.
*****
