The Rice Owls take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in South Bend, Indiana, on Saturday, Sept. 12. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
Notre Dame is favored by -44.5 points on the spread. Rice, meanwhile, enters as a +44.5 underdog and is +8000 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 54.5 total points.
Here’s my Rice vs. Notre Dame prediction and college football pick for Saturday, September 12.
Rice vs Notre Dame Prediction
- Rice vs. Notre Dame Pick: Rice Team Total Under 6.5
My Notre Dame vs. Rice best bet is on the Owls to go under their team total. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Rice vs Notre Dame Odds
| Rice Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+44.5 -110 | 54.5 -115o / -105u | +8000 |
| Notre Dame Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-44.5 -110 | 54.5 -115o / -105u | |
- Rice vs Notre Dame point spread: Notre Dame -44.5 (-110), Rice +44.5 (-110)
- Rice vs Notre Dame over/under: 54.5 (-115o / -105u)
- Rice vs Notre Dame moneyline: Rice +8000
Rice vs Notre Dame College Football Preview
Rice Owls Betting Preview: Need to Step Up
Until your opponent can stop it, run the same play. That was Rice’s philosophy in its Week 1 matchup against Houston Christian, abusing the run from the opening kickoff.
Every ball-carrier who received at least seven attempts averaged more than six yards per carry, while the quarterbacks threw for a combined 11 pass attempts.
Even with a slight edge in the trenches, it was stunning to see the Owls still struggle to rattle off explosive runs, ranking 80th in Rushing Explosiveness.
With that said, Rice masked it by methodically moving the ball down the field, climbing into the top 35 in Rushing Success Rate and in PPA.
When given the opportunity to throw, both Jaccuri Brown and Gael Ochoa struggled to connect with their receivers, completing less than 50% of their passes while plummeting to 134th in Passing Success Rate.
With Notre Dame on deck, it’s tough to envision how Brown will round back into competitive form while trying to air it out against a secondary that thrives in coverage.
Even more alarming, the Owls' secondary gave up big gains through the air at a high rate, exiting Week 1 ranked 110th in Pass Explosiveness allowed.
Their lack of production in the secondary forces their second level to drop back, freeing up more space in the trenches with fewer bodies crashing down in the middle.
While they could overcome it against the Huskies, expect negative regression to rear its ugly head against the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Preview: Shutout Incoming?
Through the first 30 minutes, Notre Dame looked like anything but a national title contender, entering the locker room with just a three-point lead over Wisconsin.
The Fighting Irish quickly got up off the mat in the second half, though, moving the ball down the field to pull away on the scoreboard, winning 41-13.
While it did result in a win, questions were raised during Notre Dame’s season opener, primarily about its offense, which ranked 70th in Success Rate and 96th in Explosiveness.
The drop-off in talent at running back was apparent, making the Fighting Irish less versatile.
When their running backs are unable to find success on the ground, opposing defenses will be able to cheat out in coverage and narrow the width of CJ Carr’s passing lanes.
When on defense, the Fighting Irish's star-studded secondary underwhelmed, falling outside the top 100 in Passing Success Rate allowed while ranking 91st in EPA Per Play.
When inside the 40, Notre Dame used the shortened field to its benefit, finishing seventh in Finishing Drives while holding the Badgers to just three points in the second half.
Fortunately for Notre Dame, its secondary will have a great opportunity to iron out the kinks before playing in any meaningful games, including its Week 2 matchup against Rice, which lacks the talent at wideout needed to exploit coverage gaps.
With no hope of keeping their drives alive on the ground to counter their coverage, expect Rice to be held off the scoreboard.
Rice vs Notre Dame Pick, Betting Analysis
Even though I try to brush aside Week 1 results against an FCS opponent, I can’t envision how the Owls will move the ball against the Fighting Irish after struggling to air it out against the Huskies.
When matched up against a high-quality defense, versatility is key; you need to scramble their back end quickly to create space for pass-catchers.
To make matters worse for Rice, its running backs' lack of explosiveness will make it easier for Notre Dame’s front seven to plug gaps in the trenches, forcing them to fight off contact behind the line of scrimmage.
On the other side of the ball, the Owls will be hard-pressed to get the Fighting Irish off the field and keep the clock moving.
That's especially true with the defense expected to create disruptions at a lower rate while the Fighting Irish offensive line stands their ground, giving Carr a clean pocket.
While I normally preach the importance of grabbing a key number, I'll bet Rice to be held under its team total of 6.5 with the intention of adding more should it cross 7.
Barring a broken play, the Owls' scoring opportunities will come in the form of field goals, lessening the probability of getting burned by the hook.
Pick: Rice Team Total Under 6.5
Rice vs Notre Dame Betting Trends
