Texas vs. Rice Prediction, Pick, Odds: How Will Quinn Ewers, Longhorns Look In Week 1?
How Will Quinn Ewers, Longhorns Look In Week 1? Jason Radowitz breaks down the Texas vs. Rice game. He shares his prediction, pick, and latest odds for this game.
Matt MacKay - August 28, 2023, 10:27 AM EDT
5 minTexas vs. Rice Prediction, Pick, Odds: How Will Quinn Ewers, Longhorns Look In Week 1?
Two Texas opponents will face off at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, during the Week 1 opener between the Texas Longhorns and Rice Owls on Saturday afternoon. Quinn Ewers returns as the QB1, for now at least, in head coach Steve Sarkisian's offense, with generational quarterback prospect Arch Manning waiting in the wings.
Rice doesn't have the five-star personnel that Texas rosters; however, they upgraded their quarterback with J.T. Daniels, who transferred from West Virginia this offseason after previous stints at Georgia and USC. Daniels has a big arm and can make plays in pressure-packed moments. Plus, he'll be featured in a run-centric Rice offense that will attempt to keep the Longhorns' potent offense off the field.
Yes, there's no more Bijan Robinson or Roschon Johnson in Texas' backfield this season, but expect a minimal drop-off, if any, in Sarkisian's pro spread offense that just added wideout Adonai Mitchell in the transfer portal from Georgia if Daniels can improve Rice's passing game from a year ago, which he absolutely should, given his skillset and experience, the Owls may be able to move the ball down the field on the Longhorns' defense.
Will we see a high-scoring contest in Austin on Saturday afternoon? Or will Rice be outmatched for 60 minutes against the Longhorns in a game that doesn't even have the moneyline odds listed at most online sportsbooks?
Texas vs. Rice Date, Time, and Where To Watch
- Date: Saturday, September 2, 2023
- Game Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Where to Watch: FOX
Texas vs. Rice Odds
- Spread: Texas -35.5 (-105), Rice +35.5 (-115)
- Total Odds: Under 59.5 (-115), Over 59.5 (-105)
- Moneyline Odds: N/A
Texas vs. Rice Injury Report
TEXAS
Questionable: RB Savion Red (Shoulder)
Out: N/A
RICE
Questionable: N/A
Out: N/A
Texas vs. Rice Prediction
The head-to-head matchup history is not favorable for the Rice Owls entering this game. Texas has won by double-digit margins since 2011, including a 58-0 shutout win at home in Austin back in 2021. The spread in these previous contests never got above -32.5 for the Longhorns, but it's ballooned up to -35.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook.
In their season opener a year ago with Ewers, Texas won at home 52-10 against another non-Power Five school, while Rice went on the road and suffered a tough 66-14 loss to USC. This could definitely be a similar start again for both teams, despite the notable roster changes made during the offseason.
Under head coach Mike Bloomgren, the Owls were ranked 121st out of 131 FBS teams in opponent points allowed per game, averaging 34.2 in 2022. Its offense wasn't good enough to counter the porous defense, averaging 25.2 points per game, but perhaps Daniels can provide a spark early on. Conversely, the Longhorns were ranked top-30 in points per game (34.5) and points allowed per game (21.6) in 2022, giving up more than 35 points in just two games, resulting in two of its three losses last season.
There are no moneyline odds available, which negates the trend of Texas going 5-0 straight up in its last five games against Rice. However, we're getting 59.5 total points in this matchup, which feels like a trap, considering the Longhorns scored 58 points themselves in their last head-to-head matchup against Rice back in 2021.
Rice should be able to score in garbage time or maybe even during one of their first drives, while Texas has the personnel, coaching, and experience to manufacture 50-plus points on their own. Right now, there's less juice on the over than the under, as we're landing -105 odds on under 59.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook. We're also getting -35.5 at -105 odds on the spread for Texas. The Longhorns have won by 35 points only once in their last four head-to-head matchups against the Owls, although they came close with a 48-13 win in 2019.
I respect J.T. Daniels enough to avoid laying 35.5 points with the Longhorns, so let's invest a unit on the point total, taking over 59.5 at -105 odds on FanDuel Sportsbook.
Texas vs. Rice Pick
- Over 59.5 -105 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds for this pick
College Football Odds
