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The Houston Cougars will play host again and welcome the Rice Owls to TDECU Stadium, where kick-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on Saturday. Rice will be strutting in after a victory while the Cougars will be stumbling in from a defeat.
Houston was first on the board but had to settle for second at the end of their matchup against the Kansas Jayhawks last week. Houston took a hard 48-30 fall against Kansas. Houston didn't live up to their potential and found themselves falling short of the 8.5-point advantage oddsmakers thought they had coming into the game. Houston's loss came about despite a quality game from RB Ta'Zhawn Henry, who punched in one rushing touchdown in addition to catching five passes for one TD and 107 yards.
Meanwhile, the Owls ran circles around the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns last week, and the extra yardage (449 yards vs. 175 yards) paid off. Rice walked away with a 33-21 win. QB Luke McCaffrey was the offensive standout of the contest for Rice, catching ten passes for two TDs and 105 yards.
This next game looks promising for Houston, who are favored by a full 17.5 points. They may be expected to win, but bettors beware: they are 0-2 against the spread when favored.
Houston is now 1-2 while Rice sits at a mirror-image 2-1. A couple defensive stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: The Cougars rank 29th in the nation when it comes to sacks, with eight on the season. As for the Owls, they come into the contest boasting the 28th fewest passing yards allowed per game in the nation at 178.3.
