Pinned
Link copied
The Rice Owls will be returning home after a two-game road trip. The Owls and the Charlotte 49ers will face off in a Conference USA battle at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday at Rice Stadium. Rice is out to keep their three-game home win streak alive.
It was all tied up 35-35 between Rice and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs going into overtime last week, but Rice pulled a 42-41 victory out of their hat in the final minutes. It took four tries, but Rice can finally say that they have a win on the road. They relied on the efforts of QB TJ McMahon, who passed for three TDs and 208 yards on 27 attempts in addition to rushing for one TD and 70 yards, and QB Luke McCaffrey, who punched in one rushing touchdown in addition to catching ten passes for two TDs and 171 yards. One of the most memorable plays of the matchup was McMahon's 64-yard touchdown rush in the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, the contest between Charlotte and the FIU Panthers last week was not a total blowout, but with the 49ers falling 34-15 at home, it was darn close to turning into one. If the result catches you off guard, it should: Charlotte was far and away the favorite. QB Chris Reynolds had a memorable game, but not in the way you want to be remembered: despite one touchdown, he threw three interceptions and fumbled the ball once.
This next game looks promising for the Owls, who are favored by a full 16.5 points. Those burned by picking them against the spread last week might want to keep in mind that the team has not yet dropped back-to-back games against the spread this season.
Rice is now 4-3 while Charlotte sits at 1-7. A couple numbers to keep in mind before kickoff: Rice comes into the game boasting the 30th fewest passing yards allowed per game in the nation at 196.7. But the 49ers enter the game with 276.1 passing yards per game on average, good for 33rd best in the nation. These opposing strengths should make for an exciting matchup.
