The Texas Longhorns want to play for a national championship. The Rice Owls want to compete against the best in the AAC. In this Rice vs. Texas prediction, we know who’s going to win, but we also look at how each team can reach their goals.
Rice vs. Texas Betting Preview
- Spread
Texas -35 - Moneyline
N/A - Over/Under
59 total points - Game time
3:30 p.m. ET - Location
DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, TX - Predicted Weather at Kick
102 degrees, clear, 7 mph winds - How to Watch
FuboTV, FOX
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Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
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Rice Depth Chart | Texas Depth Chart
- RB Jonathon Brooks, Texas ($10,000)
- QB Quinn Ewers, Texas ($9,800)
- WR Xavier Worthy, Texas ($9,100)
- TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas ($7,800)
- WR Jordan Whittington, Texas ($7,200)
- WR Luke McCaffrey, Rice ($7,000)
- RB CJ Baxter, Texas ($7,000)
- WR Isaiah Neyor, Texas ($6,600)
- RB Keilan Robinson, Texas ($6,500)
- QB JT Daniels, Rice ($5,900)
- WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas ($5,700)
- RB Dean Connors, Rice ($5,600)
- WR Cedric Patterson III, Rice ($5,600)
- RB Ari Broussard, Rice ($5,500)
- RB Juma Otoviano, Rice ($5,300)
Steve Sarkisian’s offense makes fantasy owners gush over the players participating, and this year should be his best year at Texas. Sark said his system does better with a second-year quarterback, and he’ll have that in Quinn Ewers.
The Longhorns offense is loaded, plain and simple. Ewers is the beginning, and it’s a deep group around him. Xavier Worthy can be the best receiver in the country, but he’ll be competing for touches.
Jordan Whittington, Isaiah Neyor, and Adonai Mitchell add great depth, while tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders also gives him another great weapon. The problem for fantasy owners is identifying which player to pick each week. Worthy’s ability to separate makes him a solid WR1 option.
Running back features the same problems, as depth is a positive there, too. Jonathon Brooks returns to lead the charge, but freshman CJ Baxter is already pushing him for touches.
Rice may not see great results this week, but the lineup’s full of potential. J.T. Daniels will elevate this offense if he can stay healthy. Luke McCaffrey’s a great value pick thanks to his versatility, and he could even line up behind center if Daniels goes down.
Prediction for Rice vs. Texas
Ewers looks to improve upon a year that showed potential but also left him wanting more. Overthrows and drops plagued the Texas passing attack last year, and they’re hoping to address that as quickly as possible.
Worthy can cook anyone he faces. He’s that fast. The problem is the chemistry with Ewers and the drops. There were a number of times when he dusted his matchup only to have the pass bounce off his hands. If he can eliminate those mental errors, we’re in store for a historic season.
Texas will score points, and at this point, it’s just a matter of how many. Rice features talented players on the defensive side of the ball, but I doubt many will get their hands on Eweres. Tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. will ensure that the Owls have no success on one side of the ball for sure.
Daniels and McCaffrey provide excitement and explosive play, but the lack of depth and the talent gap leave Rice in a tough spot. Their focus should be finding some plays that work and figuring out how they can use them in AAC play.
Rice will be a fun team to watch. Mike Bloomgren’s done a great job of improving Rice as much as he can, and the fanbase feels they can make a bowl game this year. The addition of Daniels was huge, but the excitement might have to be put on hold for a little while.
Prediction
Texas 49 – Rice 10