Rice-Tulsa
Time: 3:30 PM ET, Oct 5 2013
Spread: TUL -3
O/U: 55

Odds courtesy of Bovada

Rice enters this C-USA game 2-2 with a 1-0 record in conference play against Tulsa, a three-point favorite at home in its first conference game of the year. Rice narrowly defeated Florida Atlantic last week 18-14, and also defeated Kansas 23-14 in week 2, but the Owls suffered losses to Texas A&M in week 1 and Houston in week 3.

The Owls have done most of their offensive damage on the ground this season with an offense that ranks 29th in the nation with 219 yards per game. Charles Ross, Darik Dillard, Taylor McHargue and Turner Petersen have all seen time carrying the ball and the quartet has accounted for all six Rice rushing TDs, with four coming from Ross. McHargue has done reasonably well throwing the ball, too, with 60-of-120 passing (50 percent) and 649 yards on the year.

Tulsa has done poorly this season and found themselves outmatched most weeks, save a Sept 7 victory over Colorado State. Rice may be just the team they can get back on track against, since the Owls have a mediocre defense. Rice hasn’t been effective generating offense this year, and the team ranks 104th in the nation with just 19.5 points per game.

The pass has been reasonably effective, but Cody Green’s completion ratio leaves a lot to be desired at 53.3 percent and he’s thrown 3 interceptions to 5 TDs. The backfield has been very ineffective with all three featured backs averaging poor yardage.

RICE

UNDER 4-0 in last 4 on turf; UNDER 6-0 in lats 6 after allowing less than 100 rushing yards previous game; UNDER 7-0 in last 7 following ATS loss

TULSA

OVER 4-0 in last 4 following ATS loss; 0-6 ATS in last 6 after accumulating less than 100 rushing yards previous game; 0-4 ATS in last 4 overall.

Head-to-head: OVER 5-1 in last 6 meetings in Tulsa; Owls 1-3-1 ATS in last 5 meetings; Favorite 3-1-1 ATS in last 5 meetings.

Check out Maddux Sports’ season pick packages for the 2013 college football season!