WKU Hilltoppers (5-4) vs. Rice Owls (3-6)
November 13, 2021 2:00 pm EDT
The Line: Rice Owls +19 / WKU Hilltoppers -19; Over/Under: -64.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Rice Owls meet the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Saturday in week 11 Conference USA college football action from Rice Stadium.
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers come into this game looking to build on a 4th straight win following a 48-21 beatdown of Middle Tennessee last time out. Bailey Zappe has thrown for 3,688 yards, 37 touchdowns and 8 interceptions on 69.8% passing while Adam Cofield and Noah Whittington each have 300+ rushing yards, combining for 638 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns. Jerreth Sterns leads WKU with 104 catches for 1,276 yards and 11 TDs while Mitchell Tinsley has 680 receiving yards with 6 scores, Malachi Corley has 520 receiving yards with 5 TDs and Daewood Davis has 416 receiving yards with 6 TDs this season. On defense, DeAngelo Malone and Antwon Kincade each have 62 total tackles with Malone posting a team-high 4.5 sacks. Demetrius Cain and Beanie Bishop each have a pair of interceptions and Juwuan Jones also has 4 sacks this year.
The Rice Owls will look to bounce back from a 31-24 OT loss to Charlotte in their last game. Jake Constantine has thrown for 1,059 yards, 5 touchdowns and 3 interceptions on 64.1% passing while Ari Broussard has a team-high 473 rushing yards, Jordan Myers has 334 rushing yards with 8 TDs and Khalan Griffin has 329 rushing yards as well this year. Jake Bailey leads the Owls with 576 receiving yards on 46 catches with a pair of TDs while Cedric Patterson III had 341 receiving yards with a pair of scores as well and another pair of Owls have 200+ receiving yards as well this season. On defense, Antonio Montero has a team-high 60 total tackles while Josh Pearcy and Ikenna Knechukwu each have a team-high 3.5 sacks.
Western Kentucky is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a road favorite and 5-2 ATS in their last 7 conference games while the over is 9-3 in their last 12 games overall. Rice is 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games overall and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog while the over is 5-0 in their last 5 games following a loss.
It’s never ideal laying big numbers on the road and sometimes it doesn’t make sense. This is not one of those times. The Hilltoppers have a dynamic offense that hangs points on their opponents in bunches and Rice just doesn’t have the punch to hang or stop the Hilltoppers here. Give me Western Kentucky in a blowout.
