The Rice Owls and Navy Midshipmen meet Saturday in college football action at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Here’s a Navy vs Rice Prediction. This article will include a Navy vs Rice Pick.
Rice Owls Betting Preview
The Rice Owls beat Prairie View A&M and Charlotte, and will play FAU next. The Rice Owls won 4 of their last 5 games. Chase Jenkins is completing 72.9 percent of his passes for 269 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Drayden Dickmann and Tyson Thompson have combined for 189 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns, while Landon Ransom-Goelz has 6 receptions.
The Rice Owls ground game is averaging 246.3 yards per contest, and Quinton Jackson leads the way with 293 yards and 2 touchdowns. Defensively, Rice is allowing 20.3 points and 304 yards per game. Andrew Awe leads the Rice Owls with 28 tackles, Michael Daley has 4 sacks and Jack Kane has 1 interception.
Navy Midshipmen Betting Preview
The Navy Midshipmen beat UAB and Tulsa, and they play Air Force next. The Navy Midshipmen have won 6 straight games. Blake Horvath is completing 72 percent of his passes for 328 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Eli Heidenreich and Luke Hutchison have combined for 196 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns, while Cody Howard has 1 reception.
The Navy Midshipmen ground game is averaging 375.3 yards per contest, and Alex Tecza leads the way with 272 yards and 4 touchdowns. Defensively, Navy is allowing 18 points and 318 yards per game. MarcAnthony Parker leads the Navy Midshipmen with 20 tackles, Landon Robinson has 3.5 sacks and Justin Ross has 1 interception.
Rice Owls @ Navy Midshipmen Betting Trends: Week 5
Why the Navy Midshipmen will win
- Navy has won each of its last nine games against non-AP-ranked teams at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
- Rice has lost each of its last 12 September games as a road underdog.
- Rice has failed to cover the spread in six of its last seven September games as a road underdog against non-AP-ranked teams.
- Navy has covered the spread in four of its last five games against non-AP-ranked teams at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
- Rice has lost the first half in four of its last five road games against conference opponents.
Why the Rice Owls will win
- Navy has lost eight of its last nine games against teams from Texas.
- Rice has won four of its last five games.
- The road team has covered the spread in each of Rice’s last four games.
- Navy has failed to cover the spread in each of its last four games against teams from Texas.
- Rice has won the first quarter in four of its last five games against conference opponents.
Total Points Facts
- Each of Navy’s last seven games in September have gone OVER the total points line.
- Nine of Rice’s last 10 September road games against non-AP-ranked teams have gone OVER the total points line.
Navy Midshipmen Player Prop Facts
- Heading into Week 5, Eli Heidenreich ranks 7th amongst qualified players for Yards Per Carry (8.7) this season.
Rice Owls Player Prop Facts
- Heading into Week 5, Michael Daley ranks 6th amongst FBS players for sacks (4.5) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- Navy ranks 1st among FBS teams for rushing yards per game this season (375.3).
- Navy ranks 4th among FBS teams for 3rd down conversion percentage this season (62.9).
- Rice ranks 136th among FBS teams for passing yards per game this season (77.0).
- Rice ranks T9th among FBS teams for 4th down conversion percentage against this season (20.0).
Navy vs Rice Prediction
Navy should be favored for obvious reasons, but Rice has shown promise through 4 games and makes the points worth a look. However, I’m looking at the under in this spot. Navy is the best rushing offense in the country, while Rice is 15th in rushing offense. That leads to a lot of ground game and a clock that stays running. We could see long drives and limited positions with two teams keeping the ball on the ground. We also have two above-average defenses in terms of scoring defense. I’ll lean toward the under between Rice and Navy on Saturday afternoon.