Kicking off at noon on Saturday’s Week 8 college football slate, the Rice Owls will visit the Florida Atlantic Owls in an American Conference matchup and a battle of the Owls.
Rice looks to snap a six-game losing streak and is 1-6 this season. Florida Atlantic has had a more promising start, going 4-2 overall.
Florida Atlantic enters as an 8.5-point favorite with -340 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. Rice holds +270 odds to pull off the road upset, while the over/under is set at 53.5 points.
This article offers a brief preview of both teams and a pick for the Week 8 matchup.
Rice vs. Florida Atlantic Preview
Rice Owls
The Rice Owls kicked off the season with a 31-3 victory over the Houston Christian Huskies. It has been tough sledding since then, though, as Rice has lost six straight games, including all three conference matchups. Rice is 3-4 against the spread, and the total has stayed under in four of its seven games this year.
Rice has struggled on both sides of the ball. Through their first seven games, the Owls rank 131st out of 138 qualifying teams, scoring 17 points per contest. They have scored 17 points or fewer in four of their past six games, including three straight games entering this matchup. Defensively, opponents are scoring 29 points per game against the Owls, ranking 112th among the 138 qualifying teams. Rice allows 372.4 total yards per game.
Quarterback Jacurri Brown has largely been a bright spot for Rice this season. Brown has established himself as a dangerous rushing threat, recording 669 rushing yards and six rushing scores through seven games. He has also produced three rushing plays of at least 50 yards, showcasing the explosiveness he can bring to the offense. His ability to create plays with his legs is essential, as his arm has not been the most reliable. Brown has completed just 48.2% of his passes for 478 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions.
Jordan Clark has been a leading option in the receiving game, recording 223 receiving yards this season. Barry Jackson Jr. is the only other player to eclipse 100 yards through the air this year, with 102. Beyond the designed quarterback runs, Tyvonn Byars and D’Andre Hardeman Jr. also contribute to the rushing attack. Byars has added 372 yards on the ground and two scores, while Hardeman has 238 yards and a touchdown of his own.
Florida Atlantic Owls
The Florida Atlantic Owls are off to an encouraging 4-2 start. They opened the season with a 66-21 loss to the Florida Gators but responded by winning four consecutive games against Navy, FIU, ULM, and Texas Southern. That winning streak ended in their most recent outing, when they fell 56-24 to Army. Florida Atlantic has gone 4-2 against the spread, and the game total has gone over in five of its six games this season.
Points have been prevalent in Florida Atlantic games this season. They rank 38th in the country in scoring, putting up 35 points per game. They have scored as many as 66 points in a game and have only been held below 21 points in one game this year. Conversely, the Owls allow 31.5 points per game, ranking 118th out of 138 qualifying D1 teams. Florida Atlantic is giving up 416.5 total yards per game and allowed 56 points to Army last week. Their defense has had more success against lesser competition, but it also surrendered 66 points to Florida. They will look to improve defensively against a Rice offense that has struggled to produce consistent passing numbers.
Quarterback Caden Veltkamp leads the offensive attack, throwing for 1,745 yards and 15 touchdowns through six games. He has completed 72.2% of his passes, providing the Owls with an efficient passing attack that can put pressure on opposing defenses. Veltkamp has also benefited from a strong receiving corps, giving Florida Atlantic multiple ways to move the ball downfield.
Kelby Valsin leads the effort with 601 receiving yards and six touchdowns. He leads the American Conference with 100.2 receiving yards per game. Easton Messer adds 547 yards and four touchdowns, while Dominique Henry has 319 yards and three receiving scores. Ethan Ervin leads the rushing attack with 361 yards and two scores, while Leonard Farrow matches his touchdown total with 220 yards.
Rice vs. Florida Atlantic Pick, Best Bet
Rice has been on a frustrating skid, and that could continue in this matchup. The Texas-based school has clear problems on both sides of the ball, and facing a high-powered attack like Florida Atlantic is a nightmare matchup.
Jacurri Brown’s running game is impressive, but his limitations as a passer are troublesome. Florida Atlantic has struggled to stop the run, but Rice’s one-dimensional attack makes it predictable. The rushing attack lacks the unique layers Army leaned on last week. Expect FAU to stack the box and dare Brown to beat them through the air, and he hasn’t shown much ability to do so.
Facing off against arguably the conference’s best pure passer, Caden Veltkamp, the path to points is quite different for these two teams. Florida Atlantic will be comfortable letting him air it out across the field. Less-talented quarterbacks have gotten rolling against this Rice defense, and Veltkamp will be eager to build on his strong start. He has the weapons to put up a big scoring total, and Rice lacks the attack to match it.
Florida Atlantic will be looking to bounce back after allowing 56 points in its loss to Army. Despite that defensive showing, FAU has won four of its first six games and shown the offensive potential to control this matchup. Veltkamp and the passing attack give FAU a clear advantage against a Rice defense that has struggled to keep opponents off the scoreboard.
Florida Atlantic has covered the spread in four of its last five games, including all three of its home games. Bettors expect them to continue that trend against a weaker opponent in Saturday afternoon’s matchup.
