Table of Contents
Luke McCaffrey will lead the Rice Owls (4-4) into their game against the SMU Mustangs (6-2) at Rice Stadium on Saturday at 7:30 PM ET.
The Mustangs are double-digit favorites (currently -12.5) in their matchup against the Owls, with the over/under being 59 points. (On the moneyline, the Mustangs are -478 and the Owls are +362.)
Create your Pick’em Pool with the Internet’s #1 pool creation and hosting platform. Get 15 friends together and play for free!
Start here >
Game Info for SMU vs. Rice
- Game Day: Saturday, November 4, 2023
- Game Time: 7:30 PM ET
- TV Channel: ESPNU
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Stadium: Rice Stadium
| Favorite | Spread | Favorite Spread Odds | Underdog Spread Odds | Total | Over Total Odds | Under Total Odds | Favorite Moneyline | Underdog Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMU | -12.5 | -111 | -109 | 59 | -110 | -110 | -478 | +362 |
SMU Pick Insights
- SMU’s ATS record is 4-3-0 this season.
- SMU has a 3-1 record against the spread in games it was favored by 12.5 points or more this season.
- SMU has gone over in two of seven games with a set total (28.6%).
SMU Stats & Insights
- SMU has been shining on both sides of the ball, ranking 15th-best in total offense (463 yards per game) and 12th-best in total defense (280.8 yards allowed per game).
- SMU has been a tough matchup for opposing teams, as they rank top-25 in both scoring offense (seventh-best with 40.5 points per game) and scoring defense (fifth-best with 14 points allowed per game) this season.
- SMU has been making things happen on both sides of the ball in the passing game this year, ranking 16th-best in passing (295 passing yards per game) and eighth-best in passing defense (166.5 passing yards allowed per game).
- SMU is averaging 168 rushing yards per game on offense, which ranks them 50th in the FBS. The team’s defensive unit ranks 28th, allowing 114.3 rushing yards per contest.
- SMU ranks 48th in third-down percentage this year (42.3%), but has been thriving on the defensive side of the ball, ranking ninth-best in the FBS with a 29.3% third-down conversion rate allowed.
- SMU ranks 65th in college football with an even turnover margin after forcing 7 turnovers (113th in the FBS) while committing seven (14th in the FBS).
SMU’s Best Players
- Preston Stone has 2,138 yards passing for SMU, completing 59.4% of his passes and tossing 19 touchdowns and five interceptions this season. He’s also helped out on the ground with 118 rushing yards (14.8 ypg) on 40 carries with two rushing touchdowns.
- Jaylan Knighton has 456 rushing yards on 83 carries with four touchdowns.
- This season, LJ Johnson Jr. has carried the ball 43 times for 248 yards (31.0 per game) and one touchdown.
- Jordan Kerley’s leads his squad with 319 yards as a receiver. He’s racked up that yardage on 18 receptions (out of 29 targets) and scored two touchdowns.
- RJ Maryland has put together a 315-yard season so far with five touchdowns, reeling in 23 passes on 33 targets.
- Jake Bailey has a total of 311 receiving yards so far this year, grabbing 27 passes.
- Elijah Roberts has racked up 4.0 sacks to lead the team, while also recording 5.0 TFL and 16 tackles.
- Kobe Wilson, SMU’s top tackler, has 37 tackles and 2.0 TFL this year.
- Isaiah Nwokobia has picked off a team-high one pass. He also has 37 tackles, 3.0 TFL, one sack, and one pass defended to his name.
Rice Betting Insights
- Rice has gone 5-2-0 ATS this season.
- Rice is a perfect 1-0 against the spread when an underdog by 12.5 points or more this season.
- Four of Rice’s seven games with a set total have hit the over (57.1%).
Rice Pick Insights
- With 394.6 total yards per game on the offensive side of the ball, Rice ranks 63rd in the FBS in 2023. On defense, it ranks 89th, allowing 392.3 total yards per game.
- From an offensive angle, Rice is compiling 33.3 points per contest (32nd-ranked). It ranks 85th in the FBS defensively (27.8 points allowed per game).
- Rice’s pass defense ranks 101st in the FBS with 245.1 passing yards given up per game, but it has been led by its offense, which ranks 13th-best by generating 303.5 passing yards per game.
- Rice’s rushing offense has been bottom-25 this season, posting 91.1 rushing yards per game, which ranks eighth-worst in the FBS. On defense, it ranks 74th with 147.1 rushing yards surrendered per contest.
- In terms of third-down efficiency, Rice ranks 33rd in the FBS (44% third-down conversion rate) and 53rd defensively (36.4% third-down rate allowed).
- With nine forced turnovers (95th in the FBS) and 11 turnovers committed (64th in the FBS) this season, Rice ranks 84th in the FBS with a turnover margin of -2.
Rice’s Best Players
- JT Daniels has racked up 2,362 yards on 63.6% passing while collecting 19 touchdown passes with six interceptions this season.
- The team’s top rusher, Dean Connors, has carried the ball 58 times for 337 yards (42.1 per game), with four touchdowns this year. He’s proven to be a dual threat, racking up 338 receiving yards (42.3 per game) on 28 catches with two receiving touchdowns.
- Juma Otoviano has run for 209 yards across 56 attempts, scoring four touchdowns.
- McCaffrey has racked up 692 receiving yards on 41 catches to pace his team so far this season while scoring eight touchdowns as a receiver.
- Rawson MacNeill’s 22 catches (on 39 targets) have netted him 290 yards (36.3 ypg) and two touchdowns.
- Coleman Coco has 2.5 sacks to lead the team, and also has 4.0 TFL and 28 tackles.
- Plae Wyatt, Rice’s tackle leader, has 52 tackles, 3.0 TFL, and one sack this year.
- Gabe Taylor leads the team with two interceptions, while also recording 38 tackles, 1.0 TFL, one sack, and two passes defended.
