Baylor at Rice – Preview and Prediction
BAYLOR 30 RICE (65)
Implied Projected Score: Baylor 47.5 Rice 17.5
MEGALOCKS LINE – Baylor 24
The Game
The Baylor Bears get another tune-up before Big 12 play as they take on Rice in a road contest on Friday night. Baylor has won their first two games by a combined score of 95-20 while the Owls have struggled to an 0-2 start.
The Match-Up
Baylor offense vs Rice defense
It is hard to get a true gauge on the quality of the Bears’ offense so far but they have destroyed two weak opponents so far this season. Baylor is averaging over 500 yards per game and the Owls have already given up 649 yards (532 passing) to Western Kentucky. FUN FACT – Rice only had TWO interceptions all of last season and are already dead last in the FBS in pass efficiency defense despite playing Army in 50% of their games (1). Baylor loves to run the football, and do not forget, they were tied 6-6 with SMU after a half of play last week. However, this just feels like a Baylor-can-name-their-score type of game. The Rice front 7 weighs in at something close to 130 pounds per man. #slightexaggeration. We see Baylor getting 44-54 in this contest.
Rice offense vs Baylor defense
Hey ! It’s the RED RIFLE. Sadly, we watched almost every snap of the Army/Rice game last week, and came away thinking that QB Tyler Stehling (le Rifle de Red) is a great competitor that is in for a rough season. Stehling is a gamer (also the team’s leading rusher) but struggles with accuracy and does not have many (if any) scary options that he can use to MATRICULATE down the field in the passing game. Baylor’s D is underrated and should cause big time problems for the Owls’ offense.
MEGA morsels
Baylor has won 7 straight games vs Rice by an average of 25 pts per game…..The Bears have the Big 12 schedule looming and Okie St is on deck….Do not laugh – but Rice is still in bowl contention even with a loss this week as we count six winnable games left on the docket….This could be a lay down and die spot for them with conference play starting next week….Baylor is dead last in the FBS in penalties per game so get ready to throw something at your TV when the Bears commit a personal foul every set of downs.
Summary
Absolutely no way to back Rice – yet – how do you concede 4 TDs ATS on the road against a team that is not E Michigan ? Baylor has proven they can go into HIBERNATION (get it ?) for a long stretch this season so covering 30 is going to be a chore.
Conclusion
No official play.
Lean: Slightest of leans to Rice but want 30+ and will not look at the score until Sunday.