Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
The Texas Longhorns from the Big 12 conference will travel to Houston to face the Rice Owls in a college football game on Saturday afternoon. The game will be played in Rice’s home city of Houston but on a neutral field which is the home stadium for the NFL’s Houston Texans.
Kick off time from Reliant Stadium in Houston is scheduled for 3:30PM Eastern Time with national television coverage provided by ESPN TV.
The LVSC college football odds makers set the betting line in this game and it was the Texas Longhorns opening as 28 point betting favorites with an over under of 59.
The early money in this game has come on the side of the favorite as the Texas Longhorns are now 29 ½ point favorites. The total saw no movement as its currently hung at 59.
Money line bettors can play the favored Texas Longhorns at -5000 with the underdog Rice Owls bringing back +2500 to pull off the major upset victory without the aid of taking the points.
Texas returns 6 offensive starters and 7 to the defense that made the BCS Championship game in 2009. The Longhorns finished 2009 with a 13-1 record but lost to Alabama 37-21 in the BCS National Championship game as a 4 point underdog.
The Longhorns will break in a new quarterback as Colt McCoy exits for the NFL. Sophomore Garrett Gilbert will get the start at quarterback. The signal caller hit on 30 of 66 for 310 yards two touchdowns and 4 picks in spot action in his freshman year.
Leading rusher Tre’ Newton returns off a 2009 season that saw the back gain 577 yards on 116 carries and 6 touchdowns. Texas’ starting quarterback last season rushed an incredible 129 times for 559 yards a season ago. Senior running back Vondrell McGee had 56 carries for 316 yards and 2 touchdowns last season.
Texas loses top receiver Jordan Shipley to the NFL and his 116 catches for 1485 yards and 13 touchdowns. Junior Malcolm Williams had 39 catches for a 14.1 yards per catch average and 2 touchdowns in 2009. Senior James Kirkendoll produced 48 catches for 461 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Texas produced an average of 39 points and 421 offensive yards a season ago. Defensively they were solid allowing just 17 points and 252 yards a game.
The Rice Owls return 9 starters to the offense and 9 to the defense in 2010. The team finished with a dreadful 2-10 overall record in 2009 and missed a bowl game. Rice went from 10 wins and a bowl berth in 2008 to only 2 in 2009.
Junior quarterback Nick Fanuzzi returns to the club after hitting on 60% of his passes for 1598 yards 11 touchdowns and 8 picks.
They do return their top two running backs in Charles Ross and Tyler Smith that combined for just under 1000 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Only 1 of the Owls top 4 pass catchers return in 2010. Senior wide out Patrick Randolph contributed with 39 catches for a 9.1 yards per reception average and 4 touchdowns. They line up senior receiver Pierre Beasley who had only 15 receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown last season.
Rice averaged only 18 points and a mere 304 offensive yards per game. The 18 points were 23 less points than the 41they averaged in 2008. Rice was dreadful on the defensive end allowing 43 points and 464 yards per game. They allowed 40 or more points to 7 opponents in 2009.
The teams last met in 2008 with Texas pounding Rice 52-10 as a 29 point favorite.
For the Latest CFB Odds Please Visit our CFB Odds Page
CFB Trend: Texas Longhorns are 5-1 ATS in their past 6 games.
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