Rice Football Predictions for 2024: Total Wins Picks, Best Bets

Expert college football handicapper Ron Marmalefsky looks at Rice college football and its chances in 2024. Ron provides expert picks for betting on the Rice Owls in 2024.

Ron also offers total win predictions for Rice in 2024 (a great betting NCAAF betting future), areas to watch, favorability of schedule, and offers best bets tips on the Owls.

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In a partnership with WagerTalk’s Ralph Michaels, the GoldSheet team has compiled a 60-page college football betting guide to help you prepare for the 2024-25 season.

Available free of charge, this preseason guide features our summer power ratings, projected point spreads and win probabilities for EVERY game of the upcoming season, plus coaching changes, quarterback transfers and much more. 

Rice College Football 2024 Preview: What’s the Situation?

Holy Smokes!  Mike Bloomgren is that VERY rare coach who exited my bottom five coaches list and was NOT fired.  Okay, he’s still on the next five, waiting to be readmitted list, but I’ve seen some signs of improvement.  There’s a bunch of reasons why Rice can continue to improve, so let’s see if the upward trajectory continues.  

2024 Rice NCAAF AREAS TO WATCH:

Two offensive players will be sorely missed.  QB Daniels put up #’s not recently seen by Rice QB’s.  WR Luke McCaffrey exhibited the same special qualities his more famous brother is blessed with.  The good news is that the offense still has talent. 

E.J. Warner, like Daniels before him, has a transfer gene in his DNA.  If turnovers can be reduced, the level of QB play will be fine.  Rice has a solid feature RB, decent returning WR’s, and two well thought of OL.  They are short three OL starters, so that’s an issue. 

The defense made strides in ’23, with the run D in a solid category, and the pass D% finally dropping below 60%.  Nine starters return, including their top six tacklers.  This veteran D “should” take the next step, but I’d rather chart that out and not assume it will happen.  Their PK was 8-12.  That’s acceptable (3-5 from 40-49 yards), but also indicates to me that there were not as many trips to the red zone as expected. 

Rice NEVER has an acceptable turnover ratio (needs to be more aggressive defensively).  They were -7 in ‘23’s regular season, and an amazing -7 in their bowl loss. 

Rice Football 2024 Predicted Total Wins Prediction

With even a FLAT turnover ratio, Rice, with experience defensively, should return to a bowl game.  That experience is valuable early in the year when facing new staffs. 

I still can’t find more than 6-6, and one slipup means 5-7 (grid calls it 6.3 wins).  With UNDER 7 season wins out there (Caesars, William Hill), that seems like a number I want to be on, as I still do not trust this staff.  

Week 0 & Week 1 College Football Betting Picks & Predictions

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2024 Rice Football Schedule and Games to Watch

Texas is off the schedule.  The 1st five games are all winnable.  Sam Houston occasionally played tough defensively in ’23, so that’s a good test and post check of the Rice offense/new QB. 

Road games at Houston (finally won 43-41 a year ago), Army (veteran Rice defense should help) and home to Charlotte (they are a work in progress) has to result in an least 2-2, as Rice may have the most returning defensive experience in the AAC.  The week off is next, essential because games 6-8 are all tough.  UTSA has outscored the Owls 120-21 the past three seasons. 

Rice lost a close one to Tulane, but the Green Wave will be rested, and at home.  Staying on the road to face UConn could be a distraction (non-conference game).  I think Rice can score on Memphis, but winning at their place could be tough.  Rice closes at UAB (another likely offensive game) and home to improving USF.  

Rice 2024 Football Expert HANDICAPPING TIP

 Low scoring in the opener vs. Sam Houston.  Possible vs. 10/26 at UConn.  Possible cover 11/8 at Memphis.

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Grab the GoldSheet 2024-2025 Betting Guide

In a partnership with WagerTalk’s Ralph Michaels, the GoldSheet team has compiled a 60-page college football betting guide to help you prepare for the 2024-25 season.

Available free of charge, this preseason guide features our summer power ratings, projected point spreads and win probabilities for EVERY game of the upcoming season, plus coaching changes, quarterback transfers and much more. 

WagerTalk Live Odds Screen CFB

WagerTalk’s live college football odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the run spreads, totals and betting percentages for all college football games.

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