Rice Owls vs. Houston Cougars Odds

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Houston (-26.5)
Game Total Line: (Off)
(wagering lines available at 5Dimes)

The Rice Owls will try and knock-off the top dog in the Conference-USA when they tangle with the Houston Cougars this Thursday night at Robertson Stadium in this West Division clash. Game time is set for 8 p.m. (ET) and it will be available on ESPN3.com.

A 38-20 loss to Tulsa as a 10-point home underdog this past Saturday dropped Rice to 2-5 straight-up on the year and 3-4 against the spread. It was its fourth loss in its last five games after a 1-1 start. The Owls are 0-4 SU (1-3 ATS) on the road this season and the total has stayed ‘under’ in five of its seven games.

The loss to Tulsa was the Owls third loss in the conference verse just one win. They have struggled on both sides of the ball with an offense that is ranked 95th in the nation in scoring with an average of 22.3 points a game and a defense that is ranked 100th in points allowed; giving-up an average of 32.6 a game.

That 5Dimes offers -105 lines on most college football games? That works out to a free $5 for every $100 bet! Over the course of a season or a year that could add hundreds or thousands of dollars to your bottom line! Click Here to check them out.

Houston comes into this game a perfect 7-0 SU (5-2 ATS) after pasting Marshall 63-28 as a 24-point home favorite this past Saturday. The victory raised its record to 3-0 SU in the conference and has it tied with Tulsa for the lead in the West Division. The Cougars are a perfect 4-0 both SU and ATS at home this season and the total has gone ‘over’ in five of their seven games.

The big story for Houston this season has been the return of quarterback Case Keenum, who was granted an extra year of eligibility after missing most of 2010 with a knee injury. He has made the most of the opportunity with a staggering 72.9 percent completion rate for 2,685 yards and 23 touchdowns. He has the Cougars ranked first in the country in scoring with an average of 49.3 points a game. They have outscored their opponents by an average of 25.9 points a game and have yet to be held under 35 points in any of their first seven contests.

The Owls are 1-7 ATS in their last eight road games as a road underdog and the total has gone ‘over’ in 25 of their last 31 games as an underdog on the road.

The Cougars are 4-0 ATS in their last four games as a favorite at home and the total has gone ‘over’ in seven of their last 10 home games as a favorite.

Head-to-head in this series, Rice is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings but the home team is 7-1 ATS in the last eight games. The total has gone ‘over’ in four of the last five games between the two.

Game Betting Pick

Nobody has been able to stop Keenum and this Cougar offense so far and this week will be no different as Houston rolls to an 8-0 record in a one-sided romp at home with a point spread cover.
Take the Cougars -26.5 at 5Dimes (Best Reduced Juice Sportsbook).