Potent Offenses Take Field as Vanderbilt Hosts Rice

The Rice Owls (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS, 2-0 O/U) beat the Memphis Tigers on the road in a thriller on Saturday, winning 42-35 one week after routing SMU 56-27.

The Vanderbilt Commodores (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS, 1-0-1 O/U), shocked South Carolina on Saturday, winning 24-17 at home after beating Miami (Ohio) in their 2008 season opener, 34-13.

Now, the undefeated teams with similarly potent offenses will take the field in this matchup looking for ways to slow down their opponent.

The Owls are averaging a whopping 49.0 points per game, largely on the strength of their stellar passing attack, (288.0 ypg) but are also allowing 31.0 points per contest and 430.0 yards of total offense.

The Commodores are holding their opponents to just 15.0 points per game and 332.5 total yards of offense, while putting up 29.0 points per game of their own and a whopping 202.0 rushing yards per game.

Here is a look at some of the key trends for each team followed by my analysis and NCAAF Free Picks.

The Owls are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

The Owls are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.

The Commodores are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games in September.

The Commodores are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following a S.U. win.

The Over is 5-0 in Owls last 5 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.

The Under is 7-1-1 in Commodores last 9 home games.

NCAAF Odds

Rice Owls +7 -110

Vanderbilt Commodores -7 -110

Analysis: The Rice Owls have been putting big points on the board in the early going of the 2008 season but will see their high-scoring ways come to a screeching halt, or at least a slow crawl, in this contest.

Vanderbilt’s outstanding defense should be able to get the job done well enough for the Commodores to win this contest. Besides, the Owls don’t play much defense of their own. Take the Commodores to cover the spread with an emphatic victory in this matchup.

NFL Free Picks: Vanderbilt 31 Rice 21