Houston at Rice

Dana Holgersen opened the season with an interesting game vs. Texas Tech. It was a good measuring stick for both teams, but Houston was in the game at halftime, and the wheels fell completely off as the Cougars were a no-show in the second half where they were out-scored 31-0. That had to be painful for fans, players, and certainly the coaching staff. It was just the opposite for Rice. They held a 17-7 lead over Arkansas, and it looked like they were about to pull an eye-opening upset. The problem was Arkansas finally woke up and scored the last 31 points of the game. This week, look for Houston to be playing with a chip on its shoulder, and Rice is in the way. Last week has had way too much influence on the line here, and I like Houston with a comfortable win and cover. Play Houston.