Rice vs. Texas State

Laying big wood in a minor Bowl game with a bad defense and questionable motivation is not a recipe for success. So fading 6-6 Texas State against Rice in the Armed Forces Bowl makes sense. Rice was 5-5 until it lost to North Texas and South Florida. First-year Rice head coach Scott Abell did a solid job given the Owls' limited recruiting abilities because of the school's high academic standards. Defeating in-state rival Texas State would definitely help the Owls' recruiting in talent-rich Texas. Not sure the Bobcats have much motivation. They certainly do not have a good defense. Texas State gives up 30.6 points per game, ranking 109th. The Bobcats forced just nine turnovers and ranked 95th in run defense. That's important because the Owls employ a version of the triple-option. Only five teams had more rushing attempts than Rice. Texas State is 0-5 ATS when favored by 13 points or more, including 0-3 ATS this season. Take Rice.