Game: Rice Owls vs. Charlotte 49ers

Date: September 18th at 7:30 PM ET

Where to Watch: ESPN

In the lone FBS game this Thursday night, the Rice Owls travel to Charlotte to take on the Charlotte 49ers. Through three games the Owls are 2-1, while the 49ers sit at 1-2. Neither team has looked particularly strong so far, but both handled business last week against weaker opponents. The Owls’ passing game isn’t much of a threat, but last week against Prairie View A&M they ran for 347 yards with 12 different players getting carries. Charlotte played a much closer game than desired against Monmouth, as quarterback Conner Harrall threw for 382 yards, 3 touchdowns, and just 1 interception, while they also ran for 181. Defensively, there is plenty for the 49ers to address, especially against the pass. Thursday’s game marks the first American conference matchup of the season for these programs and should give us a solid sense of how the rest of the year might unfold.

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Weather

This is shaping up to be a great weather game, with kickoff temperatures in the low 80s, dipping into the mid to high 70s as the game goes on. Precipitation will not be a factor, and wind should only have a minor impact, averaging around 5 mph with gusts reaching up to 13 mph.

Betting Overview

At the time this spread opened, Rice was favored by 6.5 points, but the line has since dropped to 2.5. The moneyline has tightened as well, moving from -192 to between -135 and -140 for Rice, and from +160 to between +114 and +120 for Charlotte. The total has held steady at 42.5 for this matchup.

Charlotte has controlled this series recently, winning 3 of the last 4 meetings and covering in 3 of those 4 games. The over/under has split in the past 4 matchups, with 2 overs and 2 unders.

Power Ratings

All of the major CFB power rating systems—ESPN FPI, SP+, and Sagarin—have Rice ranked ahead of Charlotte heading into this matchup. ESPN FPI shows the smallest gap, with Charlotte just 13 spots behind Rice.

Betting Trends from Last Season

Last season Rice was not strong ATS on the road, finishing with a 1-4-1 record. They were an away favorite only once, a game they lost. The under was also more common in these matchups, hitting in 4 of 6, though the lone game where they were favored saw the over hit.

Charlotte wasn’t much better ATS at home, posting a 2-4-0 record. As a home underdog, they went 1-2-0 ATS. The over/under split evenly at 3 apiece in their 6 home games, with the under slightly more common as a home underdog, hitting in 2 of 3.

Final Thoughts

This game is truly a toss-up and will come down to which defense can neutralize the opposing team’s strength. For Rice, if they can contain the pass and force Charlotte to rely on the run, it could be a long night for the 49ers. Offensively, Rice brings plenty of different looks and is a prolific rushing team, but if Charlotte can make them pass-heavy, the 49ers have a strong chance to come out on top.