Finally, after 45 years, the Rice University Owls are going back to a bowl game. Tonight, the Owls (7-5) of Conference-USA take on Sun Belt Conference winner Troy University (7-5) in the New Orleans Bowl. The game will be televised by ESPN2 with kickoff at 8 p.m. EST.
The New Orleans Bowl appearance by Rice will be its first bowl since losing to Kansas in the 1961 Bluebonnet Bowl. The Troy Trojans are making their second bowl appearance since losing to Northern Illinois 34-21 in the Silicon Valley Bowl in 2004.
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This game should be a no-brainer win and cover for the Owls, favored by a minus 7-point chalk. Currently 60% of the betting public agrees with the no-brainer assessment and here is why. Rice University plays at a higher level of football and is in a conference that plays at a higher level than the Troy Trojans and the Sun Belt Conference.
The Owls lost their first four football games under the regime of first year coach Todd Graham but then reeled off six straight wins and wins in seven of its last eight games. Of the final six games, the Owls not only won SU but covered ATS all six. The Owls were perhaps the best “under the radar” team in America the second half of the regular season.
Graham's offensive scheme is much more complex than what Rice was used to, but his team has embraced it. The Owls ranked third in the conference with 27.8 points per game and averaged 345.2 yards of offense, up from the last season's total of 21.9 points and 337.5 yards.
The Rice offense is keyed by quarterback Chase Clement and receiver Jarrett Dillard. Clement threw 21 touchdowns and just five interceptions in eight games, averaging 213.4 passing yards per contest.
Obviously the Trojans are pretty good too or they wouldn’t be playing in a bowl game. Troy won its first game against Div 1AA member Alabama State but then lost for straight road games three of which to powerhouse programs, Florida State, Georgia Tech and Nebraska. Troy then lost to Conference-USA member Alabama-Birmingham 3-21 a common opponent Rice defeated at home during the regular season 34-33. Troy fared much better against Sun Belt Competition winning 6-of-7 league games.
The Trojans offense is centered on running back Kenny Cattouse and quarterback Omar Haugabook. Cattouse rushed for 774 yards and four touchdowns on 156 carries, and averaged 99.2 yards in the final six games after averaging 35.8 yards in the first five.
All four of Cattouse's touchdowns came during the second half of the season.
Haugabook led the conference in completions (227), completion percentage (62.2), yards passing (2,184) and touchdowns (17). The junior, though, also had a conference-leading 16 interceptions.
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