Vanderbilt vs. Rice
Free Pick: Rice +7.0 (-110 odds)
Sat September 26th 2009 8:00p
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The Rice Owls are a lot better than they have looked so far while this is a bad scheduling spot for the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Rice is off to a dismal 0-3 start, but keep in mind that all three games have come on the road and that they were outclassed in there last two losses, visiting Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. That makes this their home opener, and the Owls were a perfect 6-0 straight up and 5-1 against the spread here last season while winning by an average of +22.8 points.

Now granted, the Owls ate averaging just 19.3 points per game, but it is not as if they have not moved the ball, as they are averaging a respectable 341.7 yards of total offense per game. Perhaps playing at home for the first time will result in fewer empty trips to the red zone.

Vanderbilt is coming off of a disappointing 15-3 home upset loss to Mississippi State in their SEC opener as nine-point favorites, and they return to the conference wars when they host nationally ranked Mississippi next week. Thus, they may not be entirely focused on this seemingly inferior non-conference opponent, and remember that the Commodores offense is not explosive enough to be laying a touchdown on the road vs. any capable opponent.

As if those reasons are not enough to like Rice here, there is also a matter of revenge as Vandy beat the Owls at home 38-21 last season. With Rice now hosting the rematch, do not be entirely shocked by an outright upset here.

CFB Free Pick: Rice +7 (-110)

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