SportsJaw
LeaderboardToday's GamesBest BetsConsensus PicksMake Picks
Login / Sign In
Today's GamesLatest PredictionsToday’s Best BetsConsensus PicksTeam PredictionsHead-to-Head MatchupsSJ CoinsAbout SportsJawContact UsLogin / Sign In
HomeMatchupsMake PicksLeaders
SportsJaw

The social platform for sports bettors.

Explore SportsJaw

  • Today’s Picks
  • Predictions
  • Best Bets
  • Leaderboard
  • Make Picks
  • Consensus Picks
  • Team Predictions
  • Head-to-Head
  • Game Briefing

Picks by Sport

  • NFL Picks
  • NCAAF Picks
  • NBA Picks
  • NCAAB Picks
  • MLB Picks
  • NHL Picks

About SportsJaw

  • How It Works
  • SJ Coins
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Contact Us

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Picks are opinions, not guarantees. Past results do not predict future outcomes.

© 2026 SportsJaw. For entertainment purposes only. SportsJaw does not accept or place wagers.

NCAAF PicksSat 12:00 PM ET
Rice Owls logo
Rice
Owls
1-5
versus
Florida Atlantic Owls logo
Florida Atlantic
Owls
3-2
NCAAF · Rice Owls at Florida Atlantic Owls

Your Picks on Rice vs Florida Atlantic

Picks close 15 minutes before game time (ET)
Spread
Moneyline
Total

Rice vs Florida Atlantic consensus picks

Rice Owls25%
75%Florida Atlantic Owls
Embed the SportsJaw consensus widget

Preview widget

<iframe src="https://sportsjaw.com/embed/consensus/1785939" title="SportsJaw consensus" width="100%" height="550" loading="lazy"></iframe>

Rice Owls vs Florida Atlantic Owls Predictions October 24, 2026

Game time: October 24, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET

Venue: Flagler Credit Union Stadium — Boca Raton, FL

Article updated Oct 18, 11:38 PM EDT

By SportsJaw Editorial Team

Florida Atlantic is projected to beat Rice 31-24, with Caden Veltkamp’s recent passing production providing the strongest reason to favor the home team. Rice’s explosive rushing plays and Florida Atlantic’s defensive concerns make a double-digit margin harder to trust. Neither Florida Atlantic -10 (-107) nor the 55.5-point total offers a convincing betting edge, so the official SportsJaw recommendation is Pass.

Rice Owls vs Florida Atlantic Owls prediction and best bet

Florida Atlantic gets the winner pick because its passing attack offers the more persuasive route to points. Veltkamp threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns against Army on October 17. Rice generated just 62 passing yards against Tulsa that day, making its recent offensive production much more dependent on the ground game.

The best betting decision is Pass. Florida Atlantic also surrendered 56 points in its latest outing, a substantial counterweight to its offensive appeal. Picking the home team to win is reasonable; paying for a victory by more than 10 points requires greater trust in its defense.

Odds, game time and how to watch

Schedule and broadcast: Saturday, October 24, 2026, at noon local time in Boca Raton, Florida, on ESPNU. This is a 2026 college football matchup.

Venue: Howard Schnellenberger Field at Flagler Credit Union Stadium. Florida Atlantic designated the Rice game as Homecoming.

Records: Rice Owls 1-5; Florida Atlantic Owls 3-2.

SportsJaw odds: Rice Owls +7.5 (-110); Florida Atlantic Owls -7.5 (-110). Moneyline: Rice Owls +275; Florida Atlantic Owls -330. Total: Over 54.5 (-105); Under 54.5 (-112).

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Picks are opinions, not guarantees. Past results do not predict future outcomes.

Consensus: Florida Atlantic -400 led the blended moneyline consensus at 67% as of October 19 at 03:31 UTC. That figure describes selection support, not a win probability or a spread recommendation.

Rice Owls outlook

Rice lost 38-17 to Tulsa despite rushing for 289 of its 351 total yards. Jacurri Brown supplied 154 rushing yards and both Rice touchdowns, scoring from 50 and 78 yards. Those plays give Florida Atlantic a specific problem: containing the quarterback through the entire play, even when the initial running lane appears covered.

Jordan Clark contributed three catches for 52 yards and another 29 yards rushing. His production accounted for most of Rice’s passing yardage against Tulsa, but that single game is too narrow a measure to assume the same distribution against Florida Atlantic.

Rice also recorded seven tackles for loss, bringing its two-game total to 16. That disruption is an encouraging feature of its recent defense, although the Tulsa result shows negative plays alone did not keep the opponent’s scoring manageable.

Florida Atlantic Owls outlook

Florida Atlantic’s 56-24 defeat at Army paired productive passing with an unfavorable scoreboard. Veltkamp completed 33 of 48 attempts, and the team finished with 432 total yards, including 324 through the air. The offensive output gives the home favorite something to build on without turning a heavy loss into evidence of control.

Easton Messer caught 14 passes, one short of the program’s single-game record. Veltkamp’s touchdown throws went to Messer, Kelby Valsin and Tucker Holloway, with Holloway recording his first collegiate touchdown reception.

Those receiving contributions strengthen the case for Florida Atlantic to score against Rice. The defensive result keeps the forecast cautious, particularly when the opposing quarterback just demonstrated his ability to turn rushing opportunities into long touchdowns.

Key matchup factors

The decisive question is whether Florida Atlantic can convert its passing production into enough separation to withstand Rice’s explosive runs. Brown gives the visitors a way to score quickly, while Rice’s recent tackles for loss offer a potential means of interrupting the home offense.

These teams faced different opponents last week, so their yardage totals are clues rather than a direct efficiency comparison. Florida Atlantic won the 2025 meeting 24-17 in Houston, leaving the series tied 3-3. That history adds context, but the current forecast rests more heavily on the latest offensive performances and defensive concerns.

Rice Owls vs Florida Atlantic Owls spread prediction

Spread recommendation: Pass on Florida Atlantic -10 (-107) and Rice +10 (-109). Florida Atlantic must win by at least 11 points to cover; a 10-point victory would push.

The projected seven-point margin points toward Rice relative to the line, but the visitors’ limited passing production makes that cushion fragile if they fall behind. Florida Atlantic’s defensive concerns discourage laying the points, while Rice’s own 38-point concession discourages backing the underdog. Neither side earns an official wager.

Rice Owls vs Florida Atlantic Owls total prediction

Total recommendation: Pass on Over 55.5 (-110) and Under 55.5 (-110). The projection totals 55 points, leaving virtually no separation from the supplied number.

Long Rice runs and Florida Atlantic’s passing touchdowns provide plausible paths to quick scoring. Conversely, Rice’s limited passing output creates uncertainty about its ability to contribute consistently. Last week’s high-scoring losses highlight defensive risk, but two games against different opponents are insufficient grounds for an Over bet here.

Rice Owls vs Florida Atlantic Owls projected score

Game forecast: Florida Atlantic 31, Rice 24. Veltkamp’s recent production and multiple touchdown targets give Florida Atlantic the preferred offensive route. Brown’s explosive rushing is the strongest counterargument, especially after the home team’s defensive difficulties at Army.

Confidence is low because the winner preference rests on a limited recent sample with meaningful defensive concerns on both sides. Florida Atlantic is the projected winner; the single official SportsJaw betting recommendation is Pass.

SportsJawGame Predictions
Predicted score

Owls24

Owls31

Projected winner Florida Atlantic OwlsConfidencelow
Pick on the Spread

Published pick: Pass (article line changed)

Pick on the Total

Published pick: Pass (article line changed)

Sources

  • Florida Atlantic University AthleticsHomecoming Game Kickoff Set for Noon; Game Date Announced at ECU
  • Rice University AthleticsPrevious-game context: Tulsa Outlasts Rice
  • Florida Atlantic University AthleticsPrevious-game context: Owls’ Win Streak Ends at Army

SportsJaw Owls vs Owls game preview analysis and predictions incorporate current odds, injury reports, team statistics and market data. Information is updated regularly, but lines and player availability can change. Please confirm current information before wagering. View history of past Owls vs Owls matchups or learn how our predictions work.

Current matchup data

Lines, trends and availability

Crowd vs qualified handicappers

No qualifying consensus sample is available yet.

Qualified handicappers need at least 20 graded picks and a 52.5% win rate. A market needs at least three current qualified picks. Selection share is not a win probability.

Line movement since open

  • Moneyline · Rice Owls+310 → +275Moved
  • Moneyline · Florida Atlantic Owls-400 → -330Moved
  • Spread · Rice Owls+10 (-110) → +7.5 (-110)Moved
  • Spread · Florida Atlantic Owls-10 (-110) → -7.5 (-110)Moved
  • Total · Over55.5 (-110) → 54.5 (-105)Moved
  • Total · Under55.5 (-108) → 54.5 (-112)Moved

ATS and O/U trends

Rice Owls
1-5 matchup record · 4-6-0 ATS · 4-6-0 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file
Florida Atlantic Owls
3-2 matchup record · 7-3-0 ATS · 6-4-0 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file

Injuries and availability

From the published research (2026-10-19T03:38:36.299Z). Availability may have changed; review the cited sources.

No verified injury or availability note was included in the published matchup research.

Recent head-to-head

  • 2025-10-04Florida Atlantic Owls 27 · Rice Owls 21
  • 2023-11-25Florida Atlantic Owls 21 · Rice Owls 24
Keep browsing

More NCAAF matchups

Compare predictions, consensus picks and recorded odds for other NCAAF games on this slate.

View all NCAAF games
NCAAFSat 12:00 PM
PITT+20 (-110)
MIA-20 (-110)
O/U51.5
NCAAFSat 12:00 PM
TXTECH-10.5 (-110)
CINCIN+10.5 (-110)
O/U56.5
NCAAFSat 12:00 PM
RUTGER+16.5 (-110)
NWESTN-16.5 (-110)
O/U58.5
NCAAFSat 12:00 PM
CAL+19.5 (-108)
SMU-19.5 (-108)
O/U53.5
NCAAFSat 12:00 PM
WESTV+8.5 (-110)
TCU-8.5 (-110)
O/U56.5
NCAAFSat 12:00 PM
W.MICH+3 (-104)
TOLEDO-3 (-112)
O/U45.5
NCAAFSat 1:00 PM
BAYLOR-3 (-106)
KANSAS+3 (-114)
O/U53.5
NCAAFSat 1:00 PM
AKRON+3 (-110)
KENT-3 (-106)
O/U46.5
NCAAFSat 1:00 PM
MIOH-2.5 (-110)
CMICH+2.5 (-110)
O/U40.5
NCAAFSat 3:00 PM
OREG-8.5 (-110)
ILLINO+8.5 (-110)
O/U50.5