Staff Predictions: Rice

It feels like Rice and UTSA have moved in opposite directions a bit since their 2020 matchup was cancelled due to Covid-19. The Roadrunners have jumped to new heights, while Rice saw the blessing of good quarterback play pass them by. The Owls may not be a great team, but they still have the ability to give anyone in C-USA fits. On a two-game win streak and coming off of a bye week, the Owls will be ready to physically challenge a bruised UTSA team. The Roadrunners will struggle to put Rice away on Saturday, but a lack of offensive firepower from the Owls will prevent them from seriously challenging for the upset.

UTSA 27, Rice 17

Chase Otero - Photog - (6-0)

Halfway through the season already, and where does the time go.

The Rice Owls head into San Antonio as UTSA is preparing for a Homecoming of their own. Frank Harris is playing the best football of his college career. If Rice is looking to keep it close, they're going to have to find a way to keep the offense off the field. I expect Rice to come out hot in the first quarter. I predict UTSA will be put to the test again in another contest that will go down to the final possessions of play.

UTSA 31, Rice 24

Stephen Whitaker - Staff Writer - (5-1)

UTSA and Rice have a series going back to 2012. If not for last year's game being canceled, Rice / UTSA would be meeting for the 10th time. Instead, it's the ninth all-time meeting between the Roadrunners and Owls, tied for a week with Louisiana Tech / UTSA as the most-played series in Roadrunner football history.

Enough about the past. The present-day UTSA Roadrunners are hotter than a San Antonio sidewalk in August. The Roadrunners enter with a 6-0 record and 2-0 in conference. UTSA has shown it can win in several different ways. The Roadrunners have also had the Owls number in recent years, winning five in a row from 2015-2019.

The Owls are starting to heat up themselves, having won two in a row after opening the season 0-3. They are coming off a bye week. The ingredients are there for Rice to hang around with the Roadrunners for a while. That being said, there seems to be something magical about these Roadrunners. That magic continues on Saturday.

UTSA 38, Rice 14

Burk Frey - Photog - (6-0)

The aura around this game reminds me a bit of the UNLV game. Like UNLV, Rice isn't as bad as fans may assume when looking at their schedule, nor do I think UTSA is going to obliterate Rice on the scoreboard. Outside of the Lamar outlier, this Roadrunner squad (going back to last season) has mostly not shown to be a big dominant blowout team.

While I don't think a result in favor of UTSA is in danger at all, it's worth noting that wins for any undefeated team require more vigilance as the season moves onward to keep being undefeated. UTSA takes this one, even if it's closer than some fans and Vegas would predict.

UTSA 33, Rice 27

Brandon Holland - Staff Writer - (6-0)

Well alright then! This looks to be the week of performance that could finally get The Roadrunners into the top 25 rankings! Fitting that the #25 University of Texas is in that exact spot (whom UTSA plays next year) and UTSA faces Rice this week, a common opponent between UTSA and Texas on their schedules this year. Short and sweet, the Roadrunners breaking into the top 25 is somewhere between the drubbings Rice has gotten from Texas, Arkansas, and the University of Houston. UTSA must look the part so the Roadrunners will need to do the same!

UTSA 45, Rice 10

Javi Cardenas - Publisher - (3-3)

UTSA is a good football team.

UTSA 34, Rice 24

FORUMS: UTSA Boulevard | Roadrunner Way

FUTURECAST

2026Top Targets

No top targets for utsa available at this time.