Week 4 of the college football season begins with a Thursday night American Athletic Conference matchup on ESPN. At the onset of the season, two American Athletic Conference teams were picked at the bottom of the college football totem pole.
Both schools have new head coaches as proof of their struggles. The Rice Owls are perennial losers who put together the occasional bowl campaign. Mike Bloomgren was fired last year after producing two bowl campaigns but no winning seasons.
Meanwhile, the only bowl game and winning season in Charlotte's history were in 2019.
New coaches Scott Abell of Rice and Tim Albin of Charlotte have their hands full.
Because this is the feature Thursday Night College Football game, betting interest at Bookmaker is high.
Explore the Week 4 odds and betting action for Thursday Night College Football.
College Football Betting Lines
Rice Owls at Charlotte 49ers Odds at Bookmaker
Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, NC, is the venue for the American Athletic Conference matchup between the Rice Owls and the host Charlotte 49ers. Kickoff time is at 7:30 p.m. ET with television coverage on ESPN.
Rice opened as a 4-point home favorite with Charlotte a 4.5-point home dog.
The Owls and 49ers opened with a total of 42.5.
Rice opened as a -175 moneyline road favorite with Charlotte as a +145 home dog.
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Rice Owls
Last week, the Rice Owls won 39-17 against Prairie View as 218-point home favorites. The game went over the total of 48. Now, Rice is 2-1 straight up, 1-2 against the spread, and 2-1 over the total.
Of great concern is that Rice ranks 116th for total offense, 135th for passing, and 106th for scoring offense. By contrast, the Owls rank 40th in total defense, 68th in points allowed, and 91st in takeaways.
Previously, through their first two games, Rice football amassed 479 total yards. On Saturday night against Prairie View A&M, the Owls finished with 461 yards of total offense and 347 yards on the ground.
Charlotte 49ers
Last game, Tim Albin and Charlotte picked up their first win of 2025. Charlotte beat FCS Monmouth 42-35 as 2.5-point home favorites. The game went over the total of 65.5. As a result, Charlotte is 1-2 straight up, 1-2 against the spread, and 1-2 under the total.
Charlotte has national metrics of 94th for total offense, 115th for scoring offense, and 133rd for fewest turnovers committed. Defensively, Charlotte ranks 126th in total defense, 108th in fewest points allowed, and 131st in takeaways.
Albin, who turned 60 on Saturday, celebrated in style. The “most exciting birthday (he’s) ever had” resulted from a 42-35 49ers victory over Monmouth.
Specifically, it was a game that featured 56 second-half points, more than 1,000 yards of total offense, and a game-sealing defensive stop.
Correlate that in a contest where the 49ers scored touchdowns on five straight drives in the game’s final 30 minutes, Charlotte needed every last yard to fend off the Hawks’ explosive offense.
Monmouth answered nearly every time Harrell and the 49ers’ offense found the end zone.
Rice Owls vs. Charlotte 49ers Betting Trends
Rice failed to cover six of its last ten games on the road. Also, seven of their last nine road games went under the total.
Charlotte failed to get the money in 16 of their most recent 20 home games. Also, the 49ers went under the total in five of their last eight home tilts.
In the series between Rice and Charlotte, the 49ers won and covered three of the most recent four meetings. Four out of the last six games between these teams went under the total.
Specifically at Charlotte, Rice won and covered two of its last three visits. Two of those three games at Charlotte went under the total.
Rice at Charlotte Best Bets
In this matchup of bad teams, Rice offers the most value with the more favorable visiting team price.
Main Pick: Rice Owls
Over/Under Pick: Under the Total
Player Prop Picks: Conner Harrell Under the Passing Yards Total
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