2022 LendingTree Bowl Odds - Rice vs. Southern Mississippi Betting

LendingTree Bowl Odds - Rice vs. Southern Mississippi

This year’s LendingTree Bowl on Saturday, December 17, 2022 will be a matchup between the Rice Owls and the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles. The game is supposed to feature teams from the Mid-American Conference and the Sun Belt Conference, however, this time around the game will feature a team from Conference USA and the Sun Belt. This will be the thirteenth meeting between Rice and Southern Miss with the series tied 6-6. Rice comes into this game with a record of 5-7 and usually that would mean they wouldn’t qualify for a bowl game, but because there were not enough bowl-eligible teams, Rice was given a bowl invite because they had the highest APR among 5-7 teams.  This will be the first bowl game for Rice since 2014. It will also be their last game as a member of Conference USA, as they will join the American Athletic Conference next season. Southern Miss comes into this game at 6-6 on the season and they are listed as about a touchdown favorite in LendingTree Bowl odds.

2022 LendingTree Bowl at a Glance

Date: Saturday, December 17, 2022

Time (ET) / TV: 5:45 PM / ESPN

Venue: Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, Alabama

Matchup: Rice Owls vs. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

College Football Betting Lines

Rice Owls +6.5

Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles -6.5

Total: 45.5

LendingTree Bowl Preview

Rice is 5-7 SU and 7-5 ATS with eight games going over the total and four going under, while Southern Miss is 6-6 SU and 8-3-1 ATS with seven games going over the total and five going under.

Rice defeated Louisiana and UAB, two bowl-eligible teams. The offense averages 25.2 points per contest, ranking 85th nationally. They rush for 143.1 yards per game while passing for 227.1 yards. T.J. McMahon completed 60.2 percent of his passes for 2,102 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. At least 200 receiving yards have been racked up by four pass catchers this season. The team's top receiver, Bradley Rozner, has 41 catches for 834 yards and nine touchdowns. Luke McCaffrey has also performed admirably, hauling in 51 passes for 656 yards and six scores. For the Owls, three running backs have amassed more than 250 rushing yards. Cameron Montgomery has the most rushing yards with 498. Juma Otoviano has 391 yards and a touchdown, placing him second on the team. Ari Broussard has scored nine touchdowns to lead the team.

The Owls' defense allows 33.8 points per game, which ranks them 119th in the nation. They allow 210.2 passing yards and 167.2 running yards per game. With 69 and 67 tackles each, linebackers Chris Conti and Myron Morrison are the team's top tacklers. Josh Pearcy has 5.5 sacks to lead the team. Gabe Taylor, a defensive back, has contributed with two interceptions and five passes defended in the secondary.

Southern Miss qualified for their first bowl game since 2019 with six victories. They've defeated Louisiana and Tulane twice, both of which had records of at least .500. The Golden Eagles are ranked 94th in the nation with 24.2 points scored per game. They rush for 123.4 yards per game while passing for 209.1 yards. This season, the Golden Eagles have lined up a variety of individuals for the quarterback position. Trey Lowe, who has 795 throwing yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions on a 53.4 percent completion rate, is the one who has been starting the most recently. This season, four pass catchers have at least 200 receiving yards. Jason Brownlee, who has 52 receptions for 819 yards and seven touchdowns, is their leading receiver. For Southern Miss, one person has primarily been responsible for the rushing offense. Frank Gore Jr. has 1,053 yards and 7 touchdowns on the ground thus far this year. With 179 running yards and three touchdowns, Janari Dean is the next closest runner on the roster.

The Southern Miss defense ranks 45th in the FBS, allowing 23.5 points per game. They allow 228.2 passing yards and 139.5 rushing yards per game. Malik Shorts, a defensive back, leads the club with 92 total tackles and three interceptions. Dominic Quewon, a defensive lineman, leads the club with nine sacks. With six passes intercepted and four passes defended, safety Jay Stanley has distinguished himself in the secondary.

Lending Tree Bowl Prediction

It is hard to make a case for Rice winning this game, as they didn’t even finish the season with a winning record. Southern Miss has the edge on the ground and they should be able to grind out the win.

Lending Tree Bowl Format

Founded in 1999, the LendingTree Bowl is held at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. This will be the second time the LendingTree Bowl is held at this venue. Previously Ladd Peebles Stadium was home to the LendingTree Bowl. Hancock Whitney Stadium is home to the South Alabama Jaguars.

Concurrently, the LendingTree Bowl has tie-ins with the Sun Belt and the MAC. The payout for this bowl game is $1.5 million.

LendingTree Bowl Past Results

LendingTree Bowl action has entertained fans with high-scoring offensive shootouts in recent years. Six of the last eight LendingTree Bowl matchups saw the winning team score 34 or more points. Seven different schools have won the previous eight Lending Tree Bowls.

Most All-Time Wins

Arkansas State, Miami-OH, Toledo, Marshall, Southern Miss, and Tulsa have two wins each at the LendingTree Bowl.

2022-23 College Football Bowl Games

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