A Rebound At Home: Longhorn Country's Staff Predictions Rice Vs. Texas
Texas likely hoped for a 3-0 start to begin the season. Now, they look to avoid being 1-2.
Steve Sarkisian still is adjusting to head coaching life. He also is adjusting to find his new quarterback. Hudson Card started the first two games of the season. Casey Thompson's veteranship now wins the nod for the third game.
Can they pull out a win against Rice?
Make sure to stick with LonghornsCountry.com through our season preview series, where we will analyze every opponent on the Longhorns schedule in 2021.
On Monday we gave a look at the program as a whole. On Tuesday, you met the offense, and the next day, you met the defense. Thursday came and Longhorn Country went behind enemy lines to discuss Owls football with JP Heath.
Now it's time for the Longhorns Country staff to make their way-too-early game predictions for when Texas returns to DKR for a non-conference match in preparation for Texas Tech.
Matt Galatzan - Managing Editor/Publisher
Coming off of a pair of tough games to begin the season, the Texas Longhorns should finally have a breather when the Rice Owls come to town. Though Rice has some talent around the roster, including new transfer QB Luke McCaffrey, Texas should win this one easily, and move to 2-1 on the season.
Texas 41 Rice 10
READ MORE: The Stars Aligned for Marcus Carr's Arrival to Texas
Cole Thompson - Columnist/Editor
Last season, Rice allowed an average of 18.8 points per game in Conference USA games. Without Blaze Alldredge up the middle, Rice is missing a marquee name at a position of need. Offensively, the Owls lost its leading receiver and quarterback.
Thompson must be on point. He has to show consistency under center to win the starting job and prove to be the future of Texas football. He'll do that on the way to a promising victory.
Texas 45, Rice 17
Tomer Barazani - Staff Writer
Steve Sarkisian needs to make a statement win after the humiliating 19-point loss to Arkansas. Expect the typical dark package of pre snap motion, full offensive utility, and a suffocating pace of play calling to overwhelm and undersized Owls team.
On the defensive side of the ball, this matchup favors Texas in every way. With an undersized offensive line, expect the talented defensive line of Texas to show out in front of their home fans at home. Texas rolls through the Owls as they look to regain momentum in this up and down season.
Texas 41, Rice 10
READ MORE: New Texas Starting QB Casey Thompson: "I Love Being The Villain"
Matthew Postins - Staff Writer
True story — I was at the game the last time that Rice beat Texas, which was in 1994 in Houston. It was a bizarre, Sunday night game on a rainy evening at Rice Stadium. I know Texas is coming off that awful loss to Arkansas, but Rice is nowhere near in Arkansas' league as a program.
They're not in Texas' league either. Texas has won the last 14 meetings since that infamous night, and Texas has won the last 10 by double digits. The Longhorns should enjoy this one — it will be their last 'easy' game for a while.
Texas 47, Rice 21
Zach Dimmitt - Staff Writer
If there’s one silver lining from the beatdown Texas went through last weekend, it’s that the loss to Arkansas came at the perfect point in the season. The Longhorns got punched in the mouth and ought to have a significant fire in their stomachs moving forward.
The matchup with Rice comes at the perfect time for the team to regroup in order to gain momentum headed into conference play next weekend. Sark and Co. should cruise to an easy win at home.
Texas: 45 Rice: 17
Pavithr Goli - Staff Writer
Changing the starting QB from Hudson Card to Casey Thompson should bode well for the Longhorns. As seen during the Arkansas game, Thompson did a better leading job leading the offense when compared to the Card. However, there will most definitely be a learning curve as the offense begins to build chemistry with their new signal-caller.
Playing Rice's defense should also be a positive sign for UT as Bijan Robinson can steamroll the weaker Rice defensive line. With Rice allowing 38 to Arkansas in Week 1 of their season and 44 against Houston, the Owls should continue to show their defensive vulnerabilities this Saturday in front of a sold-out crowd at DKR.
Texas 31, Rice 6
CONTINUE READING: A New Name In The Trenches?: Rice Defensive Players to Watch Vs. Texas
Who will win the matchup? Comment and join in on the discussion below!
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