Texas State Bobcats vs. Rice Owls 12/26/23 NCAAF First Responder Bowl Betting Picks

Texas State Bobcats vs. Rice Owls 12/26/23 – At the center of college football bowl season lies an intriguing matchup: Texas State Bobcats with their 7-5 record will face off against Rice Owls who have held steady this year at 6-6. Fans and bettors alike have high anticipation for this matchup and are closely analyzing every aspect, making this game one of many worthy candidates for NCAAF bowl picks today.

Team	SP/RL	TOTAL	ML
Bobcats	-3.5 -109	o60 -110	-173
Owls	+3.5 -111	u60 -110	+153

𝐁𝐨𝐰𝐥 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝

🏟 – Servpro First Responder Bowl
📅 – December 26th
🆚 – Rice
🕟 – 4:30pm CT#EatEmUp #TakeBackTexas pic.twitter.com/OxDdzxrOHK

— Texas State Football (@TXSTATEFOOTBALL) December 3, 2023

TJ Finley QB vs. JT Daniels QB

TJ Finley has put together a productive 2023 campaign, 3,287 yards passing and accounting for 24 touchdowns through the air. He possesses prototypical size and brings physical tools to the table. Finley flashes the ability to make tight window throws downfield and attack outside the numbers. His passing charts indicate he is comfortable working all areas of the field. However, ball security has been an issue for the Texas State signal caller – as evidenced by 8 interceptions and a few unfortunate fumbles. Finley can get careless with his mechanics at times, leading to errant throws. He also hasn’t faced heavy blitz packages which could disrupt his timing.

On the other side, JT Daniels has found a second life at Rice after previous stints at high-profile programs. The former 5-star recruit has regained some of the promise he showed early in his USC career. Daniels brings accuracy and good anticipation skills, allowing him to maximize Rice’s quick-hitting passing game concepts. At his best, he displays the ability to manipulate defenders with his eyes and make good decisions distributing to his playmakers. While Daniels doesn’t have elite arm strength, he throws an very catchable ball. He will need to continue using his mobility to extend plays and avoid the fierce Texas State pass rush in this match-up. Daniels’ protection up front has been shaky at times this year.

Bobcats’ Offensive Prowess: Featuring Ismail Mahdi and Joey Hobert

Texas State’s offensive lineup is strengthened by running back Ismail Mahdi and wide receiver Joey Hobert. Mahdi averaged an impressive 6.1 yards per rush in his 199 attempts that resulted in 1209 yards and 10 touchdowns on 199 attempts, while Hobert contributed 71 receptions totaling 847 yards with an average 11.9 reception average. With 8 touchdowns receiving, both players proved integral players on Texas State’s offense.

Trends

Texas State Bobcats Betting Trends

Texas State are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Texas State’s last 5 games against an opponent in the Conference USA conference.
Texas State are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games when playing as the favourite.

Rice Owls Betting Trends

Rice are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Rice’s last 6 games.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Rice’s last 5 games against an opponent in the Sun Belt conference.
Rice are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games played in December.
Rice are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games when playing as the underdog.

Texas State Bobcats vs. Rice Owls Betting Picks