Southern Miss vs. Rice in LendingTree Bowl: Prediction, picks, players to watch and more
Because there are 82 bowl slots to be filled and not enough teams with six wins to fill them, Rice earned a postseason bid as the only team going bowling with a losing record. Southern Miss had to win its final game against Louisiana-Monroe just to qualify for a bowl game.
Who plays in LendingTree Bowl?
When and where is the LendingTree Bowl?
Saturday, Dec. 17, 5:45 p.m. ET at Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, Alabama.
Is the LendingTree Bowl televised?
ESPN is airing the game.
Southern Miss vs. Rice prediction
Southern Miss should keep it on the ground and will likely attack Rice’s porous defense, leaning heavily on Frank Gore Jr., who ran for a career-high 199 yards vs. Louisiana-Monroe. Prediction: Southern Mississippi 31-16.
Southern Miss vs. Rice expert picks
Scooby Axson: Southern Miss
Jace Evans: Southern Miss
Paul Myerberg: Southern Miss
Erick Smith: Southern Miss
Eddie Timanus: Southern Miss
Dan Wolken: Southern Miss
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Who is favored to win the LendingTree Bowl?
Get the latest betting info from Tipico Sportsbook here.
How did Rice get to the LendingTree Bowl?
The Owls, who are in a bowl for the first time since 2014, lost four of their last five games and weren’t competitive in those games. It would also help Rice if it wasn’t so giving, turning the ball over a nation-high-tying 30 times. The Owls are also part of the revolving conference realignment saga and are heading to the American Athletic Conference in 2023.
How did Southern Miss get to the LendingTree Bowl?
The Golden Eagles handed Cotton Bowl bound Tulane one of its two losses, but for the most part it has been a struggle putting the ball in the end zone. Settling on a quarterback would be optimal. Freshman Ty Keyes split time with Zach Wilcke, but then Trey Lowe came off the bench in the regular-season finale, throwing for 170 yards and a TD.
Who are the players to watch?
LB Josh Pearcy, Rice
Pearcy, a redshirt sophomore, was one of the more consistent performers on a defense lacking playmakers. He has 43 tackles and a team-leading 51/2 sacks for a defense that was only on the field for 727 plays.
WR Luke McCaffrey, Rice
Part of the McCaffrey football family (he’s Christian’s brother), he spent two seasons at Nebraska before landing at Rice. He was originally recruited as a quarterback. McCaffrey made the switch to wideout, and in his first season at the position he led the team in catches (51) and scored six TDs.
RB Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss
The son of the former NFL back is making his mark, earning first-team Sun Belt honors as an all-purpose player. He is a bruising runner (1,053 yards, 7 TDs) who can catch the ball out of the backfield, the rare times it is thrown his way.
DB Malik Shorts, Southern Miss
Shorts was the team’s leading tackler in each of the last two seasons from the secondary and made 91 total stops this season while picking off three passes.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Southern Miss vs. Rice LendingTree Bowl: Time, TV, picks, odds
