2022 LendingTree Bowl prediction, odds, line: Rice vs. Southern Miss picks, best bets by proven model

Hancock Whitney Stadium showcases an intriguing bowl matchup on Saturday in Mobile. The 2022 LendingTree Bowl pits the Rice Owls against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles in one of six bowl matchups on a single day. Rice is 5-7 overall this season and 7-5 all-time in bowl games. Southern Miss is 6-6 overall after a win over UL-Monroe on the road in the regular season finale.

Caesars Sportsbook lists the Golden Eagles as 6.5-point favorites for this 5:45 p.m. ET kickoff. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 45.5 in the latest Rice vs. Southern Miss odds. Before making any Southern Miss vs. Rice picks, you need to see the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Rice vs. Southern Miss and just locked in its picks and CFB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several college football odds and betting lines for Southern Miss vs. Rice:

• Rice vs. Southern Miss spread: Southern Miss -6.5 
• Rice vs. Southern Miss over/under: 45.5 points 
• Rice vs. Southern Miss money line: Southern Miss -240, Rice +196
• RICE: The Owls are 7-5 against the spread this season 
• USM: The Golden Eagles are 9-3 against the spread this season 
• Rice vs. Southern Miss picks: See picks here

Why Rice can cover

Rice’s defense is in a good position in this matchup. The Owls are No. 3 in Conference USA in total defense this season, giving up only 377.1 yards per game. Rice is also stellar against the pass, yielding only 210.3 yards per game and ranking in the top five of the conference with 23 sacks. Rice is in the top five of Conference USA in rushing defense with only 166.8 yards allowed per game, and Southern Miss has some offensive shortcomings. 

The Golden Eagles are in the bottom five of the Sun Belt with 331.7 total yards per game, and Southern Miss averages only 209.1 passing yards per game. No team in the Sun Belt has a lower completion rate (55.5%) than Southern Miss, and the Golden Eagles have the second-most interceptions (14) in the conference. Southern Miss is averaging only 3.3 yards per carry on the ground, and the Golden Eagles are converting fewer than 35% of third down opportunities.

Why Southern Miss can cover

Southern Miss should benefit from the scuffles of Rice’s offense. The Owls put up only 11.3 points per game in the final three contests of the regular season, suffering three straight losses as a result. Rice has the second-fewest total yards (370.2 per game) in Conference USA this season, and the Owls threw the most interceptions (19) in the conference. Rice is completing only 58.5% of passees, and the Owls are generating only 4.0 yards per carry on the ground. 

Southern Miss also has defensive strengths, and the Golden Eagles led the Sun Belt with 39 sacks this season. Senior defensive lineman Dominic Quewon is in the top 15 of the nation with 9.5 sacks, and the Golden Eagles allowed only 23.5 points per game during the regular season. Southern Miss was above-average among Sun Belt teams in total defense, rushing defense, and passing defense, and the Golden Eagles led the Sun Belt with 16 interceptions.

How to make Rice vs. Southern Miss picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, with both teams projected to generate multiple touchdown passes. The model also says one side of the spread hits in more than 50% of simulations. You can only see the model’s LendingTree Bowl pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Rice vs. Southern Miss? And which side of the spread hits in more than 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Rice vs. Southern Miss spread you need to jump on Saturday, all from the model that has crushed its college football picks, and find out.