The Rice Owls and Charlotte 49ers will meet in the first game of American Athletic Conference competition for both teams on Thursday night. Rice is off to a 2-1 start and Charlotte is 1-2. Both teams will look to get their first win in conference play for the season in the only game on the college football schedule for the night. Continue reading to get my thoughts on this game, including my Rice vs Charlotte prediction.
Our Rice vs Charlotte Pick
- Pick: Under 43.5
- Confidence: 3/5
- Get Your Bonus Bets: Use bet365 bonus code ATSBONUS to bet $5 and get $200 in bonus bets for this game!
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Rice Owls vs Charlotte 49ers
- Date & Time: Thursday, September 18, 2025, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Jerry Richardson Stadium, Charlotte, NC
- Broadcast: ESPN
Rice vs Charlotte Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Rice -1.5 | Rice -125 / Charlotte +105 | 43.5 |
Key Storylines
- Rice’s identity shift has been apparent early in the season. They attempted 55 rushes for 206 yards in their opener at Louisiana, which highlighted Scott Abell’s option-heavy approach. They will continue to prioritize the run here and will try to dominate the line of scrimmage to have success with that strategy.
- Charlotte has yet to win a game against an FBS opponent this year. They lost to App State and North Carolina to start their season, before beating FCS Monmouth. This is their fourth straight home game and the 49ers will look to get into the win column against FBS competition for the first time.
- This is the conference opener for these two teams and both teams will look to set the tone for their conference seasons in a game that is close to a pick ’em.
Quarterback Play
Rice redshirt sophomore Chase Jenkins has been a game manager in the Owls’ new offense. He is attempting 12.3 pass attempts per game as Rice tries to move the ball on the ground consistently. But Jenkins will look to catch opposing defenses off guard through the air on occasion when called upon.
Charlotte has gone with Conner Harrell at quarterback. He has four touchdown passes and two interceptions early in the year. His connection with E. Jai Mason has been impressive early in the season. Mason has 16 catches for 284 yards and three touchdowns. That duo will try to get Charlotte back to the .500 mark for the season.
Betting Trends & H2H
- These teams are 3-3 against each other all-time.
- Both of these teams are 1-2 against the spread to start the season.
- Rice has gone over the total in two of their first three games.
- Charlotte is 1-2 on their over/unders to begin the year.
Rice vs Charlotte Model Projection
Score Projection: Rice 20 – Charlotte 16
Win Probability: Rice 57%, Charlotte 43%
Final Thoughts
I think that Rice is going to try to move the ball on the ground and reduce the number of possessions that we see in this game. That should lead to the game staying under the total, as the struggles of both offenses should lead to a field position battle that is close, even if it isn’t a great watch.
