Charlotte 49ers quarterback Conner Harrell (15) tries to pump fake a pass against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte Sept. 6.

The Rice Owls (2-1, 0-0 AAC) take on the Charlotte 49ers (1-2, 0-0) Thursday in a nationally televised conference opener at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's NCAA football odds around the Rice vs. Charlotte odds and make our expert college football picks and predictions for the best bets.

The Owls rolled Prairie View A&M 38-17 last week but failed to cover as 28-point favorites. QB Chase Jenkins was 10-for-16 for 87 yards and a touchdown through the air. It was what he did with his feet that was the difference, rushing 21 times for 124 yards and a score. Rice was roasted 35-9 by Houston the previous week. Jenkins had 50 passing yards and 14 rushes for 33 yards and a score in that one.

Charlotte covered as a 2.5-point fave in a 42-35 triumph over Monmouth last week. The offensive production was nice since it combined to score 14 points total in 2 losses to Appalachain State and North Carolina. The 49ers were down 14-7 at halftime and erupted for 35 points in the second half. QB Conner Harrell was 26-for-30 for 382 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT. He also rushed 13 times for 47 yards and 2 scores. His favorite target was WR E. Jai Mason, who had 10 grabs for 228 yards and 2 touchdowns.

– Rankings: US LBM Coaches Poll, conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports

Rice at Charlotte odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at Wednesday at 1:06 p.m. ET.

  • Moneyline (ML): Rice -140 (bet $140 to win $100) | Charlotte +115 (bet $100 to win $115)
  • Against the spread (ATS): Rice -2.5 (-110) | Charlotte +2.5 (-110)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 43.5 (O: -120 | U: +100)

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Rice at Charlotte picks and predictions

Prediction

Charlotte 24, Rice 20

Moneyline

I'm not feeling Rice's concoction here. It is heavily reliant on a running quarterback, which teams can gameplan for. Traveling across the country for the first conference game against a team that has some talent is a risky proposition.

Give me CHARLOTTE (+115).

Against the spread

PASS. If it were 3 or 3.5, I'd consider the insurance on Charlotte, but there's no play here unless you feel Rice rolls.

Over/Under

Rice is 2-1 O/U, and Charlotte is 1-2. Charlotte hit an Over 65.5 last week, and Rice hit an Over 48 — I look for that momentum to carry over. This is just a LEAN here because we're projecting the OVER 43.5 (-120) to just cross the finish line.

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This article originally appeared on Sportsbook Wire: Rice Owls at Charlotte 49ers odds, picks and predictions

Reporting by Ryan Dodson, Sportsbook Wire / Sportsbook Wire

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