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After a brief hiatus, the LendingTree Bowl is back for the third straight year. This year’s contest will see Rice of Conference-USA battle against Southern Mississippi out of the Sun Belt. Both teams are looking to snap a lengthy bowl win drought; Rice last won in 2014 and have not made a bowl since, while Southern Mississippi last won in 2016 with their last appearance coming in 2019.
When: Saturday, December 17th @ 5:45 PM ET
Where: Mobile, Alabama
Who: Rice vs. Southern Mississippi
Spread & Total: Southern Mississippi -6.5; O/U 45.5
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Tale of the Tape: Rice Owls
Rice is the lone team with a losing record that was granted a postseason invitation. The season didn’t appear to be heading toward a losing season. Sure, losses to tough non-conference foes like USC and Houston were expected. But it appeared to set up the Owls for a strong run in Conference USA. It started by defeating UAB in their conference opener, but the Owls split the next four to make their season 5-4. That’s when the wheels fell off, as that was the last time we’ve seen quarterback Tim McMahon. In the last three games for the Owls, they totaled just 34 points. And by the sound of it, McMahon is not expected to play in the bowl game.
McMahon is responsible for 18 of the team’s 20 passing touchdowns, along with three of the team’s rushing touchdowns.
Transfer Portal Departures: N/A
Players to Know: QB AJ Padgett
Replacing McMahon at quarterback. 20/40 on the season for 339 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
DB Gabe Taylor
Named to the Second-Team All-Texas College team. 55 tackles ranks third on the team. Five pass breakups, two interceptions including one for a touchdown. Five career interceptions.
Tale of the Tape: Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles
A rotation of quarterbacks led to a struggling Southern Mississippi offensive output. Ty Keyes was lost for the season due to a hand injury suffered in the Tulane game. Zach Wilke struggled with turnovers, and the Golden Eagles closed the season with Trey Lowe. Lowe went 1-3, but got the all-important sixth win against Louisiana Monroe in the season finale. Southern Mississippi went 2-4 against bowl eligible teams, with the wins coming at Tulane and at home against Louisiana Lafayette.
Transfer Portal Departures: N/A
Player to Know: RB Frank Gore Jr.
The leading rusher for the Golden Eagles for the third-straight season, Gore topped 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career. Was named to the All-Sun Belt First Team this season.
DL Dominic Quewon
Nine sacks ranked 14th nationally. Recorded at least a half of a sack in nine of 11 games this season.
Bowl Game Trends:
- Bowl teams entering the game with a losing record are 9-7 since 2011
- LendingTree Bowl history: Sun Belt – 8-4; Conference USA – 4-7
- Excluding 2021 when the Sun Belt was not present, the Sun Belt representative has won the last six bowl games and eight of the last nine.
Game Synopsis:
Oof. This is likely one of the most lackluster pair of offenses in bowl mania. Both teams have had quarterback issues and lack the ability to find the end zone. The only bright spot offensively for either team appears to be Frank Gore Jr. He could have a field day against a bottom-tier rush defense that allowed 19 rushing scores this year. Without McMahon, I’m not buying this Rice offense despite the extra time to game plan. I’m on Southern Mississippi, but not thrilled about either side.
Bowl Mania Pick: Southern Mississippi
Bowl Mania Confidence: 2/43
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