In the thrilling world of college football, AI has emerged as a powerful tool for generating game predictions. The anticipated matchup between Houston and Rice is no exception. With data-driven insights, let’s decode the AI’s projection for this game and discover the potential betting value.
NCAAF Odds & Lines Overview
Houston:
- Point Spread: -9.5
Rice:
- Point Spread: +9.5
- Totals Over Under: 52.5
Calculating Expected Points
On the Offense
Houston’s Offense:
- Points Per Game (PF/Game): 36.1
- Relative Expected Points Offense (Relative EXP OFF): 0.79
- Total Predicted Points: 36.89
Rice’s Offense:
- Points Per Game (PF/Game): 25.2
- Relative Expected Points Offense (Relative EXP OFF): 0.79
- Total Predicted Points: 25.99
On the Defense
Houston’s Defense:
- Points Allowed Per Game (PA/Game): 32.2
- Relative Expected Points Defense (Relative EXP DEF): -0.79
- Total Predicted Points Allowed: 31.41
Rice’s Defense:
- Points Allowed Per Game (PA/Game): 34.2
- Relative Expected Points Defense (Relative EXP DEF): -0.79
- Total Predicted Points Allowed: 33.41
Merging Offensive and Defensive Metrics
By combining the offensive and defensive metrics, we can determine the overall expected points for both teams:
- Houston’s Expected Points: (36.89 + 33.41) / 2 = 35.15
- Rice’s Expected Points: (25.99 + 31.41) / 2 = 28.7
Accounting for Home Field Advantage with FPI
Taking into account the adjusted FPI difference of 7.7 points:
- Houston’s Adjusted Expected Points: 35.15 + (7.7/2) = 39
- Rice’s Adjusted Expected Points: 28.7 – (7.7/2) = 24.85
The AI’s Final Prediction
- Houston: 39 points
- Rice: Approximately 24.9 points

College Football Picks Generated by AI:
If you’re keen on making a bet based on this model, there’s slight value with choosing Houston with a spread of -9.5 and also considering the Over for 52.5.
For those looking to delve deeper into analytical betting and enhance their skills with spreadsheets and models, signing up for a free betting course could be invaluable.