Rice vs Notre Dame Picks and Prediction for Saturday, September 12, 2026
The Rice Owls visit the No. 4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium, with the opening kickoff scheduled for 3:30 PM ET and coverage on NBC. Both teams are 1-0. Rice opened with a 31-3 win over Houston Christian, while Notre Dame beat Wisconsin 41-13. Notre Dame is a 44.5-point favorite at -112, with Rice +44.5 at -108. The total is 54.5 at -110 on both sides after opening at 52.5. Win big with our free NCAAF picks.
Rice Owls Preview
Rice relied heavily on the running game in its opening victory, producing 465 rushing yards on 70 carries. Tyvonn Byars led the Owls with 104 yards on 16 attempts, while Jacurri Brown added 98 yards on 13 carries. DAndre Hardeman Jr. rushed for 77 yards and a touchdown, and Quinton Jackson added 61 yards and two scores. Rice attempted only 10 passes, completing four for 28 yards.
The Owls held Houston Christian to three points and recorded three sacks. Chibby Nwajuaku finished with five tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble, while Tyler Lavallier added another sack. Jerrick Harper recorded an interception. Rice's defense now takes a major step up against a Notre Dame offense that scored 28 second-half points against Wisconsin.
Injuries: No injuries to report.
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish Preview
Notre Dame produced 350 total yards in its 41-13 win over Wisconsin. CJ Carr completed 19 of 29 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Aneyas Williams carried 20 times for 90 yards and two touchdowns, while Jordan Faison led the receivers with four catches for 81 yards. Nolan James Jr. added 67 receiving yards and a touchdown as Notre Dame pulled away after leading 13-10 at halftime.
The Fighting Irish held Wisconsin to 284 total yards, including only 67 on the ground, and forced two turnovers. DJ McKinney returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown, while Notre Dame also recovered a fumble. The defense recorded two sacks and six tackles for loss. Drayk Bowen led the unit with nine tackles, with Adon Shuler and Jaiden Ausberry adding seven apiece.
Injuries: Injuries: LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (knee) and QB Blake Hebert (undisclosed) are questionable, while WR Quincy Porter (knee) is out.
Rice vs Notre Dame Prediction
Rice's ground production was impressive in the opener, but Notre Dame presents a far different matchup after limiting Wisconsin to 67 rushing yards. That puts pressure on a Rice passing attack that produced only 28 yards against Houston Christian. Notre Dame also protected the football against Wisconsin and scored on offense, defense and special teams. The 44.5-point spread requires a large margin, but the matchup between Notre Dame's run defense and Rice's one-dimensional opening attack gives the Fighting Irish the advantage and ability to open up a significant lead. Final Score Prediction: Notre Dame Fighting Irish win, 52-6.
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Best Picks
- Notre Dame -44.5 (-112)
- Over 54.5 (-110)
