How to watch Rice vs. Texas A&M: Game guide, TV/streaming, odds

After Texas A&M’s opening night beatdown of South Carolina, we’ve reached the point in the schedule where the Aggies will obliterate the not-so-good teams on their schedule. They got off to a good start with that last week, beating Lamar 73-3. The Aggies have been jabbed — notably by Steve Spurrier — for their weak non-conference schedule, and while Rice should be a much more formidable opponent than Lamar, this is still another chance for A&M to run up the score.

However, A&M knows not to take Rice lightly. The Owls had a stellar 2013 season and gave the Aggies all they could handle last year. Rice led at the end of the first quarter in that game and was down only a touchdown at halftime, before falling 52-31 (to be fair, Johnny Manziel was out for the first half of that game).

This will be the second tough test in a row for the Owls, who fell 48-17 at Notre Dame in their opener before a bye last week. Can they build on last season? A win (or close game) against A&M would be a good place to start.

TV: 9 pm ET, ESPN2

Radio: Texas A&M Sports Network, 1560 The Game (Houston)

Online streaming: WatchESPN

Rankings and records: Texas A&M is 2-0 and ranked seventh in the AP Poll with two first-place votes. The Aggies are ranked eighth in the Coaches Poll. Rice is 0-1 and unranked.

Vegas: Texas A&M began as a 30-point favorite and is now a 31.5-point favorite. The over/under is 71.5.

Weather forecast: High of 80 and a low of 68 with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms. Last week’s Texas A&M-Lamar game was delayed due to lightning.

Texas A&M doesn’t have much to gain from a win over Rice, but blowing out the Owls will further legitimize the Aggies as a College Football Playoff contender and could bolster Kenny Hill’s Heisman status, as well. Hill was stunning in his first two performances, and another big day will build the mystique around him even more.

Rice can’t be expected to win this one, but the Owls can prove they weren’t a fluke last year if they can keep this close. Two straight blowouts to start the year (albeit to top opponents) wouldn’t be ideal.

Rice probably isn’t going to be able to stop Texas A&M’s offense unless they force some turnovers. The Owls were unable to slow down Notre Dame in week one, and now they’re facing probably the best offense they’ll face all season. Their one hope to stay in this game is to have the defense force some mistakes and then capitalize on an Aggies defense that was awful last year.

The A&M defense looks to have improved, but a solid game against South Carolina and a beatdown of Lamar doesn’t get them out of the woods. It’s a young unit and Rice exposed it last year. If the Owls can do that again, they might have a shot to stay in the game.

Read Good Bull Hunting for Texas A&M coverage and Underdog Dynasty for coverage of Rice and the other little guys.