Rice walks into Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday afternoon as a 44.5-point underdog, one of the widest spreads anywhere on the Week 2 board. Notre Dame arrives 1-0 and ranked No. 3 in the AP poll after a 41-13 win over Wisconsin. Rice is also 1-0, following a 31-3 result against Houston Christian. The talent gap is not in dispute. The number is, and that makes this game worth a longer look than the matchup suggests.
Last Updated: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Rice vs. Notre Dame — Time & How to Watch
| Where | Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN |
| When | Saturday, September 12 – 3:30 PM ET |
| TV | NBC |
Rice vs. Notre Dame Betting Preview
Notre Dame opened its season with a controlled performance at Lambeau Field. Quarterback CJ Carr completed 19 of 29 throws for 239 yards and two touchdowns, and running back Aneyas Williams carried 20 times for 90 yards and two scores. The defense held Wisconsin to 13 points. This is Notre Dame’s first true home game of the year, and the program plays as an independent, so there is no conference ladder attached to the result.
Rice is a different kind of problem than the record suggests. Second-year head coach Scott Abell runs a triple-option system out of the shotgun, a scheme he brought west from Davidson. Fifth-year quarterback Jacurri Brown, a former Miami and UCF transfer, ran 13 times for 98 yards in the opener. Rice barely threw the ball at all. That offense is built to shorten games, not to win track meets, and Notre Dame has recent reps against similar looks from Army and Navy.
Availability matters on both sidelines. Rice lost slot back Quinton Jackson to a significant injury in the opener, and he will not play. Notre Dame is without safety Brauntae Johnson and defensive lineman Jason Onye, both expected to miss multiple weeks after leaving the Wisconsin game. Rice is an American Conference member, while Notre Dame is independent. The series is one-sided, with Notre Dame holding a 5-0 all-time edge and a 48-17 win in the last meeting, back in 2014.
Rice vs. Notre Dame Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice | +44.5 (+100) | – | O/U 55 (-110) |
| Notre Dame | -44.5 (-120) | – | O/U 55 (-110) |
Odds accurate as of Saturday, September 12, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NCAAF Odds – Futures – Props
Rice vs. Notre Dame Prediction — Can the Visitors Stay Inside Seven Touchdowns?
Start with what the market has actually done. The spread opened at 44.5 and has not moved a half-point. The juice has, though. Notre Dame started at -110 on the number, ticked to -115, and now sits at -120. The other side has drifted from -110 to even money. That is a slow bleed of support toward the favorite. When a number this large sits still for days while only the price shifts, it usually means the books have the number where they want it.
The case for the favorite is straightforward. Notre Dame is faster at nearly every position, it is playing its home opener, and it has unpleasant recent history to answer for. Northern Illinois stunned a top-five Notre Dame team in South Bend in 2024, and Marshall did the same in 2022. A staff that has lived through those afternoons is unlikely to coast, and a 41-point opener suggests the offense is already in rhythm.
The case against it is structural. To clear 44.5, Notre Dame needs both volume and efficiency, and Rice’s offense is designed to deny the first. A shotgun triple-option attack chews clock on every snap and drags possession counts down. Fewer drives means fewer chances to pile on. Layer in the usual second half of a game like this — reserves in, calls conservative, clock running — and the final 15 minutes tend to work against a number this size.
The risk is real. If Notre Dame forces three-and-outs and hits a pair of explosive plays early, this can be 35-0 before Rice’s ball-control plan gets going. We still prefer the price at even money, applying the same logic as in Norfolk State vs Virginia Prediction for September 11: Spread too High?
The Pick: Rice +44.5 (+100)
Rice vs. Notre Dame Prediction — Does a Clock-Burning Offense Squeeze the Total?
The total opened at 54.5 and has nudged up to 55, a mild move toward scoring. The pace argument cuts the other way. Rice’s opener was run-dominant from the first snap, and an option offense that rarely stops the clock can hold a game to well under the usual number of possessions. Notre Dame scored 41 against Wisconsin, but it did so with a normal share of drives. Take three or four of those away and the same offense lands closer to the low 40s.
The counterpoint deserves weight. Rice’s offense is also the kind that can stall entirely against this level of athleticism, producing quick punts and short fields that let Notre Dame score without burning much clock. A defensive or special-teams score would bypass the pace argument entirely. Still, Rice’s scoring ceiling looks modest, and the visitors need to contribute for this to clear.
The Pick: Under 55 (-110)
Final Thoughts and Bonus Angle
There is no moneyline priced for this game, which is normal when a spread reaches into the 40s. With no third market offering a defensible edge, we are not forcing a bonus play here.
What to watch instead: Notre Dame’s first three possessions. If the Irish move the ball without difficulty and Rice’s opening series go nowhere, the underdog case erodes quickly. If Rice can string together a pair of eight-play drives, the clock does most of the work from there. For a similar spot earlier this week, see Villanova vs Louisville Prediction for September 11: Will Wildcats Hang?
Our picks for this game: Rice +44.5 (+100) and Under 55 (-110).
NCAAF Rice vs. Notre Dame FAQ: Saturday September 12, 2026
What time does the Rice vs. Notre Dame game start?
Kickoff is set for 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, September 12, 2026. The game is Notre Dame’s home opener and will be played at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Both teams enter the afternoon at 1-0 after winning their season openers the previous weekend.
What channel is the Rice vs. Notre Dame game on?
The game airs on NBC. Notre Dame home games air on the network under the program’s long-standing broadcast arrangement, and Saturday’s 3:30 PM ET window is part of that package.
How can I stream the Rice vs. Notre Dame game?
The game streams on Peacock, which carries NBC’s college football broadcasts. A subscription is required. The stream mirrors the television feed, so coverage begins at the same 3:30 PM ET kickoff window from Notre Dame Stadium.
Who won the last meeting between Rice and Notre Dame?
Notre Dame won the most recent meeting 48-17, back in 2014. Notre Dame leads the all-time series 5-0, and these programs have not shared a field in more than a decade. Saturday is the sixth meeting between the two schools.
What conference are Rice and Notre Dame in?
Rice is a member of the American Conference. Notre Dame plays as an independent in football and is not tied to a conference schedule, which is why this non-conference matchup carries no standings implications for either program. Rice opened conference-eligible play with a 31-3 win over Houston Christian.