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Rice Football 2025: NFL Owls Week 2 Roundup

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Rice Football is well represented on 2025 NFL rosters. Here’s the latest from the NFL Owls in action in Week 2.

There are former Rice football players scattered across the NFL. Stay tuned each week for their game results and notables from each player.

TeamNFL Owl(s)This WeekResultNext Week
Washington CommandersLuke McCaffrey (WR)at Packers (TNF)L, 27-18vs Raiders
Philadelphia EaglesKylen Granson (TE)at ChiefsW, 20-17vs Rams
New York GiantsElijah Garcia (DL)at CowboysL, 40-37 (OT)vs Chiefs (SNF)
Detroit LionsJack Fox (P)vs BearsW, 52-21at Ravens (MNF)
Green Bay PackersBrant Banks (OL)vs CommandersW, 27-18at Browns
Pittsburgh SteelersChris Boswell (PK)
Calvin Anderson (OL)		vs SeahawksL, 31-17at Patriots

Defense

Elijah Garcia – DL, Giants

Garcia made quite an impact in limited action on Sunday against the Cowboys. Garcia played just 19 defensive snaps, but notched this huge sack in overtime:

Offense

Calvin Anderson – OL, Steelers

Anderson was active but did not play in the Steelers’ Week 2 game against the Seahawks.

Brant Banks – OL, Packers

Banks made his NFL debut on Thursday Night Football against former Rice football teammate Luke McCaffrey.

Luke McCaffrey – WR, Commanders

McCaffrey caught one reception for 19 yards and a two-point conversion against the Packers on Thursday Night Football. He also had a 25-yard kick return.

Kylen Granson – TE, Eagles

Granson drew his first start of the season in place of an injured Dallas Goedert, catching one pass for five yards against the Chiefs. He also was heavily involved on special teams, making three tackles.

Special Teams

Jack Fox – P, Lions

Fox punted three times in the Lions’ Week 1 beatdown of the Bears, averaging a robust 49.0 yards per kick with a long of 62 yards. He pinned two balls inside the 20 yard line.

Chris Boswell – K, Steelers

Boswell didn’t have a 60-yarder this week, but he more than did his part for the Steelers against the Seahawks on Sunday, converting all three of his field goal tries. He’s a perfect 5-of-5 field goals this season.

More Owls in the NFL

From practice squads to current free agents, there are other Owls on the cusp of returning to active rosters. Find more details on current contractual agreements and former Rice football players waiting for their next opportunity here.

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Rice Football 2025 Game Preview: Charlotte

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Rice football is looking to kick off conference play with a win against Charlotte. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Both Rice football and Charlotte played FCS opponents last week and trailed in the first quarter against their respective foes. The Owls caught fire and rolled to a comfortable victory over Prairie View A&M. The 49ers had to hang on for dear life, narrowly escaping with a victory over Monmouth. That sets up an important conference debut for both squads. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup between Rice and Charlotte.

Kickoff time | 6:30 PM CT
Venue | Jerry Richardson Stadium – Charlotte, NC
TV | ESPN (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Varsity Radio App (Online)

Sizing up the Contenders

The road only gets tougher for Charlotte. After the Rice game, they only face two other opponent projected to finish in the bottom half of the conference in the preseason media poll: Temple and North Texas, which hold a combined 5-1 record to this point. Wins might be hard to come by, particularly if they can’t find a way to tame an upstart Rice squad in the early days of their installation of a new scheme.

Rice has a tough schedule the rest of the way, too, but the Owls look to be steadily making strides on offense and have the advantage of a unique offensive philosophy that will make it challenging for opponents. A win in this game could make the dreams of a potential bowl berth tangible in a way that seemed unlikely just three weeks ago.

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Last Time Out

Make sure you check out The Roost Podcast every week this season as we review the Owls’ most recent game, breaking down the key moments, decisions and their impact on the outlook of the program moving forward.

Series History

All Time | Tied, 3-3
Last Five | Charlotte leads, 3-2
Last Meeting | Home 2024, Charlotte won 21-20

Rice Football Stat Notables

Passing | Jenkins – 27/37 (73.0 percent), 182 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Jenkins – 47 carries, 144 yards (3.1 yards per carry) – 2 TD / Jackson – 46 carries, 213 yards (4.6 yards per carry), 2 TD / Alexander – 32 carries, 149 yards (4.7 yards per carry)
Receiving | Dickmann – 11 receptions, 84 yards (7.6 yds/rec) / Turner – 7 receptions, 33 yards (4.7 yds/rec) / Ransom – 4 receptions, 57 yards (14.3 yds/rec), 1 TD
Tackles | Morris – 20 / Awe – 18 / Kane – 15
Pass Breakups | Crump – 4 / Porter, Daley – 2 / Kane – 1
Interceptions | Kane – 1

Charlotte Stat Notables

Passing | Harrell – 56/83 (67.5 percent), 365 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT
Rushing | Stokes – 32 carries, 96 yards (3.0 yds/car), Gainey – 23 carries, 94 yards (3.6 yds/car), 1 TD
Receiving | Jai Mason – 16 receptions, 284 yards (17.8 yds/rec), 3 TD / Nicholas – 17 receptions, 177 yards (10.4 yds/rec) / Burris – 6 receptions, 72 yards (12.0 yds/rec)
Tackles | Conley – 20 / Taylor – 19 / Solomon – 14
Pass Breakups | Seven each tied with one
Interceptions | None

Charlotte X-Factor | Don’t Make It Harder On Yourself

The 49ers’ proclivity toward self-inflicted wounds played a pivotal role in their near-upset at the hands of Monmouth. They committed 11 penalties for 103 yards, a mark among the worst in the nation last week. And it wasn’t a one-off mistake. Charlotte enters Week 4 ranked 12th in the American Conference with 7.7 penalties per game, averaging 66.7 penalty yards against them through three games.

For a program with a new coaching staff already facing an uphill battle, making the situation harder than it has to be is something that must be avoided. Getting first downs and getting off the field on defense are things that are hard enough without adding yardage and giving opponents extra chances.

Rice X-Factor | Limit the Big Play

Even without accounting for the challenging opponents Rice football has faced in its first three games, the Owls rank fourth in the American in total defense, allowing just 294 yards per game. On a down-to-down basis, they’ve been one of the most reliable units in the league. However, the big play has been their demise on more than one occassion.

Houston broke that game open with three long scoring plays, relegated Rice in a tie for tenth in the American with four plays of 40+ yards allowed this season. FAU, UTSA and UAB are the teams keeping Rice company at the bottom of the standings in that metric. All rank in the bottom half of the league in total defense.

Lastly, Charlotte won this game a year ago thanks to two big shot play touchdowns to receiver O’Mega Blake, spoiling an otherwise stingy defensive effort. If Rice can keep the lid on this one, they should have plenty of other avenues to pull out a road win.

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One Final Thing

By virtue of a 2-1 and the recent history of games between these two programs, Thursday’s matchup carries more pressure for the visiting team than might have initially been expected. The added strain on the 49ers, who have to prepare for an option offense on a short week, should tilt things even further in favor of the Owls, who have already proven they can win big games on the road this season.

Oddsmakers have released early lines that list the Owls as somewhere between 4.5 to 5.5 point favorites on the road. While a loss wouldn’t entirely erode the goodwill this program has built up in a few short weeks, it’s undeniable the earned expectation entering this game is a win and a potential 3-1 start for a team Vegas pegged as a 3.5 win squad coming into the season.

That’s a high bar for a program that hasn’t fully clicked on offense and is much thinner in the secondary than they’d hoped to be at this point in the season.

Still, the expectations are the expectations and Rice fans expect this game to be another win. If the team can deliver on that front and return to Houston with a winning record, it would be hard to evaluate the start of the Scott Abell era as anything other than a tremendous success. That might still be true at 2-2, but it’s impossible to understate the opportunity at hand.

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Rice Football Recruiting: WR Preston Jackson commits to Owls

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An offensive difference maker is joining the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class. Wide receiver Preston Jackson has committed to the Owls.

Concerns that a run-first offense would struggle to find dynamic receiver threats have largely proved overblown, to this point. The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class picked up another threat on the outside following an explosive day through the air for the Owls on the field. Forney wide receiver Preston Jackson has committed to the Owls.

Jackson was a highly sought-after prospect on the recruiting trail, holding offers from Tulane, Wake Forest, San Diego State, Utah State, Arkansas State and others at the time of his pledge. Rice formally jumped into the mix in August, landing a commitment from Jackson just a few weeks later.

For Jackson, that big decision was driven by relationships. “Seeing how close all the staff are to each other and the support they give to their athletes,” was a driving factor for Jackson, he told The Roost.

Jackson joins slot receiver Jai Jacobs-Ford and tight end Colten Cole as the primary receiving targets in the class to this point. The Owls will likely look to add a few more before signing day arrives this winter.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

The 6-foot, 173-pound Jackson is a natural fit on the outside in this offense. His acceleration is exciting, as is his ability to make plays after the catch in space. “I liked the shots down the field that they took while everyone expected the run,” he said. “I could just imagine myself in that position next year.”

The film showcases a player who can be a weapon down the field, something the Owls are seeking when they add players at this position to the offense.

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 212 – Rice Football handles PVAMU

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The first home win of the Scott Abell era is in the books with Rice Football besting Prairie View. Here are our reactions to the win.

It wasn’t the prettiest victory, but Rice football controlled their Week 3 game against Prairie View A&M for four quarters, making the right adjustments in game and getting a host of young players their first snaps on both sides of the ball. What do we make of the up-and-down FCS win?

You can find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 212.

Episode Notes

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Rice Football vs PVAMU Game Recap

  • The offense and defense start slow
  • Chase Jenkins has his best game of the year
  • In-game adjustments and a clear identity and plan
  • Slamming the door in the second half
  • The program remains ahead of schedule three games into the Scott Abell era

Where can you find us?

The Roost Podcast is part of the Dave Campbell’s College Podcast Network. You’ll still get the same content with the same hosts, but now under the DCTF banner. If it’s happening in college football in Texas, we’re talking about it. You can find this podcast and all of our partner podcasts on Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

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American Conference Football 2025: Week 3 Roundup

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American Conference Football was back in action this weekend. Here’s the latest from the teams on the gridiron this week.

TeamRecord This WeekResultUp Next
Army1-1 (0-0)— OFF — —vs North Texas
Charlotte1-2 (0-0)vs MonmouthW, 42-35vs Rice (Thr)
ECU2-1 (0-0)at Coastal CarolinaW, 38-0vs BYU
FAU1-2 (0-0)at FIUL, 38-28— OFF —
Memphis3-0 (0-0)at TroyW, 28-7vs Arkansas
Navy3-0 (2-0)at TulsaW, 42-23— OFF —
North Texas3-0 (0-0)vs Washington StW, 59-10at Army
Rice2-1 (0-0)vs PVAMUW, 38-17at Charlotte (Thr)
Temple2-1 (0-0)vs OklahomaL, 42-3at Georgia Tech
Tulane3-0 (0-0)vs DukeW, 34-27at Ole Miss
Tulsa1-2 (0-1)vs NavyL, 42-23at Oklahoma St (Fri)
UAB1-1 (0-1)vs AkronW, 31-28at Tennessee
USF2-1 (0-0)at MiamiL, 49-12vs South Carolina St
UTSA1-2 (0-0)vs Incarnate WordW, 48-20at Colorado St

Storylines // Standings // Preseason Poll

Mensah’s Return Rendered Moot

Darian Mensah made headlines when he transferred from Tulane this offseason, signing a high-profile NIL deal at Duke. That Duke and Tulane would be scheduled to play this season, and in New Orleans, no less, was an interesting twist of fate. Mensah played well, throwing for 313 yards and three touchdowns, but the Green Wave emerged victorious with Jake Reztlaff accounting for all four Tulane touchdowns.

Top Teams Begin to Emerge

Along with Tulane, Navy and Memphis enter the fourth week of the season as the only undefeated teams in the conference. USF has taken a loss, but falling to a top-10 Miami squad on the road is forgivable. All four of those teams were preseason favorites — and then there’s North Texas. The Mean Green hung 59 points on Washington State to push their way into the conversation for the league’s frontrunners in Mid-September.

To the Bottom We Go

FAU saw it’s seven-game winning streak in the Shula Bowl rivalry against FIU snapped on Saturday and the game wasn’t even as close as the final score might indicate after FIU ripped off 21-unanswered points to start the second half. Joining the Owls on danger watch are Charlotte and UAB who, although they both won this weekend, needed some good fortune against teams they ought to have handled rather convincingly if things were going smoothly.

Looking ahead – Key storylines

The Tigers Get Their Shot

South Florida has the preeminent win of the American thus far, knocking off Florida last week. Memphis could enter the conversation of SEC spoilers this coming Saturday when they pay a visit to Arkansas to face the Razobacks. A win against the Hogs would give the American a pair of bonafide playoff candidates and while it’s unlikely two from the league get in, it would be a strong statement for the conference to open the season.

Wave Hope to Keep Rolling

Tulane might not have the headline grabbing win like USF does, but they do have two Power conference victories under their belt in the first three weeks. Adding a third by defeated Ole Miss in Oxford would be quite an impressive start for the Green Wave. The Rebels are off to a shaky start, but have plenty of talent. It bodes well for the American if Tulane can keep this interesting.

Seperating Contenders from Pretenders

It’s too early in the calendar for any team to be knocked out of conference contention for good, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot at stake when North Texas visits Army next week. The Mean Green were silenced in Denton a year ago, managing just three points. Army has an FCS loss and a power conference win, so it’s hard to say exactly what onlookers should expect from this team going forward. This game should be a good litmus test for both programs.

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