The source for Rice sports news

Conference USA Football 2022: Week 2 Roundup

By

Conference USA Football was back in action this weekend. Here’s the latest from the teams on the gridiron in Week 2.

Team Week 2 Result Up Next
Charlotte vs Maryland L, 56-21 at Georgia State
FAU vs SE Louisiana W, 24-9 vs UCF
FIU at Texas St L, 41-12 — OFF —
LA Tech vs SFA W, 52-17 at Clemson
MTSU at Colorado St W, 34-19 vs Tennessee St
North Texas vs Texas Southern W, 59-27 at UNLV
Rice vs McNeese St W, 52-10 vs Louisiana
UAB at Liberty L, 21-14 vs Georgia Southern
UTEP vs New Mexico St W, 20-13 at New Mexico
UTSA at Army W, 41-38 (OT) at Texas
WKU — OFF —  — at Indiana

Notable Week 2 results – Standings

UTSA posts another thriller

Because one overtime barnburner wasn’t enough, UTSA followed up a Week 1 triple overtime loss to Houston with a Week 2 single overtime victory over Army. The Roadrunners have been all over the place in this young season thus far, but at 1-1 with a road win under their belts and Frank Harris continuing to excel, expectations remain high among the UTSA faithful.

Middle Tennesee bounces back

Everything that could go wrong went wrong for Middle Tennesee in their season-opening loss to James Madison, but the Blue Raiders have clearly put that behind them. MTSU lept out to a 27-0 halftime lead on the road against Colorado State, weathering a 19-point third quarter from the Rams to clinch their first victory of the year.

UTEP gets reprieve

The UTEP faithful entered the season with high expectations and might not have been able to stomach an 0-3 start. Leading 20-13, the Miners watched nervously as New Mexico marched down the field in the final four minutes before finally stalling out on the 13-yard line in the final seconds. It was too close for comfort, but a win is a win.

Looking ahead – Key storylines

Roadrunners rowdy for more?

It might behoove UTSA to keep their proclivity for exciting football games going for at least one more week. The Roadrunners travel to Austin next weekend to play a Texas team that will be licking its wounds from a near-upset of the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Longhorns might be without their starting quarterback, too.

Winning record?

A week removed from their first win of the year, can Rice football make it two in a row? The Owls host Louisiana in Week 3. The Ragin’ Cajuns have a new head coach and posted modest early season wins over South Eastern Louisiana and Eastern Michigan. Riding some momentum, Rice could be in reach of their first winning record under head coach Mike Bloomgren.

Sunshine State Showdown

There’s no lack of hostility among football fans of various programs throughout the state of Florida. Needless to say, emotions will be high when UCF makes the trip to Boca Raton to play Florida Atlantic in Week 3.  The Owls take on the Knights and then the Purdue Boilermakers the week following. A win in either game would be sweet, but you can bet FAU fans really want to knock off UCF.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Baseball: 2022 MLB Owls update – Sep8

By

The 2022 MLB season is underway and Rice baseball alums are busy on the mound and at the plate. Here’s the latest from the MLB Owls.

J.T. Chargois – Tampa Bay Rays

Chargois appeared in three games this week, beginning with a scoreless three out appearance against the Yankees last Friday where he earned his first official hold. He allowed three earned runs across 2.1 combined innings in his next two games, including his first start of the season on Tuesday where he served as an opener against the Red Sox.

Through September 8, Chargois has a 3.00 ERA with a 1.111 WHIP. He’s averaging 7.0 strikeouts per nine innings.

Lucas Luetge – New York Yankees

Luetge worked an extended relief appearance in a Wednesday win over the Twins in the second game of a doubleheader. He entered the game in the seventh inning with two away and finished the contest, notching his second save of the season with a no-run, three-hit outing with three strikeouts.

Through September 8, Luetge has a 2.55 ERA with a 1.257 WHIP. He’s averaging 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

Glenn Otto – Texas Rangers

Otto went four innings against the Astros on Tuesday, allowing just two earned runs while striking out five. He did not earn a decision in the game, but the Rangers did go on to win. He’s 6-8 on the season.

Through September 8, Otto has a 4.80 ERA with a 1.380 WHIP. He’s averaging 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings.

Injured List

Anthony Rendon – Los Angeles Angels

The Angels announced on June 17  that Rendon would undergo season-ending surgery on his right wrist. His season is done.

Rendon finished the year hitting .228 with 15 extra-base hits, 23 walks and 32 strikeouts. His OPS is .707 and he’s collected 24 RBI.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football 2022: McNeese St presser quotes, updates and depth chart

By

Rice football plays McNeese State this week. Here’s what Mike Bloomgren had to say about the matchup, injury updates and depth chart notes.

Head coach Mike Bloomgren and a pair of players met with the media for their customary weekly availability. They recapped the USC loss and looked ahead at the week ahead, discussing a few positives they can take with them and what they’re watching for in their next opponent, McNeese State.

More: Rice Football  – Blue and Gray Preview Show

We touch on those items, then dig into the Rice football depth chart and what the team looks like heading into the weekend, which features a few minor changes. First, the quotes:

Press Conference Quotes

“We’re playing a good team. That’s what we can’t look past. I think Coach Goff in his first year has brought in 58 transfers. They went up there and played the FCS team that played in the National Championship game last week in Montana State. They had a chance to tie it right before halftime, and then that game got away from them. Coach Goff has done great every place that he’s been. I look at what he did at Valdosta State last year, taking that team to the National Championship game and then a day later he takes over as McNeese’s head coach. I can only imagine that he hasn’t had a chance to breathe since that day. In any case, he’s building a great program and we’re excited to have them come into our place this weekend.” – Mike Bloomgren on McNeese State

“Guys were flying to the ball throughout the whole game people were putting in effort. I felt like nobody really game up on any play, really that mental toughness that coach Bloom is talking about. And I liked how our secondary played. I feel like we played one of the best wide receivering units we’re going to face all season. The fact that they were pretty much able to hold them from too many big plays, that was pretty promising to see.” – Edge Joshua Pearcy on the positives he saw from the defense against USC 

“Playing tight end, that’s what you’d expect. It’s a little bit of everything. You’re blocking and next play you’re catching a pass. It’s nothing that I haven’t practiced. It’s nothing that coach Jackson hasn’t gotten us a million reps throughout fall camp and practice leading up to the game. It’s fun getting to catch the ball but its also fun blocking people, putting people in the dirt. Both ways I have fun. That’s what playing tight end is all about.” – Tight end Jack Bradley 

Depth Chart

Rice Football

Depth Chart Notes

There were no changes to the official depth chart between this game and the USC game and honestly, that’s not too surprising. Given the nature of the Owls’ first opponent, barring any season-ending injuries, that’s typically the case.

The Roost Podcast: Recapping Rice football vs USC

On the injury front, Blomgren shared relatively positive news on Tuesday afternoon. He said the team was “optimistic” running back Cameron Montgomery would be back at practice on Wednesday. As for quarterback Wiley Green, Bloomgren indicated he continues to progress and there was no structural damage. His timetable was less certain. We will have some updates from practice later in the week for our subscribers.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

The Roost Podcast | Ep 124 – Rice Football vs USC Recap

By

The 2022 Rice football season opened on a sour note with a blowout loss to USC. Which problems are concerning and how can this team bounce back?

Rice football started strong against the USC Trojans in Week 1 but disaster struck in the form of injuries, dropped passes and a flurry of mistakes that turned a competitive football into a rout in short order. What good (and bad) should Rice fans take from the game and what will this team look like moving forward? We tackle those questions and more on this week’s show.

You can find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 124.

Episode Notes

Housekeeping

  • Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast on your platform of choice. Every little bit helps.
  • Please support us on Patreon. Be the first to get the inside scoop on what’s going on with Rice football and stick around for even further analysis. That includes practice updates, analysis and more. Your support matters and makes The Roost better.
    Become a Patron!

Rice Football vs USC game recap

  • What takeaways can you have from such a lopsided game?
  • Offense inspires confidence in early drives
  • Defense does their best against an absurd amount of skill talent
  • Encouraging showings in the trenches
  • The latest on the quarterback situation
  • What concerns linger from a blowout loss?
  • Expectations for the team moving forward

Where can you find us?

Download and subscribe to The Roost Podcast on any of your favorite podcast providers. The show is available on iTunes, GooglePlay, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and PodBean. Please consider leaving a review wherever you listen.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Conference USA Football 2022: Week 1 Roundup

By

Conference USA Football was back in action this weekend. Here’s the latest from the teams on the gridiron in Week 1.

Team Week 1 Result Up Next
Charlotte vs William & Mary L, 41-24 vs Maryland
FAU at Ohio L, 41-38 vs SE Louisiana
FIU vs Bryant W, 38-37 (OT) at Texas St
LA Tech at Missouri L, 52-24 vs SFA
MTSU at James Madison L, 44-7 at Colorado St
North Texas vs SMU L, 48-10 vs Texas Southern
Rice at USC L, 66-14 vs McNeese St
UAB vs Alabama A&M W, 59-0 at Liberty
UTEP at Oklahoma L, 45-13 vs New Mexico St
UTSA vs Houston L, 37-35 (3OT) at Army
WKU at Hawaii W, 49-17 — OFF —

Notable Week 1 results – Standings

Charlotte stumbles and MTSU plummets

Charlotte’s 2022 season couldn’t have started out much worse. Following an injury that forced him to miss a large portion of the 49ers’ opening game loss to FAU, starting quarterback Chris Reynolds was held out of their Week 1 loss to William& Mary. The Charlotte defense was battered for four quarters and the offense simply couldn’t keep up without their leader on the field as the Niners fell to 0-2.

It could have been worse, they could have been blown out by five touchdowns by a James Madison team currently in transition to the FBS. Sorry, Middle Tennessee.

FIU escapes

FIU filtered with disaster early and often against Bryant, falling behind 16-0 early and being forced to chip away. The Panthers made the gutsy call to go for two in overtime and were able to convert the try, earning a win. Struggling with an FCS program isn’t a good way to start the season, but the Panthers’ fans will take solace in the end result — a victory — compared to their conference brethren in Charlotte.

UTSA drops thriller to Cougars

In what might be the most epic game between Group of 5 teams this season, UTSA pushed Houston to the wire at the Alamodome on Saturday afternoon. Leading by two touchdowns entering the fourth quarter, UTSA was unable to quell a furious rally from Houston, ultimately falling in triple overtime. Both of the teams are going to be really, really good this year.

Looking ahead – Key storylines

No rest for the weary

Already in an early season rut, Charlotte is the only Conference USA football squad scheduled to face a Power 5 program in Week 2. They’ll have the privilege of hosting Maryland, but their home field advantage didn’t seem to matter much against William & Mary. Charlotte needs to exhibit some sort of spark to stop a flood of bad breaks this early in the year.

Home openers

Early season scheduling for Group of 5 programs typically means a lot of road trips. While several C-USA schools had their home openers in Week 0 and a few in Week 1, two schools will host their first home games of the year in Week 2: LA Tech (who hosts SFA) and Rice (who hosts McNeese State). Both will be favored at home after one-sided defeats in their season debuts.

Conference USA 2023 Preview

UTEP and New Mexico State meet this coming week for a non-conference matchup that will soon turn into an annual conference clash between two rival programs. The Miners are sticking around in C-USA next season while the Aggies make the jump up to the FBS into the league next year. Meanwhile UAB, which leaves for the American after this season, plays another future C-USA program, Liberty.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts