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Rice Football 2019 Game Preview: Week 6 vs UAB

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Rice Football hits the road in search of their first road win Saturday against UAB. How to watch, stats to know, x-factor picks for both teams and more.

On Saturday Rice football will square off with UAB in the Owls’ first road test in conference play. Rice is still looking for their first victory of the season after falling in overtime to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs last weekend. Despite never trailing in regulation, the Owls were unable to close things out at home.

The test won’t be any easier this week against a UAB squad coming off their first defeat of the young season. The Blazers weren’t able to must much in the way of offense, falling on the road to Western Kentucky, 20-13.

Both teams are 0-1 in Conference USA action. One will take home their first conference victory this weekend. Here’s what you need to know about both teams prior to their Week 6 game.

Broadcast Info

Kickoff time | 6:00 PM CT
Venu | Legion Field – Birmingham, Al
TV | ESPN+ (Streaming ($))
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio Preview

We’ll preview the UAB game on Episode 10 of The Roost Podcast which will be released on Wednesday. Find us on the podcast page or wherever you like to listen to podcasts. (And consider leaving us a 5-star review while you’re at it.)

Sizing up the contenders

Rice has fallen just short too many times to count. The Owls have discovered a formula to keep things close — physical defense and methodical offensive attacks. Finishing has been the struggle. Rice needs to find whatever switch they need to flip this week. If they can do that, the Owls could be a dangerous team in the second half of the season.

UAB has had quite a different road. Rather than face a slew of Power 5 teams like Rice, the Blazers whipped through a slate of relatively weak foes in nonconference play. The defending Conference USA champs’ toughest test came last week; they lost. Nevertheless, Bill Clark’s squad didn’t raise the trophy a year ago on accident. UAB will be out to prove last week was an aberration, not the norm.

Series History

All Time | UAB leads 4-3
Last Five | UAB leads 3-2
Last Meeting | Home 2018, UAB 42-0

Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Green – 37/64 (57.8 percent), 387 yards passing, 0 TD, 0 INT
Rushing | Walter – 76 carries, 293 yards (3.9 yards per carry), 3 TD
Receiving | Rozner – 20 receptions, 314 yards (15.7 yards per reception)
Tackles | Alldredge – 42, Montero – 33, Chamberlain – 32
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Thornton – 5 PBU, no team interceptions

UAB Stat Notables

Passing | Johnston – 63/101 (62.4), 927 yards passing, 8 TD, 6 INT
Rushing | Brown – 78 carries, 262 yards (3.4 yards per carry), 5 TD
Receiving | Watkins – 15 receptions, 289 yards (19.3 yards per reception), 3 TD
Tackles | Wilder – 25, Boler – 20, Moll – 19
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Marino – 2 PBU, no team interceptions

UAB X-Factor | Winning the line of scrimmage

Spencer Brown is one of the best running backs in Conference USA, but he’s averaging 3.4 yards per carry, the 21st best mark in the conference. As capable as Brown is, a relatively young offensive line hasn’t done enough up front to open up room for him to operate.

The status of senior center Lee Dufour, injured in practice last week, is up in the air. If he can’t go for the Blazers their ability to win against a stingy Rice defensive front would be made much more challenging.

Regardless of Dufour’s status, if the Owls can force UAB to be one dimensional, they’re going to be better off. Quarterback Tyler Johnston attempted a season-high 31 passes last week and threw a season-high four interceptions.

Rice X-Factor | Third down

What eventually doomed Rice against Louisiana Tech last week was of their own doing. The Owls could not stay on the field and sustain drives. They converted 4-of-16 third downs (including 2-of-11 in the second half), half the number of third down conversions they managed a week prior against Baylor.

Whether its more aggression, better run blocking or a higher level of play from quarterback Wiley Green, Rice is going to have to find a way to win on third down.

This has been a sticking point for the team since Bloomgren’s arrival. The Owls were dead last in third down conversion rate last year (28.7 percent) and enter the UAB game 12th in the conference (32.4 percent). If they can solve this problem, they’ll open up the offense significantly.

Injury Report

Freshman receiver Zane Knipe got off the injury list and made his collegiate debut last week against Louisiana Tech. While he should be set going forward, the status of fullback Reagan Williams remains in limbo. Bloomgren wasn’t confident he would be back this soon, but we’ll be monitoring the situation going forward. Stay tuned here for updates later in the week.

Need More?

The Roost’s 2019 Rice Football Season Preview has four pages dedicated to every opponent the Owls face. There are depth chart, important new arrivals and depth chart breakdowns for each foe. Better yet, it’s not just speculation, each profile was created with insight from local experts who cover those teams day in and day out. Pick up your copy today and get four pages and more than 1,000 words on every foe.

Pick ‘Em Contest

If you haven’t yet, make sure you submit your entry for The Roost’s weekly pick’em challenge. Choose an answer to each of the six questions below and submit them on the forum thread to enter.

  1. Will Rice commit more than four accepted penalties?
    Yes / No
  2. How many third downs will UAB convert?
    Over 8.5 / Under 8.5
  3. Which team registers the longest play from scrimmage?
    Rice / UAB
  4. Will Wiley Green throw at least one touchdown pass?
    Yes / No
  5. How many total yards will the Rice defense allow?
    Over 365 / Under 365
  6. Who wins?
    Rice / UAB

One Final Thing

Anything can happen in Conference USA. The talent differential between the top teams in the conference and the lower-tiered squads is slimmed than in the Power 5 conferences. At this point in the season, it’s still too early to decipher who belongs with the top dogs anyways.

Coaching and execution are where games are won and lost. Mike Bloomgren and his staff have been hard at work preparing a gameplan capable of taking down the Blazers. Members of the staff were up through the later hours of Sunday morning following last week’s loss, literally not sleeping until they found answers.

The Owls are committed to finding a breakthrough. The groundwork has been laid. All that’s left is to put the pieces together for four quarters.

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Rice Football 2019: Owls in the NFL Week 4 Update

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Former Rice football Luke Wilson made his return to the field on Sunday and helped the Seahawks win. Here’s how other NFL Owls fared in Week 4.

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

Week 4 results

Eagles 34 (Sendejo) – Packers 27 
Saints 12 – Cowboys 10 (Covington)
Jaguars 26 – Broncos 24 (Callahan)
Seahawks 27 (Wilson, Ellerbee) – Cardinals 10
Steelers 27 (Boswell, McDonald) – Bengals 3
Panthers 16 – Texans 10 (Gaines) 

Chris Boswell, K, Steelers

Boswell remains perfect on the season. He connected on three extra points and a pair of field goals (including a long of 49 yards) on Monday Night Football against the Bengals. The Steelers host the Ravens in Week 5.

Bryce Callahan, CB, Broncos

Callahan was inactive for the Broncos’ Week 4 game with the Jaguars. He’s still waiting to make his 2019 debut with the team. The Broncos visit the Chargers in Week 5.

Christian Covington, DE, Cowboys

Covington picked up two tackles (one solo) against the Saints on Sunday Night Football. The Cowboys host the Packers in Week 5.

Emmanuel Ellerbee, LB, Seahawks

Ellerbee was placed injured reserve prior to the start of the season. The Seahawks host the Rams in Week 5.

Phillip Gaines, CB, Texans

Gaines made his first tackle as a Houston Texan on Sunday, finishing with two tackles (one for a loss) in the loss to the Panthers. The Texans host the Falcons in Week 5.

Vance McDonald, TE, Steelers

McDonald was inactive against the Bengals with a shoulder injury. The Steelers host the Ravens in Week 5.

Andrew Sendejo, Saf, Eagles

Sendejo finished second on the team in tackles in the Eagles’ Thursday night win over the Packers. He had one tackle for a loss and a pass break up. The Eagles host the Jets in Week 5.

Luke Willson, TE, Seahawks

Willson signed with the Seahawks last week and made his mark on the field immediately. In his first action of the year, Willson grabbed two balls for 26 yards including a long reception of 17 yards. The Seahawks host the Rams in Week 5.

More Owls in the NFL

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

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Rice Baseball: MLB Owls end regular season on high notes

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The regular season is complete. Some former Rice Baseball stars had big seasons and a few MLB Owls have playoff games coming soon.

Three Rice baseball products have playoff games to prepare for. Two others missed out on October baseball, but had some great moments throughout the year. Here’s an end-of-regular-season round up.

JT Chargois – Los Angeles Dodgers

Regular season stats: 1-0, 21.1 IP, 28 K, 5 BB, 6.33 ERA

Chargois last appearance with the Dodgers came on August 15th, his 21st outing for the big league team of the season. He was optioned to AAA following that game and finished out the season with AAA Oklahoma City Dodgers, making three appearances. He’s on the bubble for the Dodgers’ postseason roster.

The Dodgers have clinched the NL West and play next in the NLDS on Thursday, Oct. 5 against the winner of the NL Wildcard Game between the Brewers and the Nationals.

Tyler Duffey – Minnesota Twins

Regular season stats: 5-1, 16 Holds, 57.2 IP, 82 K, 14 BB, 2.50 ERA

Duffey just capped off the best major league season of his career. The Twins’ reliever posted career highs in appearances (58), strikeouts per nine innings (12.8), WHIP (1.01) and ERA (2.50). He’s been the team’s primary set up man, paving the way for closer Taylor Rogers. The duo has become one of the better late game tandems in the major leagues.

The Twins have clinched the AL Central and play next in the ALDS against the Yankees. Game 1 is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 4 on FS1.

Jon Duplantier – Arizona Diamondbacks

Regular season stats: 1-1, 1 Save, 34.0 IP, 31 K, 18 BB, 4.76 ERA

Duplantier was back and forth between AAA and the majors this season with a few stints on the injured list sprinkled in between. He finished the season with Diamondbacks, hurling three scoreless innings in a 19-inning victory over the Saint Louis Cardinals. He earned his first MLB win over the Braves on May 9.

The Diamondbacks missed the playoffs.

Brock Holt – Boston Red Sox

Regular season stats: .298 BA, 76 hits, 19 XBH, 28 BB, 55 K

Holt’s 2019 campaign was one of his best in his eight-year MLB career. The utility infielder for the Red Sox posted career highs in batting average (.298) and on-base percentage (.371). Including designated hitter, Holt played seven different positions this year, playing every spot on the diamond except for pitcher, catcher and center field.

The Red Sox missed the playoffs.

Anthony Rendon – Washington Nationals

Regular season stats: .319 BA, 174 hits, 81 XBH, 34 HR, 80 BB, 86 K

First-time All-Star Anthony Rendon led the national league in RBI (126) and doubles (44), pacing the Nationals’ furious September push for a playoff spot. Rendon isn’t under contract with the Nationals beyond this season, making his banner year a potentially lucrative one. First things first, though, Rendon and the Nationals have at least one more game to play.

More: Redefining culture Matt Bragga’s biggest win in Year 1

The Nationals earned a spot in the NL Wildcard game where they’ll play the Brewers. That game is scheduled for 7:08 PM CT on Tuesday, Oct. 1 and will air on TBS.

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Rice Football: Owls frustrated after dropping winnable game

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Rice Football never trailed in regulation but left their own stadium without a win. That’s not something that will sit well with any Owls.

“This week was huge for us. This was supposed to be our breakout game… and it really stinks that we couldn’t finish it.” A Rice football team captain, Austin Trammell’s disappointed words were weighty as they hung in the air during a postgame press conference which lasted just over 10 minutes. Question were fired away. They were met with honest, frustrated answers.

Trammell said the goal of this week was to show everyone the Owls are “a lot better than our record shows.” Although they never trailed in regulation, they’ll have to wait at least one more week.

In a season littered with moral victories, Saturday’s overtime loss to Louisiana Tech doesn’t quite qualify. Once more, the Rice defense was superb, holding their opponent to multiple scores less than their season average through regulation. The offense didn’t hold up their end.

Rice scored touchdowns on their first two possessions. Then Mike Bloomgren stuck to the predetermined script, swapping quarterback Wiley Green for backup Tom Stewart. And all the momentum Rice had generated up to that point began to disintegrate. After a three and out, Stewart moved the ball down the field and into the redzone. That possession ended in an interception, the first thrown by a Rice quarterback this season.

In a game which ended in overtime, Rice could ill afford to leave points on the field. They did with that interception, a missed field goal and a three-play overtime possession which ended in a field goal instead of a touchdown.

More: Takeaways from Rice’s OT loss to Louisiana Tech 

“I’m sure there will be some calls that I regret as we watch this film, there’s no doubt about that,” Bloomgren admitted, “I don’t know if anybody in our program will watch this film and not have any regrets at their job or their position. I think we’ll all have things we wish we had done different.”

If Rice doesn’t throw that interception and instead kicks that field goal, they might have avoided overtime altogether. The same is true if they’d converted that missed attempt. The Owls might not have watch J’Mar Smith end the game with his overtime touchdown run had they found a way to get the ball into the endzone on their first overtime possession. Instead, Rice football is surrounded with “ifs”.

Bloomgren is tired of those “ifs”. He, more than anyone, wants answers to the Owls’ inefficiencies on the offensive side of the ball. Ultimately, he’s the one that’s going to have to. If Rice had a few mulligans, they could be sitting at 3-2. Instead, they’re a painful 0-5. But it’s the same team that sat in the locker room at the Patterson Center on Saturday night and began to process another tough defeat.

Regardless, they’re still fighting. Results aside, the Owls unquestionably continued to battle eright up until the final whistle. They’re playing for four quarters.

Trammell’s sneak peek into the mindset of the team proved to be a fitting way to end his comments. “Usually most people need that extra push, but our team right now,” he said,” everyone is in. Everyone is fully in. Everyone’s after the same goal, the same mission”

United, Rice football isn’t throwing the towel any time soon. They’ll take it in, breakdown the film, and move on, knowing they’re closer to breaking through than their now 0-5 record reflects.

The Owls tend toward of conservative approach on offense; So far it hasn’t worked. They need to find a way to finish, a way to turn three-and-outs into downfield successes, and more importantly, into points. Until that happens, Rice could continue to find themselves in this uncomfortable position.

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Conference USA Football 2019: Week 5 C-USA roundup

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Rice football fell in overtime, but they weren’t the only Conference USA Football to come down on the wrong end of a close game in Week 5.

Team Week 5 Result Week 6
Charlotte vs FAU L, 45-27 — OFF —
FAU at Charlotte W, 45-27 — OFF —
FIU — OFF —  — vs UMass
LA Tech at Rice W, 23-20 (OT) — OFF —
Marshall vs Cincinnati L, 52-15 at MTSU
MTSU at No. 14 Iowa L, 48-3 vs Marshall
North Texas vs Houston L, 46-25 — OFF —
ODU vs East Carolina L, 24-21 vs WKU
Rice vs Louisiana Tech L, 23-20 (OT) at UAB
Southern Miss vs UTEP W, 31-13 — OFF —
UAB at WKU L, 20-13 vs Rice
UTEP at Southern Miss L, 31-13 vs UTSA
UTSA — OFF —  — at UTEP
WKU vs UAB W, 20-13 at ODU

Notable Week 5 results – Standings

South Main’s first chance at victory soured late

The bottom line was the same for Rice football in Week 5 as it was in the Owls’ first four games. Defeat. This time the Owls pushed their heartbreak further than 60 minutes, falling in overtime to Louisiana Tech in a game in which they left too many points on the board.

Blazers bow out of the ranks of the undefeated

UAB was the lone remaining unbeaten in Conference USA, but wins over Alabama State, Akron and South Alabama weren’t on par with the level of competition they’ll face in Conference USA. Finally faced with their first big test, the Blazers came up short — to a Western Kentucky team which fell to an FCS squad not that long ago. The Hilltoppers have improved a lot, but UAB fans have reason to be concerned.

FAU could be on to something

Early losses to Ohio State and UCF took the early spotlight off the Owls this season. Since then, they scored 40+ points in three consecutive games. FAU routed a quietly impressive Charlotte squad. Now 1-0 in C-USA, the Owls are squarely back in the race for a division crown, especially considering the struggles of Marshall and FIU.

Week 6 storylines

Time to sound the alarm?

Both 1-3, UTSA and UTEP meet in a telling Week 6 matchup. The winner earns their first conference victory of the season while the loser falls to 0-2 with a rigorous slate ahead of them. It’s pretty early in the season to call anything a “must win”, but both teams will have an extra push to lock this one down.

Brick by brick

It’s been a long season for FIU. The Panthers sit at 1-3 with a close win over New Hampshire their only bright spot. The road to salvaging the season and getting back on track starts Saturday against a 1-4 UMass squad who earned their first win over 0-4 Akron last week. If there’s such a thing as a must-win game, this is it.

Take 5

Thanks to the extended calendar this season, each Conference USA Football team will have two open weeks. The first big wave comes in Week 6 with five teams each taking their first open weekend at the same time — Charlotte, FAU, Louisiana Tech, North Texas and Southern Miss. This is the second-most idle teams C-USA will have this season. Six teams are off in Week 12.

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