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Rice Football 2025 Game Preview: FAU

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Rice football looks to rebound at home this week when they host Florida Atlantic. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Both Rice Football and their Week 6 opponent head to Houston following a loss. Rice fells in Annapolis, MD to Navy while Florida Atlantic dropped their most recent game at home against Memphis. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup between Rice and FAU.

Kickoff time | 6:00 PM CT
Venue | Historic Rice Stadium – Houston, TX
TV | ESPN+ (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Varsity Radio App (Online)

Sizing up the Contenders

To this point, Rice football has losses to a power conference team and one of the American’s preseason frontrunners. They’ve accrued plenty of good will with their 3-2 start under their new head coach, Scott Abell. The other others of Florida Atlantic are less fortunate. Entering the game at 1-3 with a loss to rival FIU, there’s some pressure to get things going. Both programs have a lot to gain with a win, especially with schedules that get more difficult as the year progresses.

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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 | Rice leads, 3-2
Last Five | Rice leads, 3-2
Last Meeting | Home 2023, Rice won 24-21

Rice Football Stat Notables

Passing | Jenkins – 47/69 (68.1 percent), 383 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Jackson – 73 carries, 353 yards (4.8 yards per carry), 2 TD / Jenkins – 69 carries, 248 yards (3.6 yards per carry) – 3 TD / Alexander – 45 carries, 228 yards (5.1 yards per carry), 2 TD
Receiving | Dickmann – 18 receptions, 168 yards (9.3 yds/rec) / Turner – 13 receptions, 76 yards (5.9 yds/rec) / Thompson – 4 receptions, 66 yards (16.5 yds/rec), 1 TD
Tackles | Awe – 38 / Morris – 33 / Williams – 24
Pass Breakups | Crump – 6 / Porter, Williams – 3 / Kane, Dailey – 2
Interceptions | Kane, Wyatt – 1

FAU Stat Notables

Passing | Veltkamp – 121/189 (64.0 percent), 1198 yards, 8 TD, 7 INT
Rushing | Sands – 38 carries, 245 yards (6.4 yds/car), 0 TD / Terrell – 34 carries, 92 yards (2.7 yds/car), 1 TD / Veltkamp – 31 carries, 49 yards (1.6 yds/car), 2 TD
Receiving | Messer – 37 receptions, 363 yards (9.8 yds/rec), 1 TD / Platt – 19 receptions, 247 yards (13.0 yds/rec), 1 TD / Waseem – 15 receptions, 184 yards (12.3 yds/rec), 3 TD
Tackles | Hart – 24 / Williams – 21 / Keys – 17
Pass Breakups | Reid, Philord – 3 / Williams, McGhee – 2
Interceptions | None

FAU X-Factor | Limit the big play

Florida Atlantic is a far cry from the elite defenses in the conference, but the Owls have been mostly good enough on that side of the ball with one glaring exception: the big play and, specifically, the big play on the ground. They entered their Week 4 game against Memphis dead last in the American in explosive runs allowed.

The Owls might have had the makings of an upset brewing before they allowed a 90-yard touchdown run to open the third quarter. From there, the rout was on. That could be extremely problematic when facing a team as committed to running the football as Rice will be.

Florida Atlantic ranks in the middle of the conference in yards per carry allowed and rush defense. Outside of the big breakdowns, this defense has been serviceable against the ground game. If they want to win this one, they’ll need to show they can be more disciplined and avoid the busts that swing this game against them.

Rice X-Factor | Start Faster

Rice has scored first once in five games, that coming in a loss to Houston. Prior to their defeat at Navy, Rice had been 3-0 when their opponent scored first. While that’s a compliment to their resiliency, it’s an equally concerning reality for an offense that hasn’t really started fast this season.

The Owls are averaging 1.8 points in the first quarter against FBS opponents this season. They’re scored just once in the first frame against FBS foes, an opening drive touchdown against Charlotte two weeks ago. Other than that, Rice hasn’t really gotten things in gear until the middle of the second quarter, where Rice has scored 41 of its 102 points (40 percent).

Outside of being stopped on the one-yard line against Louisiana, Rice has scored at least a touchdown in every fourth quarter they’ve played this season. The offense usually picks things up by the end. But goodness, Rice could really separate themselves against an FAU defense which ranks near the bottom of the league in scoring with a few early game points on Saturday.

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One Final Thing

To this point, the Rice football losses under head coach Scott Abell have been explainable, if not understandable. Houston had more talent and a power conference NIL fund. Navy had experience and a veteran quarterback at the helm. Neither have lost a game this season.

FAU doesn’t fit that mold. The Owls are, at best, one-sided and at their worst, a flawed football team. The defense has been exploited by all of their FBS opponents and the offense, while productive, will have a Rice defense that has been one of the better units in the conference to this point.

It’s hard to say this is a game Rice football should expect to win, given where they are in the state of their rebuilding process, yet it does have the potential to chart the course for what kind of season the remainder of 2025 will be. A win against FAU lifts Rice football to four wins in six tries, already matching their total from a year ago. It validates aspirations of a bowl berth and the potential to be a disruptor in the conference.

A loss doesn’t prevent the Owls from achieving those things, but the schedule isn’t very forgiving down the stretch and beating an incomplete FAU team at home should, in theory, be easier than taking down conference heavyweights such as Memphis and USF. Either way, we will learn a lot about the program this weekend.

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Rice Football comes up short against Navy

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A slow start proved too much for Rice Football to overcome as the Owls suffered their first conference of the season, falling to Navy 21-13 on the road.

First place in the American Conference standings was on the line when Rice football visited Navy on Saturday afternoon. The Midshipmen got off to a fast start and seized the momentum early, sinking the Owls’ upset hopes and handing Rice it’s first conference loss of head coach Scott Abell’s tenure. Here are a few immediate reactions from the game:

Dominated up front

By far the most concerning development of the afternoon was the Owls’ inability to get push in either the offensive or defensive trenches. The Rice offensive line, down their starting center and a rotational tackle could not handle the strength of Navy’s Landon Robinson on the interior. He routinely won at the point of attack and created negative plays, starting with a five yard loss on the Owls’ first snap from scrimmage.

The Owls’ base offense accounted for 19 total yards on 15 plays through four drives. The running game had been effectively silenced with the penetration on the interior and the Midshipmen’s ability to get to the edge on the handful of times Rice tried to win there. Chase Jenkins was sacked two times and Navy tallied seven tackles for a loss.

Head coach Scott Abell didn’t shy away from that harsh reality. “I thought Navy won the battle in the trenches,” he said. “Offensively, we let their movement kind of dictate early what we were going to try to do… we overthought that.”

He went on to emphasize Navy’s offensive experience and execution as the biggest differentiator on the other side of the ball. Navy was routinely able to exploit the spacing of the Rice football defense, averaging a staggering 7.9 yards per play in the first half, finishing the game with a still robust 7.5 yards per play.

Ultimately, in a game pitting two option offenses against each other, getting pushed around on both sides of the line of scrimmage put this team in a place that proved too difficult to overcome.

Dealing with the First Negative Game Script

The trench woes contributed to a two-touchdown deficit for the Owls on the road. That their opponent scored first is nothing new — Rice entered the game 3-0 when falling behind after the first score — but the lack of a counter punch from the offense was quite different.

After scoring in nine consecutive quarters, Rice was shut out at halftime. At the break, Navy was outgaining Rice 308-51 and Rice had picked up just three first downs and was 1-of-6 on third down tries. Remarkably, because both sides had only exchanged a handful of possession each, Rice hadn’t really been forced to abandon their primary offensive philosophy to that point.

That’s largely been true of this team through five games. The Houston game was the only one-sided result, but even that contest was competitive in the fourth quarter.

“My [game] script changed, but it changed more because of schematics. I didn’t feel like we had to change our approach and start slinging the football around, but I knew we needed to find some ways to stay on the field offensively and give our defense some breaks,” Abell shared.

“We didn’t really change the approach until midway though the fourth quarter.”

That Rice was able to cling to their core offensive philosophy was a credit to the resiliency of the defense and just enough progression from the offense from start to finish. It’s also a positive sign of things to come for the future.

Passing Problems More Pronounced with Low Volume

A scattershot passing game was responsible, at least in part, for the Rice football offense being stuck in neutral for so long in this game. The Owls had the right approach with how the dialed up their shots, but their ineffectiveness — for multiple reasons — really hamstrung the Owls’ offense, particularly in the first half.

A wide open Braylen Walker dropped what should have been at least a 25 yard gain. That the pass came in a constant rain in Walker’s first game back after an extended absence didn’t help, but the results were the same. A little while after, Jenkins couldn’t connect on a deep throw that landed just beyond the reach of a streaking Aaron Turner.

Again, that any singular passing play failed isn’t the point. But when you only run 22 total plays in the first half and attempt seven passes — even fewer thrown down the field — you end up at the mercy of variance, perhaps more often than you’d like.

More: Join the Conversation on The Roost Discord

Rice started to move the ball in earnest in the second half, but still saw the passing game thwart their momentum in key moments. Drayden Dickmann had the ball fall just out of reach in the front corner of the endzone. Rice settled for a field goal and kept the deficit at the time at two scores rather than pulling within a touchdown.

Jenkins did hit Dickman in the fourth quarter to set up the Owls’ touchdown on fourth-and-goal, but the effort would prove to be too little, too late.

If Rice hits a few more of those passing plays, the game might very well have gone differently. However, that they fell incomplete made it abundantly clear this offense desperately needed the boost they would have provided.

Wrestling with Elevated Expectations

The frame of reference for how we evaluate Abell’s program has shifted wildly in the span of a few short weeks. Fair or not, this team was projected to be a bottom dweller in the American Conference. That they started 3-1 and won their conference opener on the road made it clear they wouldn’t be keeping company with the worst teams in the league, but where was their ceiling?

A loss to a now 4-0 Houston team provided a glimpse of that upper bound. Saturday’s road tilt against Navy gave further clarity. Through five games, this 3-2 team has shown itself to be flawed, yet resilient.

“We’re still in the fight. As we get back to Houston, we’ve got to turn the page. We’ve got to see the film from right here and turn the page and get ready for FAU at home. One of the things I’m proud about this team is our fight and our grit. You can see it out on the field, every play, regardless of outcome, we fought. That’s something I’m proud of,” quarterback Chase Jenkins said after the game.

“We didn’t get the result we wanted, obviously, but going forward you’re going to see a team full of heart.”

Effort has never been in question with this group, they’ve mastered the want-to. Saturday’s result made it clear there is still work to be done on the how-to, on both sides of the ball.

Digging Deeper

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Third Down Woes

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Know Your Foe: Rice Football vs Navy

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Navy is next up on the 2025 Rice football schedule so we’re going behind enemy lines with Middies’ insider Mike James from The Mid Report.

Middies’ insider Mike James was kind enough to stop by and answer a few questions about the upcoming matchup between Rice Football and Navy. The answers below should shed some light on the Owls’ upcoming opponent.

For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Special features like this are reserved for our subscribers. Have questions? You can get those answered in our monthly Q&As and get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and features like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

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Rice Football 2025: Navy Game Week Practice Notes

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The injury bug bit Rice football this week, but the Owls are pressing on and looking to take more strides on offense. Here’s the latest from the practice field.

After a relatively healthy fall camp, Rice football is wrestling with injuries this week, juggling position groups on both sides of the ball amidst a strong 3-1 start. This update digs into which players are at risk of missing this week, who might be coming back and how that impacts the team as they prepare for a quality opponent they’ll have to face on the road.

Safety shakeup

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Rice Football 2025 Game Preview: Navy

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Rice football heads to Navy with first place in the American Conference standings up for grabs. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Navy was idle this week. Rice football was anything but. The Owls stole the national spotlight on Thursday, cruising to victory over Charlotte on the road on ESPN to improve to 3-1 for the first time as a program in more than 20 years. That sets up a big game with first place in the American Conference standings on the line. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup between Rice and Navy.

Kickoff time | 2:30 PM CT
Venue | Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium – Annapolis, MD
TV | CBS SN (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Varsity Radio App (Online)

Sizing up the Contenders

Navy was picked to be one of the frontrunners of the American Conference in the preseason media poll. Rice football was not. The Midshipmen are already off to a strong 2-0 start in league play and could get even further ahead by dispatching the upstart Owls from down South.

More: Rice Football Position Grades Through Four Games

On the other hand, Rice might just be able to further legitimize their hopes of a Cinderella run by knocking off one of the conference’s top dogs at their place and wouldn’t be blamed if they did stumble to a quality opponent in a tough road tilt.

Get the Inside Scoop

Get access to practice reports, analysis and special features during the week when you subscribe to our Starting Lineup Tier on Patreon today. If you want updates on how Rice football plans to attack this week’s opponent, position battles, standouts, injuries and more, this is your go-to source. Don’t miss out! Join now!

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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 | Rice leads, 7-6
Last Five | Navy leads, 4-1
Last Meeting | Home 2024, Rice won 24-10

Rice Football Stat Notables

Passing | Jenkins – 35/48 (72.9 percent), 269 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Jenkins – 57 carries, 215 yards (3.8 yards per carry) – 3 TD / Jackson – 58 carries, 293 yards (5.1 yards per carry), 2 TD / Alexander – 42 carries, 222 yards (5.3 yards per carry)
Receiving | Dickmann – 15 receptions, 123 yards (8.2 yds/rec) / Turner – 9 receptions, 49 yards (5.4 yds/rec) / Ransom – 6 receptions, 63 yards (10.5 yds/rec), 1 TD
Tackles | Awe – 29 / Morris – 28 / Anyanwu, Stevenson, Kane – 15
Pass Breakups | Crump – 6 / Porter, Williams – 3 / Kane, Dailey – 1
Interceptions | Kane – 1

Navy Stat Notables

Passing | Horvath – 18/25 (72.0 percent), 328 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Rushing | Tecza – 45 carries, 272 yards (6.0 yds/car), 4 TD / Hovarth – 41 carries, 245 yards (6.0 yds/car), 3 TD / Heidenreich – 24 carries, 209 yards (8.7 yds/car), 3 TD
Receiving | Heidenreich – 10 receptions, 126 yards (12.6 yds/rec), 1 TD / Hutchinson – 3 receptions, 70 yards (23.3 yds/rec), 2 TD
Tackles | Parker – 20 / Pirris, Robinson – 19 / Willis – 14
Pass Breakups | Oniha – 3 / Ross, Hamilton – 2 / Willis, Moutome – 1
Interceptions | Ross, Hamilton, Parker – 1

Navy X-Factor | Stand Out on Defense

Much will be made about the level of impact Horvath’s insertion into the offense had on this Navy program and while that certainly was crucial, Navy’s defense was almost equally important in the program’s rise a year ago. The Midshipmen were third in the conference in turnovers forced and have forced five through three games in 2025.

It’s not just turnovers, though. Navy is third in the conference in sacks per game (3.0) — Rice leads the league at 3.5. The Midshipmen have also forced a decent clip of negative plays. That must be the focal point as they prepare to face off against the Owls’ option attack this week.

Getting Rice behind schedule, whether by disciplined gap assignment or a key big play or two in the right moments will help Navy force the game flow to conform to how they’d like to to progress. That would put them in the driver’s seat and put the visitors in trouble.

Rice X-Factor | Limit Horvath’s Legs

If there’s been a weak spot in what has largely been an impressive season for the Rice defense, it’s been their ability to limit the quarterback run game. Louisiana’s Walker Howard carried the ball for nine times for 47 yards, averaging 5.2 yards per carry and scoring once on the ground. Prairie View A&M’s Tevin Carter ran 15 times for 65 yards and score. Even Houston’s Connor Weigman tallied a rushing touchdown.

Rice was able to neutralize Charlotte’s quarterback run game, but a backup quarterback was under center for most of that contest.

None of those quarterback’s hold a candle to Navy’s Blake Horvath who led the American last year with 7.1 yards per carry, racking up 1246 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns on the ground. Horvath hasn’t been quite as dynamic this year, but Navy really hasn’t needed him to be with the rest of the offense rising to challenge. If things get close, Navy is going to lean on his legs. Rice has to have an answer.

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One Final Thing

A down-and-out Rice football program, playing with an interim head coach, soundly mopped the floor with Navy last season when the Midshipmen had conference championship aspirations. That same Navy program returned some key pieces on offense and head coach Brian Newberry but did see a good amount of turnover on defense.

Rice looks a lot different than it did the last time these team’s met, but they’ve nearly matched their win total from a season ago and appear to be playing with a great level of energy and focus under the new leadership of Scott Abell. The Owls are trying to find their place in the American Conference food chain and haven’t been eaten by any of the conference’s bigger fish quite yet.

Already playing with house money, Saturday’s tilt with Navy offers a very real touchstone to compare what the old regime was able to do at its best with the infancy stages of the Owls’ new leadership which is only scratching the surface of where they believe this program is heading. It’s a perfect example of a program with very little to lose facing one with expectations and a long memory.

Rice football has already won as a double-digit underdog on the road this season — they haven’t lost away from home under Abell yet, in fact — and will come ready to play. Navy had better be ready.

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