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The Roost Podcast | Ep 99 – Charlotte tops Rice football in OT

November 8, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

Rice football dropped another overtime affair, this time falling on the road to Charlotte, squandering a 10-point fourth quarter lead.

On what was one of the more efficient offensive days Rice football has had in some time, questionable decision making a porous pass defense led to another painful overtime defeat. Rice watched a fourth quarter lead disappear, falling to 3-6 on the season. What’s next for this team and what should be made of the defeat in Charlotte? Carter and Matthew break down the good and the bad.

You can find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 99.

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Episode Notes

  • Housekeeping
    • Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast on your platform of choice. Every little bit helps.
    • Check out the Blue and Gray Preview Show every Wednesday at Noon, hosted by Matthew and Rice radio broadcaster JP Heath on the Rice Athletics Youtube Channel
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  • Rice football vs Charlotte Review 
    • Rice football kicking woes continue
    • Jake Constantine, Jake Bailey and Ari Broussard provide plenty of punch on offense
    • How often should this team be going for it on fourth down?
    • Is there a feasible solution for the secondary’s woes?
    • Can Rice recover from another gut punch in overtime?
    • What’s at stake next weekend against Western Kentucky?

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.

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Filed Under: Archive, Football, Podcast Tagged With: podcast, Rice Football

2021-2022 Rice Women’s Basketball Season Preview

November 7, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

The 2021-2022 Rice women’s basketball season is fast approaching. The team will look different this year and they’ll be learning as they go.

The last several months have been what new head coach Lindsay Edmonds dubbed a “whirlwind” for herself and the Rice women’s basketball program, There’s a new staff, what feels like a new roster and now it’s finally time to put everything together on the court.

Aware of the enormity of the challenge, Edmonds seems ready to lean into the adversity. “The expectations are to compete. The expectations are to win,” she said. “I know we lost a lot (of players) but that still doesn’t change who I am and what I’m about, so I still want us to compete in each and every game that we play, give our best, do all the little things and have each other’s back on the court.”

It’s going to take a group effort to achieve those goals. Rice returns one starter from last year’s team, Katelyn Crosthwait, and will rely on a thin roster featuring only 11 players. Incoming freshmen who might normally have been eased into service could be called on as early as opening day.

Edmonds made that clear from the start. “Everybody is going to be on the court. There’s not a lot on the roster so I expect everyone to play this year,” she said.” That likely means fans will need to break out their scorecards and start learning the roster from top to bottom. To help expedite that process, here’s the lay of the land for Rice women’s basketball as the season approaches.

The Coach – Lindsay Edmonds

For the first time in the last six seasons, Rice women’s basketball has a new woman at the helm. Lindsay Edmonds has taken over the head coaching title after Tina Langley departed for Washington. Edmonds had spent the previous seven seasons as an assistant at NC State where she was a part of three Sweet 16 appearances and coached multiple WNBA draft selections.

Last Season Snapshot

Rice women’s basketball made history last season with the program’s first-ever WNIT title. The Owls finished the season with a trophy and a 23-4 record, dropping just two conference games prior to a conference tournament championship game loss to Middle Tennessee, a game that was decided by just three points.

Key Question

Who will emerge on this rebuilt roster? In addition to losing their head coach, Rice will also be without Nancy Mulkey, Lauren Schwartz, Sydne Wiggins and Jasmine Smith — four of their five starters from last season. That begs the question, who will take the big shot?

“There’s not a lot of players that played in those key and crucial moments in the past.,” Edmonds said. “I need to learn who I can trust in those moments. I need to learn who can handle the pressure of those moments. And I think we can’t figure that out quite yet in practices.”

Rice Women’s Basketball Schedule | Key Games/Dates

Nov. 9, 2021 – Season opener vs St. Edwards at Tudor Fieldhouse
Nov. 20, 2021 – Owls host Oklahoma State
Dec. 19, 2021 – Owls visit Texas A&M
Jan. 1, 2021 – Conference USA home opener vs North Texas
Jan. 6, 2021 – Conference USA first road game at Middle Tennessee
Mar. 8, 2021 – Conference USA Tournament

You can find the complete 2020-2021 Rice women’s basketball schedule here.

Key Returners

Katelyn Crosthwait, Guard (So.)

Crosthwait is one of two captains for Rice women’s basketball this year and the only returning starter. She led Rice with 43 three-pointers last year and started every game for the Owls including their run through the WNIT tournament. She’s a proven rebounder and is the most experienced player on this team. She will be looked to early and often as this young team works to find their rhythm.

Haylee Swayze, Guard (Jr.)

Also a team captain this season, Swayze is expected to make the jump from key reserve to key starter. She was the team’s leading scorer off the bench last season, averaging 6.7 points per game while shooting 40 percent from three-point range. She’s played in 80 games across three seasons, making two starts. Her role will increase significantly this season.

Destiny Jackson, Guard (So.)

Part of a very highly regarded 2019 signing class, Jackson was a key piece off the bench for the Owls in each of the last two seasons. She averaged 3.5 points and 3.2 rebounds last season, also creating 1.9 assists per game. She’ll be trusted with the ball in her hands often and could become an important distributor in what is expected to be a much faster-paced offense.

India Bellamy, Forward (So.)

Bellamy averaged 12.3 minutes per game last season, doubling her floor time from her true freshman season. She was able to snag 55 rebounds during that time and will be a trusted post presence for Rice on the court this season. She’s shot 42.2 percent from the field over two seasons with the Owls and is one of a handful of players Edmonds singled out as being in line to “play a lot of minutes.”

Ashlee Austin, Forward (So.)

Austin rounds out the group of players that have meaningful on-court experience for the Owls. She’s a physical forward that is strong with the ball but her Croswthwait was sure to note “she can make quick moves”, praising her versatility. She played 6.3 minutes per game last season, seeing action in 16 contests from the back end of the bench. She’ll be in line for a much larger role this season as well.


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Key names off the bench

Alexis Stover, Forward (Gr.) – The only transfer addition to the Rice women’s basketball roster,  Stover comes to South Main from Wright State and brings NCAA Tournament experience.

Arianna McCurry, Center (Jr.) – A reserve center last year who seldom saw the court, her 6-foot-6 size and no Mulkey will likely necessitate more playing time than her 7.4 minutes per game last season.

Maya Bokunewicz, Guard (Fr.) – Bokunewicz redshirted last season. She was praised for her versatility by the previous staff and could play multiple positions for Rice. Finding her niche will be key.

Malia Fisher, Forward (Fr.) – One of three new freshmen on the roster, Fisher is player that Edmonds described as someone with the “ability to do something that makes you go, ‘wow'”

Trinity Gooden, Guard (Fr.) – Another incoming freshman, Edmonds was enamored with Gooden’s toughness and style of play. Both she and Fisher could challenge for starting roles sooner than later.

Robin Whitehead, Guard (Fr.) – A later addition to the roster, Whitehead was a two-year starter at Atoscita where she averaged 14 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.8 steals.

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Filed Under: Archive, Basketball Tagged With: Alexis Stover, Ashlee Austin, Destiny Jackson, Haylee Swayze, India Bellamy, Katelyn Crosthwait, Lindsay Edmonds, Malia Fisher, Maya Bokunewicz, Rice Women's basketball, Robin Whitehead, Trinity Gooden

Rice Football 2021 Game Preview: Western Kentucky

November 7, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

If Rice Football wants to achieve their postseason aspirations, they’ll need to get past Western Kentucky. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

For the second consecutive Saturday, Rice football lost an overtime game. This one was different though. Instead of trailing for the duration, Rice had a two-score lead and was unable to finish. Meanwhile, Western Kentucky was taking care of business against Middle Tennessee, their fourth win in a row. Can Rice right the slide? Will the Hilltoppers stumble? Here’s what you need to know:

Kickoff time | 1:00 PM CT
Venue | Rice Stadium – Houston, TX
TV | ESPN+
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio / Visual Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs WKU on this week’s episode of the Blue and Gray Preview Show, streaming live on Wednesday at Noon on the Rice Athletics YouTube channel. You can also catch the recap of last week’s game on The Roost Podcast, which should be released shortly. 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

There’s a lot on the line for both teams at Rice Stadium on Saturday. The home team has reached do-or-die status when it comes to their bowl game aspirations. Sitting at 3-6 with three games to go, Rice has to be perfect down the stretch and that starts with Charlotte.

As linebacker Antonio Montero pointed out after the Charlotte loss, while the circumstances are far from ideal, “3-0, my sophomore year we did it,” he recalled. “It’s not impossible at all. Very, very possible, actually. There’s not a conference team that we can’t beat.”

On the other side of the field, Western Kentucky can clinch a bowl berth of their own and keep pace with Marshall for the top spot in the East Division standings.

Series History

All Time | WKU leads Rice, 2-0
Last Five | WKU leads Rice, 2-0
Last Meeting | Away 2016, WKU won 46-14

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Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Constantine – 84/131 (64.1 percent), 1059 yards, 5 TD, 3 INT
Rushing | Broussard – 87 carries, 473 yards (5.4 yards per carry), 2 TD / Myers – 89 carries, 334 yards (3.8 yards per carry), 8 TD
Receiving | Bailey – 46 receptions, 576 yards (12.5 yds/rec), 2 TD / Patterson – 24 receptions, 341 yards (14.2 yds/rec), 2 TD
Tackles | Montero – 60 / Garcia – 49 / Smith – 48
Pass Breakups | Dunbar – 6, McCord – 5, Smith – 4
Interceptions |
Smith/Nyakwol – 2, Four others tied with one

Western Kentucky Stat Notables

Passing | Zappe – 308/441 (69.8 percent), 3688 yards passing, 37 TD, 6 INT
Rushing | Cofield – 64 carries, 321 yards (5.0 yards per carry), 4 TD / Whittington – 60 carries, 317 yards (5.3 ypc), 1 TD
Receiving | Sterns – 104 receptions, 1276 yards (12.3 yards per reception), 11 TD / Tinsley – 43 receptions, 680 yards (15.8 yds/rec), 6 TD
Tackles | Kincade – 62 / Malone – 62 / Ignont – 43
Interceptions | Cain/Bishop -2, Seven tied with one apiece
Pass Breakups |
Ignont – 6, Edwards – 4, Four others tied with three apiece

WKU X-Factor | Keep your foot on the gas

Rice doesn’t want this to turn into a shootout. The Owls did win a 48-34 affair with Texas Southern earlier this season, but their ideal style of game is much lower-scoring. They want to maximize time of possession, grind out the clock and win on the margins. Falling behind early, as they did recently in losses to UTSA and North Texas, can be dangerous.

The Owls struggled in the kicking game too, missing three straight field goals between the end of the North Texas game and the start of the Charlotte contest. They then proceeded to go for it on fourth down in areas of the field where a long field goal might be an option.

If Rice struggles when they fall behind and the Owls have learned towards a “touchdown or bust” offensive philosophy, all Western Kentucky has to do is keep putting points on the board. Force Rice to play the style of game they don’t want to play and, more importantly, to execute at a high rate on their third and fourth down conversions in the redzone. That’s been a pain point for Rice in recent weeks.

Rice X-Factor | Force Bailey Zappe to make mistakes

Western Kentucky is far and away the most proficient offense in Conference USA. They’re going to score points and Bailey Zappe is going to attack down the field early and often. The Rice secondary had the chance to win the game against Charlotte but couldn’t limit the 49ers on their final fourth quarter drive nor could they stop the bleeding in overtime.

If the secondary can’t contain Zappe, they need to make him mortal. Rice forced 11 turnovers in 12 games in 2019, 0.92 per game. They had nine in five games in 2020, 1.80 per game. This season, they’ve forced 11 in nine games, 1.20 per game. They’ve finished better than +1 in the turnover margin once, that came against Southern Miss, a game they won at home.

Relying on turnovers and big plays to win games can’t be the entirety of the Owls’ game plan, but it’s going to have play some role in the outcome. Even an offense this good has its hiccups. Rice absolutely has to expose those and make it count when they do.

Pick ‘Em Contest (Subscribers only)

Make sure you submit your entry for The Roost’s weekly pick’em challenge. There will be swag and prizes for the top finishers at the end of the season. Choose an answer to each of the six questions below and comment on this post on the Patreon page to enter. It’s that easy.

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One Final Thing

For better or worse, Rice football will know for sure whether or not their postseason hopes remain alive after this weekend. Western Kentucky is a good football team, and possibly if not probably the best team remaining on the Owls’ schedule. If they can upset the Hilltoppers, they’ll have a chance to run the table. They’ve beaten good teams before, and fairly recently at that, but they’re out of wiggle room.

“Some of the games we may be a favorite, some of the games we may be an underdog, but it doesn’t really matter,” Bloomgren said of this upcoming stretch. It’s going to come down to how we play and how we finish. But we’re good enough. We’re going to be good enough to win these games. Now when we get to that deep water that we talk about and work for, now we’ve got to finish.”

The UAB upset proved this team is good enough. Their ability to rally from behind against North Texas and force overtime proved they could fight back, even on a bad day. But when it’s come to execution, this team hasn’t been able to weather the storm. Now they’re on their last chance.

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Filed Under: Featured, Football, Premium Tagged With: Antonio Montero, Ari Broussard, Cedric Patterson, Elijah Garcia, George Nyakwol, Jake Bailey, Jake Constantine, Jordan Dunbar, Jordan Myers, Jovaun Woolford, Miles Mccord, Naeem Smith, Rice Football, Trey Schuman

2021-2022 Rice Basketball Season Preview

November 7, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

The 2021-2022 Rice basketball team returns to South Main with high expectations and plenty of confidence. Can the Owls soar even higher?

Perhaps it’s the infectious smile of starting guard Quincy Olivari or the multiple wins in the conference tournament last season under their belts, but the 2021-2022 Rice Basketball team enters the season with a renewed level of confidence, a swagger they didn’t possess at this point last year.

By head coach Scott Pera’s own admission. expectations have been raised. “We’ve put a lot of time and energy and effort into building this program into the words I’ve used: sustainable and winning,” he said in his remarks to the media before the season officially gets underway Tuesday night. “If there are never expectations put on you, that means you’re never any good. And so we’ve talked about embracing expectations, relishing the fact that now people have a respect for us and expect us to be better.”

Better means building off a strong returning core, integrating in a pair of grad transfers and climbing the conference standings. “We want to win and we believe we can win,” Olivari said. “Before it was just (to) not finish last or just make the conference tournament, (now) it’s make the conference tournament and compete for a championship. That’s the whole, overall message.”

Aiming higher than they ever have before, Rice basketball is looking forward to what promises to be an exciting year. And while the offense will get most of the accolades, it’s not the only thing this team has worked to amplify during the offseason.

To a man, Pera and several team leaders identified defense as the top priority. Pera called it “the number one emphasis,” because that phase of the game was “the area we need to improve the most.” If Rice can add an efficient defense to their high-fly scoring attack that was fourth in the conference last year with 73.9 points per game scored, this team could be dangerous.

The Coach – Scott Pera

Pera was given a contract extension this summer, keeping him at Rice through 2024, ane he earned it. Not only did Pera rebuild the roster on the fly, but he also increased the Owls’ winning percentage for the third consecutive season with players like future first-round NBA draft pick Trey Murphy to help him along the way.

As a part of his focus on making the program appealing to recruits and those outside the hedges, he also engineered the #GreenLightU mantra. “We let our guys play,” he said, alluding to the freedom he gives his players to take shots on the court.

Last Season Snapshot

With the roster gutted by transfers, things were up and down for Rice basketball last season. Non-conference play featured a handful of wins over lesser-know programs, but conference action saw Rice win four of their first five including a win over UTEP in El Paso.

The team would teeter-totter between short losing streaks and winning streaks for the remainder of the year before closing out the season with a memorable run in the conference tournament. Rice beat Southern Miss and Marshall in the conference tournament, setting the stage for what many around the program hope will be a deeper run in the season to come.

Key Question

Entering last season, Rice returned a meager 26.4 percent of their scoring from the season prior. This time around, Rice brings back 86.3 percent of it’s scoring. The continuity is not something lost on Pera, who called consistency something “that has become increasingly difficult” it today’s age of college basketball.

With several of the same faces back, the question moves from who will produce to this, in Pera’s own words: “How mentally tough are we? How are we going to deal with adversity?” Whether or not Rice is able to be resilient and respond under pressure will be a major factor in determining how high the ceiling can be for this team.

Rice Basketball Schedule | Key Games/Dates

Nov. 9, 2021 – Season opener vs Pepperdine at Tudor Fieldhouse
Nov. 12, 2021 – Owls visit Houston at the Fertitta Center
Nov. 22-24, 2021 – Gulf Coast Showcase Tournament
Dec. 22, 2021 – Non-conference finale at Texas
Jan. 1, 2021 – Conference USA first road game vs North Texas
Jan. 6, 2021 – Conference USA home opener vs Middle Tennessee
Mar. 8, 2021 – Conference USA Tournament

You can find the complete 2021-2022 Rice basketball schedule here.

Key Returners

Chris Mullins, Guard (Jr.)

Prior to the arrival of two grad transfers, Mullins was the old soul on this roster. He’s the only player on the roster than started at least 20 games for Rice in three consecutive seasons. Mullins is an aggressive defender with the speed to take the ball and finish at the rim. His experience in this system and productivity on both sides of the court will pay dividends for Rice.

Quincy Olivari, Guard (So.)

Olivari broke out in a big way last season, making the jump from a role player to one of the most lethal distance shooters in Conference USA. A preseason all-conference honoree, Olivari will be looking to build on his 16.3 points per game and 40.6 percentage from three he compiled last season. He’s quickly become one of the most vocal members of this team.

Max Fiedler, Forward (So.)

Fiedler also elevated his play significantly last season, doubling his playing time (12 minutes per game to 28 minutes), rebounds (4.1 per game to 8.8) and almost quintupling his scoring (2.7 points per game to 11.2). He’s more than just a big body in the middle. Fiedler has good feet and a keen eye. He’ll be a key facilitator, setting up the Owls’ outside shooters as defenses sag to stop him at the rim.

Travis Evee, Guard (So.)

Evee was cleared to play for Rice right before last season began, taking advantage of a waiver from the NCAA and becoming Olvari’s partner in crime from three-point land. Evee was named the C-USA Newcomer of the year, leading the team in steals (1.2 per game) while finishing second in scoring (13.7 per game). Another year of experience playing within this system with these teammates will only add to his impact on the court.

Cameron Sheffield, Forward (Fr.)

Sheffield is one of the most versatile players on the Rice roster, and although he might not be one of the five starters on any given day, he’ll certainly be one of the first off the bench. Pera identified him as one of the guys most likely to make a jump this year, saying “he’s a guy that just keeps getting better.” One of four Owls to play in all 28 games last year, Sheffield will be the ideal sixth man for this squad in 2021-2022.

Mylyjael Poteat,  Forward (Fr.)

Poteat might not be a household name yet, but he was the other player Pera identified as an up-and-coming producer. Poteat got his feet wet last year as a freshman, playing in 13 games, playing more than 15 minutes just once, a 17-minute outing against Southern Miss. He’s learned a lot this offseason and is someone Pera described as “a guy that has a huge ceiling.”

Riley Abercrombie, Forward (So.)

Riley Abercrombie is the only other returning player that played a meaningful role for this team on a game-to-game basis. He averaged 7.5 points per game, drawing 15 starts over the course of the season. He projects to be a reserve this year, but one that can shoot the three ball well (34 percent last season) and can rebound.


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Key Additions

Carl Pierre, Guard (Gr.) – Pierre trasfered from UMass where he was second all-time in career three-point field goals made. A high school teammate of Olivari, Pierre will join him in the starting five this season. He looked comfortable with the ball in his hands during the Owls’ exhibition against St. Edwards and figures to be a mainstay on the court this year.

Terrance McBride, Guard (Gr.) – McBride joins Rice after transferring from Cornell. Along with Pierre, McBride’s experience will be a boost to this team. Quincy Olivari cited McBride as someone that’s already made a difference with his leadership. Pera indicated he expects McBride to get upwards of 20 or so minutes off the bench on a regular basis.

More Names to Know

Jake Lieppert saw playing time off the bench last season, averaging 10.7 minutes per game in the 15 contests in which he checked into the lineup. Ben Moffat and Reed Myers are the only other returners that saw the court. They’ll each be rotation candidates this coming season, but minutes are going to be hard to come by.

Noah Hutchins was with the team last year, but injuries kept him off the court. Pera hopes to have him available at some point soon, possible as early as next week. Damion McDowell, Jaden Geron and Jackson Peakes are the newest freshmen signees from the most recent class. With so much depth and experience in place above them, they’ll have to fight for time in the rotation, but McDowell and Geron in particular stand out guys who could contribute down the road.

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Filed Under: Archive, Basketball, Football Tagged With: Ben Moffat, Cameron Sheffield, Carl Pierre, Chris Mullins, Damion McDowell, Jackson Peakes, Jaden Geron, Jake Lieppert, Max Fiedler, Mylyjael Poteat, Quincy Olivari, Reed Myers, Rice basketball, Riley Abercrombie, Scott Pera, Terrance McBride, Travis Evee

Conference USA Football 2021: Week 10 C-USA Roundup

November 7, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

Conference USA Football was back in action this weekend. Here’s the latest from the teams on the gridiron in Week 10.

Team Week 10 Result Week 11
Charlotte vs Rice W, 31-24 (OT) at LA Tech
FAU vs Marshall L, 28-13 at Old Dominion
FIU vs Old Dominion L, 47-24 at MTSU
LA Tech at UAB L, 52-38 vs Charlotte
Marshall at FAU W, 28-13 vs UAB
MTSU at WKU L, 48-21 vs FIU
North Texas at Southern Miss W, 38-14 vs UTEP
Old Dominion at FIU W, 47-24 vs FAU
Rice at Charlotte L, 31-24 (OT) vs WKU
Southern Miss vs North Texas L, 38-14 at UTSA
UAB vs LA Tech W, 52-38 at Marshall
UTEP vs UTSA L, 44-23 at North Texas
UTSA at UTEP W, 44-23 vs Southern Miss
WKU vs MTSU W, 48-21 at Rice

Notable Week 10 results – Standings

30/31 – 24

Rice football now played three consecutive games with eerily similar scoring margins. They beat UAB 30-24, with a missed extra point keeping the winning team off the 31 point total. Then they dropped a 30-24 contest to North Texas with the final extra point not kicked because of overtime rules. On Saturday, they lost 31-24, with the extra point counting this time around because Rice wasn’t first to possess the ball. No matter how it happened, the last two close calls have stung.

And then there were two?

It’s not officially a two-horse race in the East, but there are two games remaining on the schedule that will, in all likelihood, decide the outcome of the division and both involved Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers took care of business against Middle Tennessee in Week 10 and Marshall beat FAU. That means the WKU/Marshall and WKU/FAU games are the most important games left in the race for the East.

Duel in the desert

Whether it was the release of any frustrations generated by their absence in the initial College Football Playoff rankings or simply UTEP falling back to earth, UTSA stormed into El Paso and left little doubt as to who the frontrunner in the West would be. The Roadrunners jumped out to a 30-9 lead at halftime and coasted to the win, improving to 9-0 on the season.

Looking ahead – Key storylines

Bowl watch

Western Kentucky, FAU and Charlotte can each clinch bowl eligibility with a win next week. No teams in the East can reach the six-win plateau, but Rice, North Texas and Old Dominion will be playing to keep their postseason hopes alives. One more loss by any of those three would bump them out of bowl eligibility.

Intradivisional showdown

UAB and Marshall are each in the running in their respective divisions and face off next week in Huntington. Both teams have proven mortal this season, but they’ve still managed to stand a head above everyone in the conference not-named UTSA. Neither team has much wiggle room if they want to stay in their respective races.

Looking for No. 1

FIU and Southern Miss enter Week 11 as the only teams in Conference USA without at least one conference win. The Golden Eagles will have to upend UTSA to get their first one while FIU draws a Middle Tennessee game, that while feisty, has proven fillable on several occasions this season. This might be the Panthers’ best chance to get in the win column in conference play.

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Filed Under: Archive, Football Tagged With: Conference USA, Conference USA football

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