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Rice Football Film Room 2020: Southern Miss Review, UTSA Preview

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Rice quarterback Mike Collins might be the real deal, but so is UTSA running back Spencer McCormick. We look at both guys in this week’s Rice Football film room.

So that was fun! I, for one, would enjoy it if Rice won by 24+ points every game. For this week’s Rice Football Film Room, we’ll look at one of my favorite plays from the offense this week (somehow from a drive that resulted in no points for the Owls, oddly enough), and then get a quick look at Sincere McCormick and the UTSA offense. 

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(I’d have loved to do a defensive play from Southern Miss, but it was pretty slim pickings in terms of readily-available-online highlights from the defensive side. Check this week’s edition of The Roost Podcast for mine and Matt’s thoughts on the defense.)

This play showcases what we hoped all offseason, which has been validated in the first two games for the Owls: Mike Collins is a serious talent, y’all.

Mike Collins: The Real Deal

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Rice Football 2020: Post Southern Miss presser and practice notes

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There’s a lot going on in the world of Rice football. Here’s a rundown of the weekly press conference and an update from practice headed into the UTSA game.

The season is back in full swing and we’ve got a full slate of Rice football updates on deck for everyone this week. I’ll include a few snippets from today’s press conference here as well as updates from practice on Monday. The players were off on Tuesday for the Election.

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Press conference notes and quotes

Head coach Mike Bloomgren did note a few players of the week following the victory:

  • Defensive Player of the Game – Chike Anigbogu
  • Offensive Player of the Game – Austin Trammell
  • Special Teams Player of the Game – Charlie Mendes
  • Offense Scout Team Player of the Week – Caleb James
  • Defense Scout Team Player of the Week – TJ McMahon
  • Special Teams Player of the Week – Terreance Ellis

“Anytime you are giving up big plays the way we did in the first game, that’s never a good thing. I think we talked a lot about eliminating the big plays, keeping it in front of us, and I think the guys got the message and we played a lot better in those critical situations at the end of the half and on third down.” – Brian Smith on the what the defense did differently from game one to game two

It felt good to get a win, it really did. It felt great to get a win on Saturday. An incredible effort from start to finish from our guys. I think, really the opening kickoff all the way through the fourth quarter you saw a lot of strain, a lot of physicality. And I can’t say enough about how proud I am of that team for continuing to work the way they did.” – Bloomgren on the Owls’ first win of 2020

“Mike [Collins] is the biggest change. It’s the best play we’ve had out of a quarterback in our time here… Mike is changing the game for our football team. He’s giving everybody a chance to showcase their talent. And it sure doesn’t hurt that the offensive line and the blocking unit is giving him time as well. Everything’s working together, but if I were to identify one change, so far, it would be Mike Collins.” – Bloomgren on the biggest change in the offense from last year to this year

“Two games in, we’re in a good spot… I just don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves I think we’ve got so much we can improve on right now. Yes, we’re better, but that was a pretty low bar. I want to see how good this offense can perform.” – Bloomgren on how the offense meets his expectations

Practice updates and Southern Miss takeaways

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Rice Football 2020: Owls in the NFL Week 8 Update

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Rice Football is well represented on 2020 NFL rosters. Here’s the latest from the NFL Owls in action in Week 8.

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

Week 8 results

Pittsburgh (Boswell, McDonald) def. Baltimore, 28-24
Las Vegas def. Cleveland (Sendejo), 16-6
Cincinnati (Covington) def. Tennessee, 31-20
Denver (Anderson, Callahan) def. Los Angeles Chargers, 31-30
Indianapolis def. Detroit (Fox), 41-21
Houston (Gaines) — BYE
Seattle (Willson) def. San Francisco, 37-27

Offense

Calvin Anderson – OT, Broncos

Anderson remained actively involved on the special teams units in the Broncos’ Week 8 victory over the  Chargers, playing five total snaps. The Broncos visit the Falcons in Week 9.

Vance McDonald – TE, Steelers

McDonald was held without a catch for only the second time this season. He started the Steelers’ Week 8 victory over the Ravens, playing 40 percent of the offensive snaps. The Steelers visit the Cowboys in Week 9.

Luke Willson – TE, Seahawks

As usual, Willson was primarily in the game as a blocker on offense and a special teams player. He filled both roles again on Sunday, contributing to the Seahawks’ win over the 49ers. The Seahawks visit the Bills in Week 9.

Defense and Special Teams

Chris Boswell – K, Steelers

Boswell did not attempt a field goal for the first time this season in the Steelers’ win over the Ravens. Instead, he saw the field exclusively for extra points, of which he converted all four of his attempts. The Steelers visit the Cowboys in Week 9.

Bryce Callahan – CB, Broncos

Covington was all over the field in the Broncos’ big win over the Chargers on Sunday. He picked off his second pass of the season, returned a punt and registered three tackles.

The Broncos visit the Falcons in Week 9.

Christian Covington – DL, Bengals

Covington has been a staple on the Bengals’ defensive front this season, grabbing ahold of a starting job in Week 4 and holding it into Cincinnati’s upcoming bye week. He had four tackles in their Week 8 over the Titans. The Bengals are on a bye in Week 9.

Jack Fox – P, Lions

Fox was busy against the Colts in Week 8. The league-leading punter booted a long of 59 yards, averaging 52.4 yards per punt on five attempts. The Lions visit the Vikings in Week 9.

Phillip Gaines – CB, Texans

The Texans were on bye in Week 8. They visit the Jaguars in Week 9.

Andrew Sendejo – Saf, Browns

Sendejo had fives tackles against the Raiders in Week 8, marking the three-straight games with at least five tackles this season. The Browns are on a bye in Week 9.

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 Football 2020 Game Preview: UTSA Roadrunners

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Fresh off their first win, Rice football returns to Houston in Week 10 to face UTSA. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Rice football bounced back (bad pun intended) from a rough loss to Middle Tennessee with an emphatic win over Southern Miss on the road. The victory marked the first over Southern Miss in Hattiesburg since 2014 and put the Owls back into the think of the C-USA West standings.

UTSA had a less-than-stellar week, falling to FAU on the road and failing to get into the endzone. After winning their first three, the Roadrunners have dropped four of their last five contests.

Broadcast Info

Kickoff time | 2:30 PM CT
Venu | Rice Stadium – Houston, Tx
TV | ESPN3 (Streaming)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs UTSA on Episode 59 of The Roost Podcast which will be released on Thursday. 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.)

Visual Preview

Make sure you check out Inside the Hedges, a weekly show with myself and former Rice football quarterback Taylor McHargue. Watch it live on Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m. here or watch it at your leisure on the Rice Athletics Youtube page.

Join the Conversation

What are your keys to victory this week? What pitfalls must the Owls avoid? Did you like that third down call? Share your thoughts on the matchup on the forum and make sure you tune in Saturday for our live game blog keeping track of every score and key moment.

Sizing up the contenders

A Rice win would push the Owls’ record to 2-1 and tie them for UAB for the top spot in the West, keeping them at least one game in front of Louisiana Tech in the loss column. After a long wait to start the season and a heartbreaking opening loss, Rice could control their own destiny once again.

UTSA is on the verge of losing all the momentum they had from their fast start, making a win over a surging Rice squad imperative for the Roadrunners. A win would be the first C-USA road victory for new head coach Jeff Traylor.

Series History

All Time | UTSA leads 5-3
Last Five | UTSA leads 5-0
Last Meeting | Away 2019, UTSA won 31-27

Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Collins – 30/52 (57.7 percent), 475 yards passing, 8 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Otoviano – 45 carries, 195 yards (4.3 yards per carry)
Receiving | Trammell – 10 receptions, 219 yards (21.9 yards per reception), 5 TD | Bailey – 5 receptions, 67 yards (13.4 yards per reception), 1 TD
Tackles | Alldredge – 21, Montero – 17, Garcia – 13
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Devones – 1 PBU / McCord – 1 INT

UTSA Stat Notables

Passing | Harris – 93/160 (58.1), 895 yards passing, 4 TD, 4 INT
Rushing | McCormick – 171 carries, 921 yards (5.4 yards per carry), 7 TD
Receiving | Cephus – 40 receptions, 386 yards (9.6 yards per reception), 3 TD | Franklin – 32 receptions, 390 yards (12.2 yards per reception), 4 TD
Tackles | Wisdom – 63, Ligan – 52, Harmanson – 49
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Mayfield – 6 PBU / Wisdom – 2 INT

UTSA X-Factor | Keep Rice honest

Rice knows UTSA is going to attempt to pound the rock with Sincere McCormick, and winning on the ground would be huge for the Roadrunners’ chances, but connecting on explosive plays through the air could be the determining factor.

Frank Harris might not be an elite downfield passer, but Rice has allowed chunk plays through the air in each of their first two games. His ability to find pockets in the secondary will keep Rice from loading the box to stop McCormick. No passing threat, no reason to leave themselves vulnerable to the most explosive player on the UTSA offense.

UTSA is going to need to hit some deep shots. If they don’t, it’s going to be hard to keep the offense on the field and score with any level of consistency.

Rice X-Factor | Stop Sincere

UTSA is 3-1 when running back Sincere McCormick scores a touchdown this season. They’re 2-0 when he rushes for more than 150 yards, a feat he’s achieved twice. When he touches the football at least 23 times, UTSA is a perfect 3-0.

It really is that simple. If Rice can limit McCormick, they shut down the UTSA offense. Rice has been stingy on the ground through its first two games.

Middle Tennessee running back Chaton Mobley averaged 2.4 yards per carry and dual-threat quarterback Asher Ohara averaged 3.1, reaching 71 rushing yards including overtime. Southern Miss’ lead back Frank Gore Jr. had 71 yards on 11 carries, but was kept in check by the lopsided score and held in check for most of the game.

Injury Report (Subscribers only)

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Need More?

The Roost’s 2020 Rice Football Season Preview has four pages dedicated to every opponent the Owls face. There are depth charts, important new arrivals and depth chart breakdowns for every team in Conference USA. 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. Which team has more rushing yards?
    Rice / UTSA (or tie)
  2. What will be the combined point total?
    Over 49.5 / Under 49.5
  3. Will Rice commit more than four accepted penalties?
    Yes / No
  4. Will either team score on defense or special teams?
    Yes / No
  5. Who leads at halftime?
    Rice / UTSA
  6. Who wins?
    Rice / UTSA

One Final Thing

The narrative of a single season doesn’t often hang on a single game, but the Owls’ shortened 2020 campaign feels like it’s hit the highs and the lows of the emotional roller coaster through two weeks. Is the team as good as they looked against Southern Miss or are the issues showcased in the loss to Middle Tennessee too much to overcome with consistency? Another game will give us some answers.

It’s going to be hard not to react to either extreme. A win would put Rice (at least mathematically) tied atop the C-USA West standings with one fewer loss than Louisiana Tech, should the Bulldogs win. A loss would put Rice closer to the bottom half of the division in a home game where they’ll most likely be favorites to win.

Either way, the repercussions from this game in what is currently a six-game season, will carry weight. The Owls control their own destiny. All they have to do now is execute.

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Conference USA Football 2020: Week 9 C-USA Roundup

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Conference USA Football was back in action this weekend. Here’s the latest from the teams on the gridiron in Week 9.

Team Week 9 Result Week 10
Charlotte at Duke L, 53-19 at MTSU
FAU vs UTSA W, 24-3 vs WKU
FIU vs Marshall CANCELED at UTEP
LA Tech vs UAB W, 37-34 (OT) at North Texas
Marshall at FIU CANCELED vs UMass
MTSU — OFF —  — vs Charlotte
North Texas at UTEP CANCELED vs LA Tech
Rice at Southern Miss W, 30-6 vs UTSA
Southern Miss vs Rice L, 30-6 vs N Alabama
UAB at Louisiana Tech L, 37-34 (OT) — OFF —
UTEP vs North Texas CANCELED vs FIU
UTSA at FAU L, 24-3 at Rice
WKU at BYU L, 41-10 at FAU

Notable Week 9 results – Standings

That didn’t last long

Week 8 marked the first time this season that Conference USA had no games canceled and all teams planning to play this season underway. That brief honeymoon lasted a few days before two Week 9 games were canceled, including a highly contentious postponement between North Texas and UTEP.

Welcome to the win column

Rice football shook the rust off quickly. Following an overtime loss to Middle Tennessee, Rice crushed a downtrodden Southern Miss squad on their third head coach of the season. The Owls kept Southern Miss out of the endzone, allowing just two field goals. That marks the first time Southern Miss has failed to score a touchdown in a game since 2014.

Wild, wild west

Marshall still holds a commanding lead in the East, but C-USA west is officially wide open thanks to Louisiana Tech’s overtime victory over UAB in Week 9. Now four teams: UAB, Louisiana Tech, UTSA and Rice have records of .500 or better in conference play. If things stay tight, a yet to be officially rescheduled UAB visit to Rice could have division title implications.

Week 10 storylines

One is better than none

Marshall has dealt with the impacts of 2020 scheduling as well as could be expected. The Thundering Herd added a game against UMass midseason which, although it should be an easy win, will have the added bonus of keeping Marshall from another multi-week bye, an oddity multiple C-USA teams have already had to deal with to this point.

Texas-sized tussle

When Rice and UTSA met last season the two teams were a combined 1-10 against their other 11 FBS opponents. It was a race to the bottom of the conference standings. This time around, the winner will keep themselves among the leaders in the West. What a difference one year can make.

At the bottom

With Rice picking up their first victory in Week 9 against Southern Miss, there are only two remaining teams without a conference win: FIU and UTEP. One of those will be walking away a victor next week when FIU visits El Paso, assuming that game is played as scheduled.

Rice Football Opponent Scouting Report

A weekly update on who the Owls will be playing this season including updates on key storylines, injuries and more.

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