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Rice Football 2021 Game Preview: Season opener vs Arkansas

August 29, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

Rice Football is set to open its 2021 season on Saturday at Arkansas. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

The 2021 Rice Football season opens this coming Saturday against Arkansas. The quarterback battle remains unsettled, but expectations for the Owls’ 2021 season remain high.

The Owls’ first opponent, Arkansas, also finds itself riding a wave of increasing expectation. The Razorbacks showed progress under Sam Pittman last fall, proving to be a tough out in the SEC despite their first-year coach at the helm. Getting back to a bowl game is part of the marching orders in 2021, and that starts, they believe, with a home tilt with Rice.

Broadcast Info

Kickoff time | 1:00 PM CT
Venue | Razorback Stadium – Fayetteville, AR
TV | ESPN+ / SEC+ (Streaming)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs Arkansas on this week’s episode of The Roost Podcast which will be released later in the week. 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.) If you haven’t yet, consider checking out our extended offseason interviews with folks like Phil Steele, Shehan Jeyarajah, and notable Owls like Christian Covington, Jack Fox, Austin Trammell, Aston Walter and more!

Sizing up the contenders

Rice football is kicking off its season on Labor Day Weekend, more than a month ahead on the calendar of when they opened their 2020 season. Last fall the Owls played their first game on October 24, just barely getting two games in before the calendar turned to November. This time around they’ll open against another team playing their first game, rather than their seventh.

Last season went better for Arkansas than in years past, but the Hogs have had trouble in their most recent outings with Conference USA opponents. They fell to Western Kentucky 45-19 in 2019 and lost to North Texas 44-17 in 2018. That was under a different coaching staff, but the losses still sting.

Series History

All Time | Arkansas leads 35-29-3
Last Five | Arkansas leads 4-1
Last Meeting | Road 1991, Arkansas won 20-0

Rice Stat Notables (Returning 2020 Leaders)

Passing | McCaffrey (at Nebraska) – 48/76 (63.2 percent), 466 yards, 1 TD, 6 INT
Rushing | Griffin – 72 carries, 249 yards (3.5 yards per carry)
Receiving | Myers – 24 receptions, 209 yards (8.7 yards per reception), 1 TD / Bailey – 23 receptions, 276 yards (12.0 yds/rec), 2 TD
Tackles | Garcia- 28 / Chamberlain – 27 / Montero – 24
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Bird – 3 PBU, Five returning players tied with 1 INT

Arkansas Stat Notables (Returning 2020 Leaders)

Passing | Jefferson – 20/41 (48.8 percent), 295 yards passing, 3 TD, 0 INT
Rushing | Smith – 134 carries, 710 yards (5.3 yards per carry), 5 TD
Receiving | Burks – 51 receptions, 820 yards (6.1 yards per reception), 7 TD / Smith – 22 receptions, 159 yards (7.2 yds/rec), 1 TD
Tackles | Morgan – 110 / Pool – 101 / Catalon – 99
Interceptions/Pass Breakups | Morgan, Pool, Brown – 5 PBU / Catalon, Clark – 3 INT

Arkansas X-Factor | Will the front seven turn the corner?

Arkansas was, for the most part, unable to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks last season. Their 14 sacks in the span of 10 games were the fewest of any SEC team and nine of those sacks came in their first four games. The more they put on tape, the less pressure they were able to generate.

That’s going to have to change if Arkansas is going contend with the rigors of an SEC schedule, but it’s equally imperative against the Owls, too. Rice hasn’t been particularly effective on third and long under Mike Bloomgren and has seen drives stall out when the sticks get too far away. If Arkansas can put Rice behind the chains early, they’ll force them off schedule.

There’s optimism that the Rice passing game is going to be better in 2021 than in the recent past, but that doesn’t change the Owls’ commitment to running the football. More pressure will throw those plans out of whack. Arkansas needs to find a way to make that happen.

Rice X-Factor | Generate explosive plays

Rice averaged 1.3 gains of 30+ yards per game in 2020, near the bottom of Conference USA. The Arkansas defense allowed 1.9 such explosive plays last fall, one of the better marks in the SEC. If Rice ends this game anywhere in that ballpark when it comes to field-flipping type plays, they’ll be in trouble.

The defense proved it could win games on its own in 2020, accounting for five turnovers and a defensive score in the shutout win against Marshall. But that’s more likely to be the exception than the rule moving forward. Rice is going to have to help its defense by sprinkling in some big offensive plays, too.

Whether it’s via the legs of one of Luke McCaffrey, their stable of running backs or a big catch from a suddenly deep receiving corps, Rice needs to find ways to shorten drives and maximize every offensive possession. If they can get a couple of big plays in each half they’ll force Arkansas onto their heels, in turn, enabling the Rice defense to feast.

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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Injury Report (Subscribers only)

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Need More?

The Roost’s 2021 Rice Football Season Preview has FIVE pages dedicated to every opponent the Owls face. There are depth charts, important new arrivals and positional breakdowns for every team in Conference USA sourced from local beat writers and sources on the ground who cover these teams every day. It’s the most thorough C-USA publication on the market.

One Final Thing

There hasn’t been any beating around the bush when it comes to discussing expectations at South Main. Rice football expects to be playing in a bowl game at the end of this season, which makes the nonconference slate all the more important. The schedule is brutal (at Arkansas, vs Houston, at Texas, vs Texas Southern), but postseason rules won’t be as forgiving in 2021.

We’re going to learn a lot about this team over the next four weeks, starting with the opener against Arkansas. Be patient. The schedule will get easier and the talent on this team will shine through.

With that quick caveat, it’s also worth noting oddsmakers give Rice a better chance of beating Arkansas (the Owls are currently 20-point underdogs) than they did to beat Marhsall (Rice entered that game as 24-point underdogs). Math isn’t deciding the outcome of this game, but the “experts” are giving Rice a fighting chance. Sometimes, that’s all you need.

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Filed Under: Archive, Football, Premium Tagged With: Andrew Bird, Antonio Montero, Braedon Nutter, De'Braylon Carroll, Desmyn Baker, Elijah Garcia, Game preview, Jake Bailey, Jason White, Jordan Myers, Khalan Griffin, Luke McCaffrey, Miles Mccord, Rice Football, Tre'shon Devones, Treshawn Chamberlain, Wiley Green, Zane Knipe

Rice Football 2021 Fall Camp Report: Defense dominates in first scrimmage

August 14, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

As has been the case in recent years, the Rice football defense stole the show in the first scrimmage of fall camp. Here are a few things we learned.

The first official scrimmage of fall camp is in the books and there’s a lot to unpack. As expected Wiley Green and Luke McCaffrey split first-team reps, but they were the only players who had their performances scrutinized on Saturday. There will be more on them coming soon. For now, a few notes of impressive performers and takeaways from who was (and wasn’t) available.

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For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Practice reports are reserved for our subscribers. If you want updates on the quarterback battle, camp standouts, injuries and more, this is your go-to source. You can get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and special features like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts
  • Rice Baseball blows past PVAMU at home
  • Rice Football Recruiting: WR David Kasemervisz commits to Owls
  • Hickson gem propels Rice Baseball to series win over Charlotte
  • Rice Football Recruiting: WR Artis Cole commits to Owls

Filed Under: Archive, Featured, Football, Premium Tagged With: Andrew Bird, Andrew Mason, Antonio Montero, Ari Broussard, Bradley Rozner, Braedon Nutter, Brandt Peterson, Brendan Suckley, Caleb James, Cedric Patterson, Chike Anigbogu, Christian Francisco, CJ McCord, Clay Servin, Cole Garcia, Cole Latos, De'Braylon Carroll, Derek Ferraro, Elijah Garcia, Gabe Taylor, Garrett Braden, George Nyakwol, Isaac Klarkowski, Izeya Floyd, Jack Bradley, Jaeger Bull, Jake Bailey, Jerry Johnson, Jordan Dunbar, Jordan Myers, Josh Pearcy, Jovaun Woolford, Jovoni Johnson, Juma Otoviano, Kenneth Orji, Khalan Griffin, Kirk Lockhart, Luke McCaffrey, Miles Adams, Miles Mccord, Myron Morrison, Naeem Smith, practice notes, Regan Riddle, Rice Football, Shawqi Itraish, Shea Baker, Terreance Ellis, TJ McMahon, Tre'shon Devones, Treshawn Chamberlain, Trey Schuman, Wiley Green

Rice Football 2021 Fall Camp Report: Breaking down the initial depth chart

August 11, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

The first depth chart of Rice football fall camp has been released. Here are a few immediate takeaways on what it means for the Owls.

This is our third camp update. You can read the others, as well as all our premium content, here.

Subscriber content.<br /> Please login to see the full post or visit our Patreon page.

For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Practice reports are reserved for our subscribers. If you want updates on the quarterback battle, camp standouts, injuries and more, this is your go-to source. You can get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and special features like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts
  • Rice Baseball blows past PVAMU at home
  • Rice Football Recruiting: WR David Kasemervisz commits to Owls
  • Hickson gem propels Rice Baseball to series win over Charlotte
  • Rice Football Recruiting: WR Artis Cole commits to Owls

Filed Under: Archive, Featured, Football, Premium Tagged With: Ari Broussard, August Pitre, Brendan Suckley, Caleb James, Clay Servin, Cole Garcia, De'Braylon Carroll, Elijah Garcia, Jason White, Jordan Dunbar, Jordan Myers, Jovaun Woolford, Khalan Griffin, Lamont Narcisse, Luke McCaffrey, Miles Mccord, Naeem Smith, Sean Fresch, Tre'shon Devones, Wiley Green

Rice Football players add to 2021 preseason honors

June 23, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

A host of Rice football players were named to all-conference lists this offseason. Here’s a roundup of which publications honored each of the Owls.

Preseason magazines are a staple of the offseason and this summer is no different. Among those annual publications, a Rice football was featured prominently among Conference USA all-conference teams.

There will also be a few Owls included in our preseason all-conference teams in the 2021 Rice Football Season Preview, scheduled to be released on July 7. Stay tuned for more information on that front.

For the time being, here’s the rundown of each honoree and which honors they received:

Shea Baker, OL
  • Phil Steele’s All-Conference USA First Team Offense
  • Athlon Sports’ All-Conference USA Second Team Offense
Jake Bailey, PR/AR
  • Phil Steele’s All-Conference USA Fourth Team Special Teams
  • Athlon Sports’ All-Conference USA Third Team Offense
De’Braylon Carrol, DT
  • Athlon Sports’ All-Conference USA Second Team Defense
Treshawn Chamberlain, LB
  • Dave Campbell’s All-Texas Second Team Defense
  • Phil Steele’s All-Conference USA Second Team Defense
  • Athlon Sports’ All-Conference USA Third Team Defense
Elijah Garcia, DT
  • Phil Steele’s All-Conference USA Third Team Defense
Jordan Myers, AP
  • Phil Steele’s All-Conference USA Second Team Offense
  • Athlon Sports’ All-Conference USA First Team Offense
Bradley Rozner, WR
  • Dave Campbell’s All-Texas Second Team Offense
  • Athlon Sports’ All-Conference USA Third Team Offense
Trey Schuman, DE
  • Phil Steele’s All-Conference USA Third Team Defense
Clay Servin, OL
  • Athlon Sports’ All-Conference USA Fourth Team Offense
George Nyakwol, Saf
  • Phil Steele’s All-Conference USA Fourth Team Defense
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

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Filed Under: Archive, Football Tagged With: Bradley Rozner, Clay Servin, De'Braylon Carroll, Elijah Garcia, George Nyakwol, Jake Bailey, Jordan Myers, Rice Football, Shea Baker, Treshawn Chamberlain, Trey Schuman

Rice Football 2021 Spring Ball Review: Defense

April 6, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

The Rice football spring practices are complete. What did we learn about the defense and where does it stand entering the summer?

There wasn’t much mystery with the Rice football defense entering spring practices. The Owls finished the 2020 regular season ranked 12th nationally in scoring defense and returned the vast majority of their starters and depth. Beyond filling an open spot at linebacker, spring was about tidying up loose ends and building depth. From the line to the secondary, here’s where each position group ended up.

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The Roost has you covered from the start to end of spring practice and takeaways still to come. Subscribers get access to all spring practice notes, recruiting updates and special features. Subscribe on Patreon and get access to it all today.

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts
  • Rice Baseball blows past PVAMU at home
  • Rice Football Recruiting: WR David Kasemervisz commits to Owls
  • Hickson gem propels Rice Baseball to series win over Charlotte
  • Rice Football Recruiting: WR Artis Cole commits to Owls

Filed Under: Football, Archive, Featured, Premium Tagged With: Andrew Bird, Antonio Montero, Caleb James, De'Braylon Carroll, Desmyn Baker, Elijah Garcia, Gabe Taylor, George Nyakwol, Jason White, Josh Pearcy, Kebreyun Page, Kenneth Orji, Kirk Lockhart, Miles Adams, Miles Mccord, Myron Morrison, Naeem Smith, Prudy Calderon, Sean Fresch, Tre'shon Devones, Treshawn Chamberlain, Trey Schuman

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