Rice football hosts Memphis on Halloween in a nationally televised matchup. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Both Rice football and Memphis posted thrilling come-from-behind wins in their most recent games. The Owls rallied to defeat UConn in double overtime, while the Tigers scored 17 unanswered fourth quarter points to beat South Florida. Now they square off in Houston on Halloween night. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup between Rice and Memphis.

Kickoff time | 6:00 PM CT
Venue | Rice Stadium – Houston, TX
TV | ESPN2 (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Varsity Radio App (Online)

Sizing up the Contenders

A week removed from a head-scratching loss at UAB, Memphis kept its American Conference championship hopes alive with a gutsy home win over South Florida. The Tigers aren’t out of the woods, yet, though. Every win counts and they need another over the Owls if they want to play for that conference title.

Rice football is equally invested in the outcome of this one, with a potential bowl bid hanging in the balance. Knocking off Memphis would put the Owls one win away from a postseason trip in head coach Scott Abell’s debut season.

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Series History

All Time | Memphis leads, 3-2
Last Five | Memphis leads, 3-2
Last Meeting | Away 2024, Memphis won 27-20

Rice Football Stat Notables

Passing | Jenkins – 77/111 (69.4 percent), 744 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Jackson – 117 carries, 655 yards (5.6 yards per carry), 6 TD / Jenkins – 97 carries, 332 yards (3.4 yards per carry) – 4 TD / Alexander – 68 carries, 379 yards (5.6 yards per carry), 3 TD
Receiving | Dickmann – 28 receptions, 292 yards (10.4 yds/rec), 3 TD / Turner – 28 receptions, 185 yards (6.6 yds/rec)
Tackles | Awe – 59 / Morris – 52 / Williams – 45
Pass Breakups | Crump (Suspended) – 6 / Williams – 5 / Porter – 4
Interceptions | Kane, Stevenson, Wyatt – 1

Memphis Stat Notables

Passing | Lewis – 141/208 (67.8 percent), 1644 yards, 10 TD, 4 INT
Rushing | Smith – 85 carries, 515 yards (6.10 yds/car), 6 TD / Lewis – 97 carries, 470 yards (4.80 yds/car)
Receiving | Braham Jr. – 36 receptions, 566 yards (15.7 yds/rec), 7 TD / Hawkins – 24 receptions, 431 yards (18.0 yds/rec) / Bussey – 16 receptions, 201 yards (12.6 yds/rec)
Tackles | Brumfield – 54 / Watts – 49 / Wilson – 48
Pass Breakups | Bracy – 7/ Cooper – 5 / Wilson, Jordan – 4
Interceptions | Wilson, Ward – 2 / Seven tied with one apiece

Memphis X-Factor | Win Third Down on Defense

In their most recent games, the Memphis defense has struggled mightily to get off the field. They allowed UAB to convert 9-of-13 on third down and USF to convert 12-of-18. Rice wants nothing more than to control the pace of this game and grind out drives, keeping an explosive Memphis offense off the field to prevent Lewis and company from making game-changing plays.

The more direct path to prevent the Owls from controlling the game script is to force Rice into third-and-long situations and avoid extended drives. Rice has proven they’re at their best offensively when they’re able to possess the football and stack play after play of incremental gains. Memphis can’t allow Rice to dictate the pace.

Rice X-Factor | Stay Balanced

Coming into this past weekend, Memphis boasted the best rush defense in the American Conference, technically. The Tigers had shut down some largely unimpressive rushing offenses before they were roughed up on the ground by UAB (219 yards, 1 touchdown) and run through by South Florida (295 yards, 3 touchdowns).

This is a defense that has been susceptible through the air and while the Owls might be tempted to air it out against a secondary that has been up and down, there’s enough proof that the run game can work against the Tigers.

Rice quarterback Chase Jenkins threw for a career high 191 yards against UConn, but that probably doesn’t happen without a career day from Quinton Jackson, who had a career-best 168 yards on the ground to keep the offense on schedule. Running the ball keeps this offense moving.

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One Final Thing

Oddsmakers pegged Rice football as a 3.5 win team coming into the season. The Owls have surpassed those expectations with four games still to play. And while the journey has been bumpy, the results don’t feel fluky. This is a young team, visibly growing as the year progresses. The future is bright, but if you’ve heard a single sound bit from Abell, he has no intentions of punting on the 2025 season as they lay the foundation for that eventual success.

During the offseason, we posited on The Roost Podcast that the unique scheme would give the Owls a shot to upset a conference frontrunner. That hasn’t happened yet, but Rice played Navy within one score and just topped a UConn team that checks in at No. 59 nationally in Bill Connelly’s SP+ metrics. Memphis sits at No. 31, much better than the Huskies, but not infallible; just ask UAB.

Add in a short week and getting to play at home, and you’ve got the ingredients for an eventful night on South Main. Perhaps things get a little spooky for the visitors. The Rice football team that took the field this past Saturday looked more than capable of putting a scare into just about anyone in this echelon of the sport.

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Rice football is off the bye, readying to host UConn this week in the Owls’ final non-conference game. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Rice football returns to the gridiron this Saturday for an extended stretch of home games following a much-needed bye week on bye after a one-sided rout at the hands of UTSA. UConn faired much better in their last two weekends, taking their bye week two weeks ago while Rice was in San Antonio before knocking off Boston College on Saturday. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup between Rice and UConn.

Kickoff time | 2:00 PM CT
Venue | Rice Stadium – Houston, TX
TV | ESPN+ (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Varsity Radio App (Online)

Sizing up the Contenders

UConn will almost assuredly reach bowl eligibility with five wins so far and games remaining against UAB and Florida Atlantic after their game at Rice. The question now is how high can the Huskies climb? If things break the right way, this team could win nine games for a second consecutive season. That would likely require a win in Houston, though.

As for Rice football, they have bowl aspirations of their own, which took a hit with a three-game skid going into the bye week and games still remaining against conference heavyweights like Memphis, North Texas and South Florida.

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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!

Series History

All Time | UConn leads, 2-0
Last Five | UConn leads, 2-0
Last Meeting | Away 2024, UConn won 17-10

Rice Football Stat Notables

Passing | Jenkins – 60/89 (67.4 percent), 553 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Jackson – 96 carries, 487 yards (5.1 yards per carry), 3 TD / Jenkins – 80 carries, 275 yards (3.4 yards per carry) – 4 TD / Alexander – 63 carries, 370 yards (5.9 yards per carry), 3 TD
Receiving | Dickmann – 24 receptions, 262 yards (10.9 yds/rec), 3 TD / Turner – 21 receptions, 136 yards (6.5 yds/rec) / Walker – 6 receptions, 49 yards (8.2 yds/rec)
Tackles | Awe – 53 / Morris – 45 / Williams – 37
Pass Breakups | Crump – 6 / Williams – 5 / Porter – 4
Interceptions | Kane, Stevenson, Wyatt – 1

UConn Stat Notables

Passing | Fagnano – 154/226 (63.4 percent), 1918 yards, 15 TD, 0 INT
Rushing | Edwards – 113 carries, 694 yards (6.10 yds/car), 7 TD / Brown – 16 carries, 159 yards (9.9 yds/car)
Receiving | Bell – 58 receptions, 687 yards (11.9 yds/rec), 7 TD / Neider – 14 receptions, 254 yards (18.1 yds/rec), 1 TD / Murphy – 18 receptions, 228 yards (12.7 yds/rec), 3 TD
Tackles | Bryun – 61 / Diomande – 55 / Chadwick – 37
Pass Breakups | Brinson – 6 / Mills – 4 / Molette, Pringle – 3
Interceptions | Five tied with one apiece

UConn X-Factor | Offset the Owls’ Attack

Given the productivity of the UConn offense, Rice will be doing all it can to find success of its own when they have the ball and keep it out of the Huskies’ hands. Questions in the Owls’ secondary and uncertainty at quarterback are already going to make things difficult for Rice. UConn can multiply those woes by frustrating the Rice offense with negative plays and excellent third down defense.

UConn ranks 14th in the nation in third down defense, allowing just 30.1 percent conversions. Top-flight pressure has contributed to that. Only 17 schools in the nation average more than UConn’s seven tackles for loss per contest. The Huskies’ formula has been consistent and it’s worked. All they need to do is replicate it in Houston.

Rice X-Factor | Corner Room Chaos

Rice football ranks third in the American Conference and top 50 nationally in passing defense. They’ve gotten to that mark with a makeshift safety room, which finally appears to be nearing full strength at the midpoint of the season. However, in reaching those marks the Owls have had the luxury of trusting the same two starting corners for the long haul.

Khary Crump is not with the program right now after he was indefinitely suspended following an altercation with officials last week. Omari Porter was briefly sent to the bench against UTSA for Lavonte Johnson. That tandem will now be asked to UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano, who is one of only two quarterbacks in the nation with 10 or more touchdown passes and no interceptions.

If Rice can hold up on the outside and control the UConn passing attack, they’ll have a very good chance to win this game, but that’s something that certainly would have seemed much easier before their last game in the Alamodome.

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One Final Thing

The 2024 Rice football team, which struggled to such a degree that Mike Bloomgren was fired, never lost more than three consecutive games. There was a stretch when the Owls lost five of six contests, but a win over UTSA in Houston was sandwiched between those losses to steal some fleeting hope. That’s really what’s at stake for Rice this coming weekend.

No, Abell isn’t getting fired, nor is his vision for the program in doubt in any material capacity. But hope? That’s in low supply around South Main right now and could use a boost. A boost that could come in the form of a skid-stopping win at home.

More than anything, fans want to see progress, something that has seemed largely evasive over their losing streak. They want to see a team that is getting better, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, where Abell has honed his craft for decades. And while he’s at it, getting back to .500 before a brutal closing schedule would certainly be a nice way to come out of the off week.

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Rice football travels to San Antonio this weekend to take on the UTSA Roadrunners. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Both Rice football and it’s Week 7 opponent, UTSA, are coming off disappointing losses suffered last weekend to teams sporting Owl mascots. Rice fell at home to Florida Atlantic while UTSA stumbled on the road against Temple. Both teams are seeking a bounce-back this weekend in San Antonio. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup between Rice and UTSA.

Kickoff time | 6:30 PM CT
Venue | Alamodome – San Antonio, TX
TV | ESPNU (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Varsity Radio App (Online)

Sizing up the Contenders

Even though they didn’t receive any first place votes, UTSA (2-3) was picked to finish fourth in the preseason media poll. Every successive loss dials up the pressure on a season not going according to plan. They’d been on an eight-game winning streak against Rice until the Owls defeated them in Houston last season making the potential for a two-game skid rather unpalatable for Roadrunner fans.

As for Rice, building a winning streak over UTSA in head coach Scott Abell’s first season would help perpetuate the belief that the program is ahead of schedule and keep the Owls above .500, a mark they’ve yet to be below under Abell to this point.

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!

Series History

All Time | UTSA leads, 8-4
Last Five | UTSA leads, 4-1
Last Meeting | Home 2024, Rice won 29-27

Rice Football Stat Notables

Passing | Jenkins – 59/86 (68.6 percent), 520 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Jackson – 92 carries, 481 yards (5.2 yards per carry), 3 TD / Jenkins – 77 carries, 268 yards (3.5 yards per carry) – 4 TD / Alexander – 51 carries, 241 yards (4.7 yards per carry), 2 TD
Receiving | Dickmann – 22 receptions, 229 yards (10.4 yds/rec), 3 TD / Turner – 18 receptions, 126 yards (7.0 yds/rec) / Walker – 6 receptions, 49 yards (8.2 yds/rec)
Tackles | Awe – 48 / Morris – 41 / Williams – 33
Pass Breakups | Crump – 6 / Williams – 5 / Porter – 3
Interceptions | Kane, Stevenson, Wyatt – 1

UTSA Stat Notables

Passing | McCown – 111/175 (63.4 percent), 990 yards, 9 TD, 4 INT
Rushing | Henry – 80 carries, 666 yards (8.3 yds/car), 7 TD / Henderson III – 40 carries, 159 yards (4.0 yds/car)
Receiving | McCuin – 28 receptions, 277 yards (9.9 yds/rec), 3 TD / Wilson – 10 receptions, 223 yards (22.3 yds/rec), 2 TD / Amador II – 15 receptions, 104 yards (6.9 yds/rec)
Tackles | Banks Jr. – 37 / Wyrick – 24 / Blackshire – 24
Pass Breakups | Rodgers, Meier – 3 / Wyrick, Martin – 2, 11 others tied with one
Interceptions | Banks Jr. – 2 / Martin – 1

UTSA X-Factor | Be Ready for the Shots

UTSA owns the fourth best run defense in the American Conference. That’s the good news when it comes to facing off against the Owls’ run-first option attack. However, the Roadrunners rank dead last against the pass, allowing opponents to complete 64.6 percent of their passes and allowing 11 passing touchdowns, second most in the conference.

Rice has been progressively demonstrating competency in their downfield passing attack, buoyed by the return of Braylen Walker to the lineup in recent weeks, even in a limited capacity. Rice might not throw it a ton, but they’re going to make it a point to test this UTSA secondary through the air. If the Roadrunners can hold up on the back end, it could be a long day for the Rice offense.

Rice X-Factor | Get Off the Field

Third down defense will continue to be the x-factor for the Rice football defense until they find a way to sort it out. The Owls are one of eight teams nationally that allow opponents to convert on 50 percent or more of their third down attempts. Of those teams, only one other (Central Michigan) has won multiple games. Many of them are 1-4 or worse.

That Rice isn’t hapless speaks to how potent their defense has been in so many other areas. The variance will probably balance itself out sooner or later, but if it takes too long Rice will allow more winnable contests to slip through their fingers because they were unable to get off the field when they needed to do so.

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One Final Thing

Even when looking at the Rice football offense through the most optimistic of lenses, it feels like a bye week is necessary, at a minimum, for the group to take a material step forward in the imminent future. There are just too many players banged up and too much inconsistency when it comes to execution to believe this offense is going to click to a degree it wasn’t capable of just a few days prior against Florida Atlantic.

However, just because the offense might not be in its final form doesn’t mean Rice can’t win this game. Their ability to be in every game they’ve played at the middle of the fourth quarter is proof they have the mental fortitude to hang tough, absorb a few punches and find a way to respond. The key right now is not waiting until the curtains begin to close to throw that next punch.

Winning ugly is a skill, and often a prerequisite to winning comfortably, a hopeful reality which seems a ways away from this current iteration of Rice football. Still, a stout defense and just enough grit can go a long way against an imperfect team, which UTSA certainly measures up to in their current state. That’s going to require all phases to step up just a bit and find a way to get it done in San Antonio for the first time since 2013.

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