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Rice Football: Behind enemy lines with a Tulane Insider

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Tulane is next up on the 2024 Rice football schedule so we’re going behind enemy lines with Green Waves’ insiders from The Uptown Update.

Our friends from The Uptown Update, a top-notch Tulane podcast were kind enough to stop by and answer a few questions about the upcoming matchup between Rice Football and Tulane. The answers below should shed some light on the Owls’ upcoming opponent.

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Rice Football 2024 Game Preview: Tulane

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Rice football hits the road this week to take on Tulane. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

While Tulane was on bye last weekend Rice football picked up its first conference win, rallying in the fourth quarter to stun UTSA at the final whistle. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup between Rice and Tulane.

Kickoff time | 2:30 PM CT 
Venue | Yulman Stadium – New Orleans, LA
TV | ESPN+ (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Varsity Radio App (Online)

Audio / Visual Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs Tulane on this week’s episode of the Blue and Gray Preview Show, kicking off live on Wednesday on the Rice Athletics YouTube channel. Look for a recap of the game on the site afterward as well as on The Roost Podcast, which should be released early next week.

Sizing up the contenders

Tulane (2-0) is one of five teams still unbeaten in AAC play with eyes on a conference championship game appearance, but they’re a few wins behind Army (5-0) and Navy (3-0). Losing ground to those red-hot programs now wouldn’t eliminate those title game dreams, but it would make them harder to grasp. Keeping pace is imperative for the Green Wave, especially as a home favorite.

On the other sideline, Rice football (1-2) is trying to will themselves back from the brink. Upsetting UTSA was a good start and while nobody would fault the Owls for losing this one, another upset this week would officially put this team back on the map. Head coach Mike Bloomgren has knocked off conference heavyweights before. He needs to find a way to do it again.

Series History

All Time | Rice leads, 20-16-1
Last Five | Rice leads, 3-2
Last Meeting | Home 2023, Tulane won 30-28

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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!

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Rice Football Stat Notables

Passing | Warner – 134/217 (61.8 percent), 1302 yards, 9 TD, 6 INT
Rushing | Connors – 63 carries, 396 yards (6.3 yards per carry), 6 TD / Atkins – 24 carries, 158 yards (6.6 yards per carry), 2 TD
Receiving | Sykes – 31 receptions, 378 yards (12.2 yds/rec), 3 TD / Campbell – 15 receptions, 150 yards (10.0 yds/rec), 1 TD / Connors – 34 receptions, 248 yards (7.3 yds/rec), 1 TD
Tackles | Fresch/Morris – 31, Taylor – 28, Looes – 27
Pass Breakups | Fresch – 5, Ahoia – 3, Taylor -2 
Interceptions | Flowers/Williams/Mutombo – 1

Tulane Stat Notables

Passing | Mensah – 84/127 (66.1 percent), 1256 yards, 10 TD, 2 INT
Rushing | Hughes – 109 carries, 604 yards (5.5 yards per carry), 7 TD / Barnes – 38 carries, 181 yards (4.8 yards per carry)
Receiving | Williams – 23 receptions, 414 yards (18.0 yds/rec), 2 TD / Fleming – 17 receptions, 304 yards (17.9 yds/rec), 1 TD / Brown – 14 receptions, 207 yards (14.8 yds/rec), 3TD
Tackles | Grubbs – 29, Howard – 25, Despanie – 24
Pass Breakups | Robinson/White/Johnson – 2
Interceptions | Seven tied with one each

Tulane X-Factor | Win third down

For the most part, Rice Football has not been a team that’s been able to sustain long scoring drives this season. None of the Owls’ drives against UTSA were more than eight plays, including their scoring drives late in the game. That’s because the Owls have struggled mightily on third down and have had to rely on the big play, which has been fleeting.

Tulane has been one of the best teams in the league on third down, keeping opponents to a 34.7 percent conversion rate. Only one team has been better than 47 percent in a game against them, Oklahoma. Tulane lost that game. If Tulane can win on their down, they’ll force the Rice offense into precarious situations and have a stranglehold in this matchup.

Rice X-Factor | Run the dang ball

Rice football only had one respectable rushing performance against an FBS opponent this season, tallying 209 yards on the ground at a 6.7 yards per carry clip. Rice should have won that game, but a missed field goal at the buzzer and some late defensive lapses wasted that banner day for the ground game. 

Other than that, it’s been tough sledding for Rice on the ground. That’s meant more pressure on quarterback EJ Warner and less touches for star running back Dean Connors, who scored twice against UTSA. Getting the ball in Connors’ hands absolutely must be a priority for the Owls this week. If Rice can get things going on the ground against a Tulane defense that ranks in the middle of the pack in the AAC in yads per carry allowed they’ll have a shot to keep pace with an explosive Tualen offense.

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One Final Thing

Every win Rice football can scrape out over the next several weeks gets the Owls that much closer to salvaging what was shaping up to be a lost season. Beating a downtrodden UTSA program last week was emotionally significant, but the caliber of team Rice topped in that game pales in comparison to the one they’ll be playing in New Orleans this coming weekend.

Tulane is a bonafide contender for the conference championship. Rice is 2-4. On paper, things look daunting, but in this case, it’s probably good that none of the Owls’ games so far this season seem to have gone anything like they should have gone on paper.

Even though there wouldn’t be any shame in losing to one of the best teams in the conference on the road, Rice is running out of margin to account for such eventualities. The win against UTSA bought this team one more week to hope. Knocking off the Green Wave would give the Owls some swagger. 

This team has been maddeningly inconsistent but marquee upsets have been part of their calling card under this coaching staff. Rice upset Houston last year and have headliner wins over C-USA leading UAB (twice) and Top 15, undefeated Marshall, too. 

The odds are long, but there’s a chance. And goodness gracious, that’s why we watch this game.

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Rice Football: Behind enemy lines with a UTSA Insider

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UTSA is next up on the 2024 Rice football schedule so we’re going behind enemy lines with Roadrunners’ insider Jared Kalmus of the Alamo Audible.

Roadrunners’ insider Jared Kalmus was kind enough to stop by and answer a few questions about the upcoming matchup between Rice Football and UTSA. The answers below should shed some light on the Owls’ upcoming opponent.

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Rice Football 2024 Game Preview: UTSA

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Rice football returns from the bye this week to take on UTSA. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Both teams in this matchup have had two weeks to stew on disappointing results. Rice football lost a one-point game to Charlotte at home in their last contest before the break. UTSA didn’t fair much better, falling to ECU 30-20 on the road. Neither wants to add another loss to their respective ledger. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup between Rice and UTSA.

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

Audio / Visual Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs UTSA on this week’s episode of the Blue and Gray Preview Show, kicking off live on Wednesday on the Rice Athletics YouTube channel. Look for a recap of the game on the site afterward as well as on The Roost Podcast, which should be released early next week.

Sizing up the contenders

Rice football is in danger of being eliminated from bowl eligibility soon and doesn’t have much wiggle room to spare. Their next loss would be their fifth and half the season is still in the balance. On the other hand, a win over UTSA would be big for head coach Mike Bloomgren who has yet to beat the Roadrunners in his tenure on South Main.

Meanwhile UTSA sits in an intriguing lurch. They’ve taken a step back without quarterback Frank Harris at the helm, which can be forgiven, if not excused entirely. Yet that fan base and that program has no intentions of letting that skid turn into a slide. Getting back in the win column against Rice would alleviate some of those concerns that a free fall could be imminent. 

Series History

All Time | UTSA leads, 8-3
Last Five | UTSA leads, 5-0
Last Meeting | Away 2023, UTSA won 34-14

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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Rice Football Stat Notables

Passing | Warner – 108/177 (61.0 percent), 955 yards, 7 TD, 6 INT
Rushing | Connors – 55 carries, 369 yards (6.7 yards per carry), 5 TD / Atkins – 24 carries, 158 yards (6.6 yards per carry), 2 TD
Receiving | Sykes – 24 receptions, 306 yards (12.8 yds/rec), 2 TD / Groen – 12 receptions, 94 yards (7.8 yds/rec) / Connors – 28  receptions, 126 yards (4.5 yds/rec)
Tackles | Morris – 24, Taylor/Tita – 23, Hook/Looes/Pearcy – 22
Pass Breakups | Fresech – 4, Six others tied with 1
Interceptions | Flowers/Williams/Mutombo – 1

UTSA Stat Notables

Passing | McCown – 101/164 (61.6 percent), 1054 yards, 7 TD, 2 INT
Rushing | Henry – 40 carries, 194 yards (4.9 yards per carry), 1 TD / Barnes – 39 carries, 143 yards (3.7 yards per carry)
Receiving | McCuin – 30 receptions, 196 yards (6.5 yds/rec) / McCoy – 15 receptions, 306 yards (20.4 yds/rec), 2 TD / Carpenter – 13 receptions, 137 yards (10.5 yds/rec)
Tackles | Davison – 25, French – 24, Randle – 23
Pass Breakups | Davison/French/Randle/Pewee- 2
Interceptions | Frazier – 2, Pewee/Morris – 1

UTSA X-Factor | Extend drives

The Roadrunners have struggled mightily on third down this season and it’s significantly impacted their offensive production. They enter this game converting 33.7 percent of their third down opportunities, 12th in the AAC. In 2023, UTSA led the league in third down conversion rate. They led C-USA in 2022 and were second in the league in 2021. This has traditionally been an efficient team on those money downs and they’re just not getting it done right now.

The rest of the UTSA offense has been sturdy, but when a team can’t sustain drives, it takes away scoring opportunities and that’s a large part of what has slowed the Roadrunners’ attack this year. If they can find a way to get a few more key conversions the offensive output will pick up, putting more pressure on the Rice defense and allowing their own defense to catch a breather. 

Rice X-Factor | Take the ball away

Rice football is 12th in the AAC in takeaways with three. They’ve only forced one turnover against an FBS opponent this season. Turnovers are the great equalizer in this sport. A blowout can become a closer game with a few fortunate bounces and a close game can be swung in your favor if the takeaways materialize at the right points. Rice hasn’t gotten those turnovers and the results haven’t been kind.

In the Charlotte game Rice registered its first FBS takeaway and was nearly able to put the game out of reach soon afterward with the added momentum boost. That’s the formula this team needs to figure out moving forward. If they’re not going to play lights out defense or be perfect on offense, extra opportunities are crucial. A turnover provides just that and it does so at the expense of the other team.

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One Final Thing

Rice has already lost their must-win games to this point, making every game feel like a must-win game from this point forward. Bloomgren needs every evidence possible the program is moving in the right direction and a first time win over UTSA — even if it’s not the full-strength UTSA program of years past — would count as a positive step. 

If there’s any solace, it’s that those inside the walls of the Brian Patterson Center haven’t lost faith. They still believe they have the tools and talents to get this train back on its tracks. 

“It’s going to turn at some point. I hope it turns faster, sooner rather than later,” offensive coordinator Marques Tuiasosopo told The Roost this past week. “It’d be nice to get some guys back, that always changes things up too, but you gotta play the hand you’re dealt.”

It’s been a rough hand so far. Here’s to hoping for a more fortunate hand this time around. There were moments against Charlotte when this team felt like it was moving in the right direction. They desperately need to find a way to recreate those hopes and sustain them for a full four quarters. 

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Rice Football: Behind enemy lines with an Charlotte Insider

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Charlotte is next up on the 2024 Rice football schedule so we’re going behind enemy lines with 49ers’ insider Hunter Bailey of the Charlotte Observer.

49ers’ insider Hunter Bailey was kind enough to stop by and answer a few questions about the upcoming matchup between Rice Football and Charlotte. The answers below should shed some light on the Owls’ upcoming opponent.

Subscriber content. 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. 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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