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Rice Football 2022: FAU Game Week Practice Report

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Rice football travels to the Sunshine State this weekend to play FAU. Here’s what we learned from practice as the Owls prep for C-USA’s other Owls.

Rice football returns from their bye week in search of their first road win of the season. FAU, the only Conference USA squad Rice head coach Mike Bloomgren has yet to play, promises to be another good test for this rising team.

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This week’s roundup highlights changes on the team during the bye week, focusing on some up-and-coming players and a few healthy players set to make their 2022 debuts after injuries sidelined them earlier in the year. Plus, continuity on the offensive line… finally!

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Rice Football 2022 Game Preview: Houston

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Rice football takes on Houston in their final nonconference game of the season. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Rice football scored one of the marquee upsets of Week 3, knocking off a Louisiana squad that entered the week with the nation’s longest winning streak. The win pushed Rice to 2-1 on the season at roughly the same time when crosstown rival Houston was falling to 1-2. The Cougars were blasted by Kansas at home, their second straight defeat following a double-overtime loss to Texas Tech. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup.

Kickoff time | 5:00 PM CT
Venue | TDECU Stadium – Houston, Tx
TV | ESPN+ (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio / Visual Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs Houston on this week’s episode of the Blue and Gray Preview Show, streaming live on Wednesday at Noon 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. 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

Houston has won six consecutive games against Rice and dominated Rice 44-7 as recently as last season. The Cougars get this game at home and desperately need to win it to get back to .500 and avert a season in crisis. On the other side of town, Rice football is playing with house money. They’re fresh off a monumental win and playing great football.

The Cougars probably have the talent advantage, but the Owls have the momentum. This one could be interesting.

Series History

All Time | Houston leads, 32-11
Last Five | Houston leads, 5-0
Last Meeting | Home 2021, Houston won 44-7

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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 | McMahon – 51/80 (63.8 percent), 642 yards, 7 TD, 6 INT
Rushing | Broussard – 51 carries, 145  yards (2.8 yards per carry), 4 TD / Montgomery – 15 carries, 132 yards (8.8 yards per carry), 0 TD
Receiving | McCaffrey – 19 receptions, 202 yards (10.6 yds/rec), 2 TD / Esdale – 12 receptions, 155 yards (12.9 yds/rec), 0 TD
Tackles | Morrison, M. Williams – 11 / Lockhart – 9
Pass Breakups | Morrison, Dunbar – 2 / Five others tied with one
Interceptions | Nyakwol, Chamberlain, Taylor – 1

Houston Notables

Passing | Tune – 64/102 (62.3 percent), 744 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT
Rushing | Campbell – 36 carries, 177 yards (4.9 yards per carry), 2 TD / Tune – 37 carries, 111 yards (3.0 ypc), 2 TD
Receiving | Dell – 18 receptions, 246 yards (13.4 yards per reception), 2 TD / Harry – 10 receptions, 151 yards (15.1 yds/rec), 1 TD
Tackles | Mutin – 24 / Owens – 22/ Parish – 18
Pass Breakups | Owens, Hogan – 4 / Green – 2
Interceptions | Owens, Green, Rogers, Ceaser – 1

Houston X-Factor | Get off the field

Through three weekends of college football, the Houston Cougars rank No. 118 in the nation in total defense. Rice ranks 40th. And the Owls have had to face the nation’s current No. 11 offense, USC. Houston hasn’t faced a single top 30 offense yet. That’s a lot of numbers meant to communicate one thing: Houston has been mediocre, at best, on the defensive side of the ball.

Although Rice football has taken to the air this season with more consistency than in previous years, running the football and controlling the clock remains a staple of the Owls’ offensive scheme. You can be sure the Rice coaching staff is aware of the potent Houston offense and will do their best to play keep away when possible.

Houston has to get off the field on defense. Whether by turnover or a third down stop, the Cougars have to show progress on this side of the football if they want the game to go as they’d hope.

Rice X-Factor | Don’t turn the ball over

Through three games, TJ McMahon is sports a woeful 7:6 touchdown to interception ratio. Three of those picks came in a lost outing against USC, but the other three came in what could have been a disastrous first half against Louisiana. McMahon was off target and made bad decisions, including his third pick-six of the season.

Nobody could have said it better than he did following the game. “We’re going to play a lot of teams later down the road where, you know, you make those little mistakes or if I have a first half again like that, we’re not going to be able to win those games,” McMahon admitted.

He’s probably right, too. Three picks against Houston is going to be tough to overcome. The Cougars’ offense has historically been much more proficient than the Ragin’ Cajuns and the road atmosphere will be much less forgiving. But Rice saw the upshot of a clean performance in the second half. This team was impressive. If they can channel that energy, they’ll be hard to beat.

Injury Report (Subscribers only)

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One Final Thing

Before the season, a 2-2 record in nonconference play was seen as the most reasonable “best case scenario” for Rice football this year. Beating McNeese State was a base level expectation. Finding a way to squeeze out one more win was the dream. Now sitting at 2-1, the Owls are playing with house money. And after winning this past game how they did, having larger expectations seems decidedly appropriate.

Rice hasn’t won the Bayou Bucket since 2010. They’ve only posted two wins in this rivalry since the 2004 season. Houston entered the year with AAC title expectations and even the subtle murmurings of dark horse college football playoff buzz. The latter is certainly out the window, but this is still a dangerous team that will be able to score points in bunches as long as Clayton Tune and Tank Dell are in the lineup.

And yet, Rice will have more than a puncher’s chance this coming weekend. Rice proved they can go toe to toe with a very good Group of 5 program, even when they throw three interceptions in the process. This should be a good game. Don’t be surprised if the Owls take the Cougars to deep water in the fourth quarter. Once they’re there, anything can happen.

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Rice Football 2022 Game Preview: Louisiana

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Rice football takes on the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns as non-conference play continues. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Fresh off their first win of the 2022 season, Rice football looks to establish a winning streak in their final home game of nonconference play. The 1-1 Owls host the 2-0 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns under the direction of first-year head coach Michael Desormeaux. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup.

Kickoff time | 6:30 PM CT
Venue | Rice Stadium – Houston, Tx
TV | ESPN+ (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio / Visual Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs Louisiana on this week’s episode of the Blue and Gray Preview Show, streaming live on Wednesday at Noon 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. 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

A win for Rice football on Saturday would give the Owls a winning record through three games for the first time under head coach Mike Bloomgren. It would also put the program on strong footing to reach a bowl game by ensuring no worse than a 2-2 split in nonconference play with a challenge against crosstown rival Houston looming.

On the other side of the ball, Louisiana was a perennial 10+ win team under former head coach Billy Napier, now at Florida. But expectations haven’t fallen much even though there’s been a change in leadership. This game could serve as one step closer to a fourth consecutive double-digit win season for the Ragin’ Cajuns.

Series History

All Time | Louisiana leads, 3-2
Last Five | Louisiana leads, 3-2
Last Meeting | Home 1989, Louisiana won 18-3

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 | McMahon – 26/44 (59.1 percent), 339 yards, 4 TD, 3 INT / Green – 8/13 (61.5 percent), 69 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Montgomery – 10 carries, 100 yards (10.0 yards per carry), 0 TD / Broussard – 32 carries, 96 yards (3.0 yards per carry), 3 TD
Receiving | Rozner – 4 receptions, 107 yards (26.8 yds/rec), 2 TD / McCaffrey – 9 receptions, 97 yards (10.8 yds/rec), 0 TD
Tackles | Lockhart – 9 / M. Williams, Morrison – 8 / Fresch – 7
Pass Breakups | Dunbar, Narcisse, Morrison – 1
Interceptions | Taylor, Chamberlain – 1

Louisiana Notables

Passing | Fields – 23/41 (56.1 percent), 314 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT / Wooldridge – 19/24 (79.2 percent), 237 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Rushing | Smith – 18 carries, 74 yards (4.1 yards per carry), 1 TD / Kibodi – 14 carries, 63 yards (4.5 ypc), 0 TD
Receiving | Stephens Jr. – 3 receptions, 103 yards (34.3 yards per reception), 1 TD / Jefferson – 5 receptions, 80 yards (16.0 yds/rec), 1 TD
Tackles | Ossai, Pedescleaux – 12 /  Six others tied with six
Pass Breakups | Bishop – 2 / Garror, Jones, Trahan – 1
Interceptions | Five tied with one

Louisiana X-Factor | Corrall the pass

Rice football had a big day through the air against McNeese State, helping to unlock the run game and making the Owls’ offensive attack look as lethal as it has looked in quite some time. Rice is going to run the football and remains committed to the ground game, but forcing the Owls to rely solely on their running game and eliminating big pass plays is a must.

Louisiana allowed 4.3 yards per attempt in a 24-7 win over Southeastern Louisiana and 6.2 yards per attempt against Eastern Michigan. Rice averaged 9.0 yards per attempt in their win over McNeese this past weekend. Everything else was working when the aerial attack was pacing the offensive attack. What happens if it’s not working to that degree? Can Rice still create explosive plays and score?

Rice X-Factor | Stay on schedule

Rice was faced with 16 third down attempts in each of their first two games. The Owls converted five of 16 against USC and then doubled their efficiency, converting 10 of 16 against McNeese State. It was no coincidence their point total exploded from 14 to 52 in that small two-game sample.

Scoring 50+ points a game isn’t sustainable, but for Rice, staying on schedule and controlling the football is part of the roadmap to get there. The Owls were able to generate explosive plays against McNeese State, but will be in for a tougher test against Louisiana. When those big plays are limited, they’ll need to find a way to move the chains.

Injury Report (Subscribers only)

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One Final Thing

Rice football has yet to play any team that’s truly in their weight class. USC is currently ranked in the Top 10 nationally and McNeese is now an 0-2 FCS squad. Louisiana looks to be the most evenly matched opponent of the first three games, but most measures have the Ragin’ Cajuns a good bit better than the Owls. For example, SP+ tabs Rice as the 120th best team in the country. Louisiana sits at 61.

Against USC, we learned that the offense can be productive when they’re avoiding mistakes and playing well up front. Against McNeese, we learned that Rice can dominate an inferior opponent, particularly in the trenches. What can we learn about the Owls this week?

More: Path to six — charting Rice football’s course to a bowl berth ($)

A loss wouldn’t disqualify this team from their objectives, but it would require five conference wins to reach .500 and a six-win season rather than four. Conversely, a win would be massive, most likely checking in near the top of the Owls’ best wins under Bloomgren to date.  Either way, it will be a good litmus test to determine where this program stands with conference play looming in just a few weeks.

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Rice Football 2022: McNeese State Game Week Practice Report

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Rice football will play its home opener this coming weekend against McNeese State. Here’s what we learned from this week’s practices.

As he’s said in prior years, head coach Mike Bloomgren reiterated expectations this week that his team would take a big step forward between Game 1 and Game 2. When asked Thursday if he’d seen that progression, he seemed elated. “They’ve been focused. They’ve been great. They’ve given it in the heat. They’ve worked their butts off,” he said about his team.

With four days of practice in the books and a more manageable opponent looming in McNeese State, the mood around South Main remained upbeat this week. Here are a few important takeaways from practice this week and a couple of nuggets on how Rice football might choose to attack this coming Saturday.

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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.

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.

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Rice Football 2022 Game Preview: McNeese State

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Rice football takes on the McNeese State Cowboys in their 2022 home opener. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Rice football and McNeese State meet in a Week 2 matchup of teams desperate to bounce back from disappointing opening weekend losses. Regardless of what shakes out at the quarterback position, the Owls will look to even their record and get their season back on track against the Cowboys. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup.

Kickoff time | 6:30 PM CT
Venue | Rice Stadium – Houston, Tx
TV | ESPN3 (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio / Visual Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs McNeese State on this week’s episode of the Blue and Gray Preview Show, streaming live on Wednesday at Noon 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. 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

Rice football left the first quarter with smiles this past weekend, all tied up 7-7 with USC. Then Wiley Green was knocked out of the game on the first of three pick-sixes, largely attributable to dropped passes by his wide receivers. If Rice wants to reach the postseason, they more than likely have to win this game.

McNeese was able to keep things a little closer in their first game, but the results were the same. The Cowboys fell 40-17 to the Montana State Bobcats on the road. They’ll be looking for some sort of momentum before they return home the following weekend to play Alcorn State in their first home contest of the year.

Series History

All Time | n/a
Last Five | n/a
Last Meeting | n/a

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!

Become a Patron!

Rice Football Stat Notables

Passing | McMahon – 6/15 (40 percent), 65 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT / Green – 8/13 (61.5 percent), 69 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Montgomery – 6 carries, 99 yards (16.5 yards per carry), 0 TD / Broussard – 15 carries, 26 yards (1.7 yards per carry), 2 TD
Receiving | McCaffrey – 5 receptions, 51 yards (10.2 yds/rec), 0 TD / Esdale – 4 receptions, 38 yards (9.5 yds/rec), 0 TD
Tackles | Lockhart – 6 / M. Williams – 5 / Six others tied with four
Pass Breakups | n/a
Interceptions | n/a

McNeese Stat Notables

Passing | Kadum – 11/21 (52.4 percent), 126 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing | Durham – 3 carries, 82 yards (27.3 yards per carry), 1 TD / McMahon – 8 carries, 65 yards (8.1 ypc), 0 TD
Receiving | Matthews – 2 receptions, 76 yards (38.0 yards per reception), 1 TD / Pierce – 7 receptions, 44 yards (6.3 yds/rec), 0 TD
Tackles | Williams, Willis-Dalton – 8 / Grayson – 6
Pass Breakups | Green – 1
Interceptions | n/a

McNeese X-Factor | Get the Owls off schedule

If Rice football fans were reminded of anything in their season-opening loss to USC, it was of the vast gulf that exists between when this team is performing at the extent of its abilities to their depths. McNeese’s task is to force the Owls into a performance more closely resembling the latter by disrupting what Rice wants to do.

In practical terms, that means putting the Rice offense behind the sticks with sacks and tackles for a loss. On the other side of the ball, The Cowboys need to prove then can formulate extended drives — something they weren’t really able to do in their first outing against Montana State.

If McNeese is unable to alert the steady drum beat of the Rice offense in either capacity it’s going to be tough sailing for the visitors next weekend.

Rice X-Factor | Catch the football

Head coach Mike Bloomgren said as much in his postgame comments following the USC loss. That game has the potential to look much different if the Owls receivers simply hang on to the passes that hit their fingertips. Quarterback play can always stand to improve, but handing out richochets left and right is a recipe for disaster which the Owls now know all too well.

This offense has too many playmakers to be kept at bay for 60 minutes against an FCS squad. The talent gap should somewhat closely resemble the one that separated Rice and USC  last weekend. But if Rice turns the ball over and gives up drives and points, this could be anyone’s game.

Bottom line: Rice football needs to play clean.

Injury Report (Subscribers only)

Unfortunately, Rice football has a lot of injury questions entering Week 2, chief among them: quarterback.

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One Final Thing

There are no “supposed to’s” in college football, at least not on paper. But Rice football was “supposed to” lose to USC and Rice football is “supposed to” beat McNeese State this coming weekend. All else held equal, Rice is on track with expectations for its 2022 season, even if the jarring nature of the season opener has made the trajectory feel hazier than it might actually be in reality.

Rice can build a lot of goodwill and trust in themselves by taking care of business at home against McNeese. If they’re as talented as head coach Mike Bloomgren said he belives them to be, this game ought to end in victory.

If we get to Sunday and Rice football sits at 1-1, all will be well. So maybe perhaps the cliche of “having to go 1-0 this week” is particularly true for the next few days. Rice has to win to get the taste of that bad loss out of their mouths and prove they’ve still got the talent and discipline to achieve their goals this season.

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