Rice Tops UCF, 40-29

Saturday, October 21

Orlando, Fla.

3:00 PM

Rice University

3-5 , 2-2

UCF

2-5 , 1-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Rice

UCF

10/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

Oct. 21, 2006

Final Stats

After watching his younger offensive teammates dominate the headlines the past three weeks, senior running back Quinton Smith made the most of his opportunity against Central Florida, rushing for a career-high 183 yards and scoring three times to lead the Owls to a 40-29 victory in Orlando.

The win is the second straight and third in the last four games for Rice, which opened the season 0-4 and evened the Owls conference mark at 2-2. It was also their first road win as a member of Conference USA.

Rice jumped out to a quick start in the game, recovering an onside kick on the opening kickoff, which the Owls converted into a 45-yard field goal by Luke Juist. They extended the lead to 6-0 on a field goal by Clark Fangmeier before the Golden Knights struck back with a pair of field goals to tie it, 6-6. The teams then traded touchdowns to go to the halftime break tied 13-13-.

After a field goal gave UCF its first lead of the day at 16-13 with 6:20 left in the third quarter, the Owls needed just 55 seconds to take the lead for good as Smith broke free from the line and sprinted 69-yards to a touchdown. It was the Owls longest scoring run of the season, and the second longest scoring run of Smith's career.

After the Owls defense forced a three-and-out, the Rice quarterback Chase Clement looked for a familiar target to extend the lead to 27-16 as he hit Jarett Dillard for a 26-yard scoring strike. The score extended Dillard's streak of games with a TD pass to 10, the longest streak in the nation.

Dillard finished the day with seven catches for 85 yards, while Clement rushed for 67 yards and threw for 170 more and two touchdowns. He has now thrown for at least two touchdowns in his last six games.

After UCF cut the lead to 27-22, Rice turned to its offensive line, intact as a unit for the first time since the Houston, to lead the way as they rammed the ball down the field 72 yards on seven straight running plays, capped by a 19-yard run by Smith, to put the game on ice.

Brandon King, back in the lineup for the first time four weeks, capped a memorable return by returning an interception 37 yards to set up Smith's final score of the day. King was credited with eight tackles and broke up a pair of other passes

The Owls are off this Saturday, and will have two week to prepare for their next game, a road trip to UTEP on November 4.