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Rice University Athletics
Owls Down SMU, Lock Up Bowl Bid
11/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 25, 2006
HOUSTON (AP) - Jarett Dillard scored three touchdowns and Rice secured its first bowl appearance since 1961 with a 31-27 win over SMU on Saturday.
The victory capped a remarkable turnaround for the Owls, who lost their first four games this season before winning their final six games and seven of their last eight.
The Owls (7-5, 6-2 Conference USA) will have to wait until after next week's Conference USA championship game before learning of their bowl destination.
SMU (6-6, 4-4 Conference USA) is still eligible to receive a bowl bid, but was unable to lock up its first since the 1984 Aloha Bowl and first since receiving the so-called "death penalty" from the NCAA in 1987.
Rice trailed 27-24 when Dillard caught the game-winning touchdown pass on a 25-yard strike from quarterback Joel Armstrong with 4:05 remaining. The Owls secured the win about three minutes later when SMU's Justin Willis was intercepted by Bencil Smith at the Rice 4-yard line.
The Owls then ran down the remaining time and Rice fans stormed the field to celebrate ending 45 years of bowl frustration.
Dillard, a Biletnikoff Award finalist, finished the season with a Rice single-season record 82 receptions. His 46-yard touchdown catch from Armstrong in the first quarter was his 12th consecutive game with a touchdown reception.
That tied an NCAA single-season record and extended Dillard's overall streak to 14 games dating back to last season. He trails only Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald, who caught a touchdown in 18 straight games.
After Rice opened a 17-0 lead on 38-yard Clark Fangmeier field goal, the Mustangs quickly erased that deficit in the second quarter.
After Willis threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Columbus Givens, Cedric Dorsey scored on a 5-yard run and defensive tackle Brandon Bonds recovered a fumble in the end zone for a 21-17 SMU lead with 6:34 left before halftime.
Rice tied the game at 24-24 on a 20-yard Armstrong-to-Willis touchdown pass in the third quarter.
