Rice Falls in Nail-Biter to Nicholls State, 16-14

Saturday, September 1

Rice Stadium

7:00 PM

Rice University

0-1

Nicholls

1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Nicholls State

Rice Owls

Dillard set a conference mark with 20 TD catches

Rice Falls in Nail-Biter to Nicholls State, 16-14

9/2/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

Sept. 2, 2007

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

Ladarius Webb tied a Nicholls record with three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown, and a blocked punt late in the game provided the final margin in a rain-drenched 16-14 victory over Rice in the opener for both teams at Rice Stadium as well as the Rice debut for head coach David Bailiff

Webb and his teammates in the defensive backfield conspired to bring Rice All American wide receiver Jarett Dillard's consecutive game touchdown streak to an end, holding him to just five catches for 41 yards. Dillard was last held out of the end zone on November 12, 2005 against Tulane.

Dillard appeared to have reached the end zone early in the second quarter, but is apparent TD catch was overturned after a review, but the Colonels were also called for pass interference on the play, setting Rice up with a first and goal at the Nicholls two yard line. Chase Clement went to Dillard on back-to-back throws, but failed to connect and on third down, backup quarterback James Casey came in and ran the ball in for his first collegiate touchdown to give Rice a 7-0 lead.

That lead proved to be short-lived, as Nicholls scored 14 points in less than a minute. Clement turned the ball over on a fumble at the Rice 30, and Nicholls needed just one play to tie the game, as Vin Montgomery tossed a 30-yard scoring strike to Grant Thorne. One the second play after the kickoff, Webb picked off Clement in the flat and returned it 32 yards for a score to give Nicholls a 14-7 lead.

The game was marred by a pair of delays for rain and lightening that struck the Houston area on Saturday night. The first stopped the game for 53 minutes late in the first quarter, the second stopped the action for 1 hour and 15 minutes as the Owls were driving after taking the second half kickoff.

When the teams returned to the field in the rain, Clement covered the final ten yards on the first play to knot the game at 14.

Nicholls took the lead for good with 8:04 left when Garrick Spain blocked a Luke Juist punt out of the end zone for a safety.

Clement finished the game hitting 11 of 28 passes for 101 yards and three interceptions. C.J. Ugokwe led the rushers, finishing with 64 yards.

The Owls will be on the road next week, taking on Bayor in Waco at 6 p.m.