Rice University
0-7 , 0-3
East Carolina
4-3 , 3-1
ECU Takes Down Rice, 49-13
10/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 17, 2009
By MOISEKAPENDA BOWER
GREENVILLE, N.C. - For a brief stretch in the second half, Rice appeared to have emerged from its injury-created offensive cocoon, mustering just enough of a rhythm to make anyone watching the action unfold believe that what passes for continuity was beginning to pay dividends.
But the Owls settled for a field goal to close one promising drive in the third quarter, and after East Carolina converted a Nick Fanuzzi interception into a touchdown, hope fizzled as the Owls lost contact and ultimately a 49-13 Conference USA decision at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
Fanuzzi delivered his best performance in a Rice uniform, and the Owls (0-7, 0-3) welcomed back tailback Tyler Smith, who was lost to a toe injury during the second week at Texas Tech. But their sporadic play enabled East Carolina (4-3, 3-1) to capitalize on several gifts, including turnovers that produced short fields and a backbreaking kickoff return for a touchdown after the Owls came to life with a score in the second.
The Owls trailed 28-10 when they pushed deep into ECU territory, but they ran out of steam at the Pirates' 7-yard line and pulled to within 15 points when Clark Fangmeier nailed a 24-yard field goal with 4:31 left in the third. The Owls would not regain their momentum following that effort, and ECU took advantage whenever the Owls seemed to stumble.
The Pirates attempted to overpower the Owls at the start of the game, and that strategy worked. ECU opened with three successive running plays featuring Dominique Lindsey on its first possession, and after Lindsey bumped his total to 28 yards on the fifth play of the drive, Pat Pinkney hit Dwayne Harris in the flat and Harris eluded two Owls before strolling into the end zone for a 7-0 Pirates lead at the 12:15 mark.
The Owls responded with a six-play, 52-yard drive that bogged down in the red zone but yielded a Fangmeier 33-yard field goal that resulted in the first points on an opening drive for the Owls this season.
Just when it appeared that the Owls were primed to change their luck, another bad break came their way. Reserve linebacker Ronnie Lillard stifled a lengthy ECU drive by picking off a Pinkney pass, but he fumbled during the return and the Pirates regained possession at the Rice 33. Five plays later Pinkney hit reserve tight end Rob Kass on a two-yard scoring pass off the play-action fake to expand the deficit to 14-3, and following two consecutive three-and-outs by the Owls, the second of which ended in a deflected Kyle Martens punt that gave ECU possession at the Rice 34, Brandon Jackson powered his way in for a two-yard touchdown and a 21-3 ECU lead. Rice responded with its longest play of the season, an 80-yard Fanuzzi-to-Toren Dixon scoring strike, but immediately surrendered a 92-yard kickoff return to Harris for a touchdown that rebuilt the ECU lead to 18 points.
The Owls pushed back into scoring position when they regained possession, but a post-whistle personal foul knocked them out of field goal position, and Fangmeier followed by leaving his 49-yard kick short.
Fanuzzi completed 25-of-43 passes for 231 yards. Dixon had eight receptions for 115 yards, his fourth 100-yard receiving game.
Defensively, both Travis Bradshaw and Cheta Ozougwu finished with 10 tackles. Ozougwu had 2.5 tackles for lost yards as he finished with his first career double-digit tackle game.
Team Stats
RICE 0, ECU 7
ECU - HARRIS, Dwayne 16 yd pass from PINKNEY, Pat (RYAN, Ben kick) 6 plays, 67 yards, TOP 2:45
RICE 3, ECU 7
RICE - FANGMEIER, Clar 33 yd field goal 6 plays, 52 yards, TOP 1:33
RICE 3, ECU 14
ECU - KASS, Rob 2 yd pass from PINKNEY, Pat (RYAN, Ben kick) 5 plays, 33 yards, TOP 2:29
RICE 3, ECU 21
ECU - JACKSON, Brndn 2 yd run (RYAN, Ben kick), 7 plays, 34 yards, TOP 3:46
RICE 10, ECU 21
RICE - DIXON, Toren 80 yd pass from FANUZZI, Nick (FANGMEIER, Clar kick) 1 plays, 80 yards, TOP 0:11
RICE 10, ECU 28
ECU - HARRIS, Dwayne 92 yd kickoff return (RYAN, Ben kick)
RICE 13, ECU 28
RICE - FANGMEIER, Clar 24 yd field goal 14 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:11
RICE 13, ECU 35
ECU - RUFFIN, Giavani 7 yd run (RYAN, Ben kick), 4 plays, 20 yards, TOP 1:20
RICE 13, ECU 42
ECU - HARRIS, Dwayne 7 yd pass from PINKNEY, Pat (RYAN, Ben kick) 4 plays, 30 yards, TOP 0:52
RICE 13, ECU 49
ECU - BALLARD, Darnel 2 yd run (RYAN, Ben kick), 9 plays, 66 yards, TOP 5:18
