Rice Game Notes
10/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 23, 2010
- Rice began a three-game road swing Saturday with a 41-14 loss at UCF. The Owls are now 2-6 on the year, including 1-3 in Conference USA play. Rice has an open week ahead before traveling to Tulsa on Nov. 6.
- Rice captains for the UCF game were Nick Fanuzzi, Justin Hill, Chris Jones and Scott Mitchell. UCF won the toss and elected to receive. Rice defended the south goal to begin the game.
- For the UCF game, Rice wore white jerseys and navy blue pants for the first time this season. The last time Rice wore the uniform configuration came in 2006 against Tulane in the Louisiana Superdome (Oct. 7, 2006).
- Additionally, the Owls wore navy helmets with pink R logos for the second straight week in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Rice is currently conducting an online auction for one of the helmets with the pink R. At kickoff, the bid was over $1,000. The auction concludes at 10 p.m. Sunday night. All proceeds from the auction will go to a local breast cancer program.
- Saturday's game marked the first time this season Rice played outside the borders of the state of Texas. The Owls began the year with five of their first seven played at home (four at Rice Stadium while the Texas game was played at Reliant Stadium). The team's first two road games were also played inside the Lone Star State - at North Texas in September and two weeks ago on the road at UTEP.
- Following last week's game against Houston, the trek to Orlando is part of a 35-day stretch in which the Owls will be away from Rice Stadium.
- Sophomore quarterback Taylor Cook lined up as a tight end for the Owls' first offensive play from scrimmage. Senior wide receiver Taylor Dupree received his first start of the season and second of his career. Freshman running back Turner Petersen also started for the first time.
- Rice junior Kody Emmert saw his first action of the season on the Rice offensive line.
- Xavier Webb stretched out a pass play before pushing UCF quarterback Jeff Godfrey out of bounds for his first career quarterback sack.
- Travis Bradshaw picked off a third-quarter pass for his first interception of his career. The pick was the fourth of the season for Rice. Bradshaw was also credited with his eighth, career forced fumble during the game.
- Jamael Thomas was credited with his first career quarterback sack in the fourth quarter (a nine-yard loss).
- Vance McDonald had a 27-yard catch in the first quarter to equal a career long set last year at SMU.
- In his first rushing attempt since the Navy game of the 2009 season, Patrick Randolph carried the ball for a career-high 35-yard gain. His previous career best was 21 yards during his freshman season in 2007. The run helped set up the Owls' first scoring drive of the game.
- Sam McGuffie caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Nick Fanuzzi to put the Owls on the board with 5:16 to play in the third quarter. The touchdown play marked McGuffie's second TD reception of the year while quarterback Nick Fanuzzi was credited with his eighth touchdown pass of the year.
- Fanuzzi now has 19 career touchdown passes and with his strike to McGuffie took over sole possession of eighth on the Rice career list.
- Taylor Cook and Derek Clark hooked up for a 39-yard pass play in the fourth quarter. The play was a career-long pass and catch for the tandem, setting up a Jeremy Eddignton one-yard touchdown run.
- Eddington now has three career touchdown carries, equaling a team high.
- Rice junior punter Kyle Martens averaged 45.3 yards on six punts. He had two of his six punts downed inside the 20, including one inside the 10. For the season, Martens now has had 16-of-22 punts downed inside opponents' 20-yard line and eight of the 16 downed inside the 20 were actually downed inside the 10.
- Freshman Andy Erickson moved on the career kickoff return chart. Against UCF he had five returns for 104 yards. He now has 553 career kickoff return yards, moving to eighth on the career list.
Players Mentioned
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