Rice Game Notes
10/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 9, 2010
- Rice fell on the road at UTEP, 44-24. With the loss, the Owls are now 1-5 overall and 0-2 in Conference USA play. The Owls are back at home next Saturday when they play host to crosstown rival Houston in the Bayou Bucket. Kickoff next week will be at 2:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast regionally by CSS.
- Rice captains for the game were John Gioffre, Scott Mitchell Cheta Ozougwu and Tyler Smith. UTEP won the toss and elected to receive. The Owls opened the game by defending the north end zone of the Sun Bowl.
- Rice had two, first-time starters in the game. Sophomore Clay Hebert started at left guard while freshman Paul Porras started at safety for the Owls.
- Porras had 11 tackles in the first half en route to a 13-tackle night. Porras' 13 tackles are the most by a Rice player in a game this season. He entered the game with five tackles for the season.
- Behind Porras, freshman Gabe Baker had a career-high eight tackles in the game.
- For the fourth time in six games, Rice scored on its opening drive. It was the second time the Owls scored six the first time on offense. Sam McGuffie hauled in a 51-yard touchdown pass from Taylor McHargue on the Owls' first offensive play of the North Texas game. Against UTEP, Rice drove 76 yards on 12 plays, capped by a four-yard touchdown pass from Nick Fanuzzi to Vance McDonald.
- The Owls held an opponent out of the end zone on its opening series for the fourth time in six games. UTEP was forced to punt on a three-and-out to start the game. Rice has not given up opening-drive points the last two games.
- McDonald's four-yard scoring grab against the Miners marked the sophomore's first career touchdown reception. McDonald went on to catch a seven-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. McDonald became the first Rice player this season to have multiple touchdown catches. He is the first Rice player to catch multiple touchdown passes since Toren Dixon had TD receptions of 32, 70 and 29 yards last year in a 28-20 win over Tulane.
- Making his fourth-straight start for the Owls, freshman Donte Moore caught a career-high five passes for 42 yards.
- Freshman tight end Trevor Gillette caught a 12-yard touchdown pass in the final minute of the game. It was the rookie's first career touchdown catch.
- Freshman kicker Chris Boswell booted a 28-yard field goal late in the first quarter and has now kicked a field goal in all six games of his career. With the first-half field goal, Boswell moved into a tie for seventh in field goals in a season with 11. He is currently tied with James Hamrick (1984).
- Junior kicker Brandon Yelovich had three special teams' tackles in the game (2 solo stops) including a touchdown-saver late in the second quarter.
- Kyle Martens averaged 48.4 yards on seven punts. He had three kicks over 50 yards and four downed inside the Miners' 20.
- Rice gave up a first-quarter safety when Owls quarterback Nick Fanuzzi was called for intentionally grounding in the end zone. The last time Rice was whistled for a safety came against Nicholls State Sept. 1, 2007 when an Owl punt was blocked out of the end zone. Rice had gone 41 games without giving up a safety.
Players Mentioned
SAF
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K
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WR
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QB
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TE
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NT
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OL
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P
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TE
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RB
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QB
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OL
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DE
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SAF
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K
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