Rice Game Notes
9/11/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 11, 2010
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes
- Rice defeated North Texas 32-31 to improve to 1-1 on the year. The Owls play host to Northwestern next Saturday, Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. in Rice Stadium.
- Rice game captains for the North Texas game were Taylor Dupree, Justin Hill, Chris Jones and Corbin Smiter. Rice won the toss for the first time this season and deferred to the second half.
- Temperature at kickoff from Fouts Field was 94 degrees with a heat index of 103. It was definitely a hot start to a game but no where close to the hottest game-time temperature in recent history. Temperature at kickoff of the Owls' game played at Texas on Sept. 17, 2005 was 96 degrees.
- The Owls started the same defensive 11 as a week ago against Texas. It is the first time since the last three games of the 2007 season that the Owls have started the same defensive unit.
- After fair catching a punt last week against Texas, true freshman Andy Erickson picked up his first career punt return, an eight-yard return early in the first quarter. Erickson finished the game with four returns for 42 yards. Erickson also had five kickoff returns for 109 yards including a long 35-yarder.
- Rice scored on its first play from scrimmage as Sam McGuffie hauled in a 51-yard touchdown pass from Taylor McHargue. The Owls have now scored on their opening drive of both games played this season. (Chris Boswell capped a 14-play, 60-yard drive with a 42-yard field goal against Texas).
- McGuffie's 51-yard touchdown catch was the longest reception by a Rice running back since Quinton Smith (brother of current Owl Tyler Smith) caught an 80-yard touchdown pass against Houston Sept. 2, 2006.
- Boswell nailed a 50-yard field goal on the Owls' second possession to spot Rice an early 10-0 lead. It was the freshman's longest field goal in a two-week old career. It was the longest by an Owl since Luke Juist had a 53-yarder against Navy on Oct. 22, 2005.
- Boswell went on to make three field goals in the opening quarter including two from 50 yards. The last time Rice had three field goals in a game was Oct. 30, 2004 at Tulsa.
- Boswell tied a school record with four field goals in the game. He tied the mark set by Joel Baxter vs. TCU on Oct. 10, 1981 and equaled by Matt Huelsman at TCU on Oct. 29, 1994.
- Denzel Wells' first-quarter blocked punt was the first of the season. Coupled with a 10-yard return of the block by McGuffie, the play set up a 23-yard field goal by Boswell.
- Rice scored 16 points in the first quarter against North Texas and through two games has 19, first-quarter points. The Owls scored 23 first-quarter points during the 2009 season. The 16, first-quarter points were the most since Rice scored 21 points at Tulane in the period on Oct. 25, 2008.
- Sophomore defensive back Corey Frazier stopped a second-quarter North Texas drive with his first career interception. He finished the game with five tackles.
- Rice safety Travis Bradshaw was credited with nine tackles. He had a streak of seven straight double-figure tackle games come to an end.
- Rice sophomore tight end Luke Wilson registered his second straight multi-reception game and the third of his career. He finished the game with four receptions for 86 yards. His first catch went for a 21-yard touchdown to put the Owls up 23-14 in the second quarter.
- Tyler Smith had a 48-yard run down to the North Texas 10. The carry was a career-long for the junior. Smith carried the ball 12 times for 92 yards. He did not have a negative rush.
- Derek Clark's 29-yard reception in the fourth quarter was a career long. Clark went on to have another catch to finish with two receptions for 49 yards in the final quarter.
- Kyle Martens averaged 49.3 yards on six punts with three downed inside the UNT 20. Martens' career best average of 50 yards per punt came against Tulsa on Oct. 3, 2009.
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