Rice Game Notes
9/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 10, 2011
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes
Purdue Game l September 10, 2011
Rice Stadium l Houston, Texas
General Notes
- Rice defeated an opponent from a BCS conference for the first time since a 15-13 victory over Duke on Sept. 8, 2001. The Owls had lost 22 straight games against BCS conference teams.
- Conference USA registered its first victory against a Big 10 team since TCU defeated Northwestern on Sept. 2, 2004. The last time Rice had beat a Big 10 opponent was Sept. 20, 1997 when the Owls posted a 40-34 victory at Northwestern. Rice snapped a six-game losing streak against Big 10 schools.
- Rice is now 2-2 against Purdue, posting its first victory over the Boilermakers since 1934.
- Rice captains for the Purdue game were four seniors - OL Jake Hicks, DE Scott Solomon, RB Tyler Smith and DB Xavier Webb. Purdue won the toss and elected to receive. The Owls began the game by defending the north goal.
- Rice debuted a new helmet sticker for the second time in as many seasons. In memory of 9/11, the Owls' helmets featured an `R' which carried the Stars and Stripes. Last year, Rice helmets featured a pink `R' during the month of October in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
- For the second time in as many contests this season, the Owls' defense did not allow a scoring drive to begin the game. Rice forced the Boilermakers into a three-and-out on the first offensive series of the game. Additionally, the Owls did not give up opening-drive points in the final two games of the 2010 season, a pair of Rice victories to end the year.
- After seeing significant playing time in the Owls' opener last week at Texas, redshirt freshman Drew Carroll made his first career start at right guard.
- All four of the Owls' scoring drives came from the long side of the field. Rice's average starting field position for its scoring series was the 26-yard line (13, 22, 41, 20-yard lines).
- Rice gave up a third-quarter safety, the first against the Owls since Sept. 1, 2007 (vs. Nicholls State).
Offense
- Turner Petersen started the Owls' final offensive series of the first quarter (2:07) at quarterback. He completed his first career pass attempt, a 12-yarder to Vance McDonald on a third-and-two. A roughing the passer penalty was tagged to the end of the play and Rice was on its way to its first touchdown of the season.
- Petersen capped the Owls' first touchdown drive of the season with a two-yard run. The sophomore also had a 30-yard reception on the scoring drive and had a hand in 48 of the Owls' 78 yards during the series (63 yards if you take in account the personal foul).
- Mario Hull and Taylor Cook each hauled in their first career receptions on the Owls' first drive to start the second half, an 80-yard series that culminated in a 19-yard Sam McGuffie touchdown run that gave Rice a 24-17 lead. Hull snared a nine-yard pass on third down early in the series. Cook's 12-yard reception moved the ball into Purdue territory.
- Taylor McHargue completed 19-of-29 passes for 230 yards, all career highs for the sophomore. McHargue completed 14-of-29 passes against Texas last week. His previous career mark for passing yards was 220 against at ECU last year.
Defense
- In addition to blocking a 31-yard field goal on the game's final play to preserve the victory, Justin Allen registered 10 total tackles including a quarterback sack (half sack for three-yard loss.
- Rice junior defensive end Jared Williams had 1.5 tackles for lost yardage (3 yards). He entered the game with two total tackles for lost yardage, one in each of his first two seasons as an Owl.
- Scott Solomon helped stall a third-quarter Purdue drive with his first quarterback sack of the season, throwing the Boilermaker's Caleb TerBush for an eight-yard loss. The sack gave Solomon 16.5 for his career, moving him past John Syptak (2002-05) and into third place on the Rice career list.
- Solomon finished the game with eight tackles. It was the most for the senior since he registered 11 stops against Tulsa (Oct. 3, 2009).
- Leading 24-17, Rice made a valiant goal-line stand late in the third quarter. On fourth-and-one from the two, linebacker Cameron Nwosu stood up Purdue running back Akeem Shavers and was credited, along with Tanner Leland, with the tackle. Rice took possession with 1:12 left in the quarter.
Special Teams
- Chris Boswell booted a 33-yard field goal with 5:46 to play in the first quarter that put the Owls on the board first. The field goal was the 15th in the sophomore's career as he passed Darrell Richardson
Players Mentioned
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