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Rice University Athletics
Rice Postgame Notes
9/24/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 24, 2011
General Notes
Rice University captains for the Baylor game were seniors John Gioffre (DL), Randy Kitchens (WR), Tyler Parish (OL) and Michel Smith (WR). Rice won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Owls kicked off and defended the south end zone. The Baylor game marked the first time this season Rice won the coin toss.
Kickoff temperature at Floyd Casey stadium was 96 degrees. The average kickoff temp for the Owls is now 96.7 degrees. Rice began its 100th season with a 100-degree temp for the opener at Texas. Kickoff for the 2:30 p.m. Purdue game at Rice Stadium was 94 degrees.
Rice has now not been shutout in its last 125 games, dating back to a 37-0 loss at TCU in 2000.
Red-shirt freshman Ian Gray made his career debut on the offensive line for the Owls in the fourth quarter.
Offense
Rice jumped on the board early in the fourth quarter with a five-play, 80-yard drive which included the Owls' longest rush and pass play to that point of the season. Turner Petersen had a 27-yard rush before Taylor McHargue hooked up with Randy Kitchens for a 42-yard passing strike to the Baylor two. That play set up a two-yard scoring run by Jeremy Eddington.
Kitchens, who hails from nearby Robinson, recorded his fourth reception of 40 yards or more with the early, second quarter catch. It was Kitchens' longest reception since he had a career-high 59-yarder against Houston (Oct. 16, 2010).
For the third straight game, McHargue set new completion and attempt records (23-of-38) and with 360 passing yards set another career mark for the second straight week. McHargue's 140 first-half passing yards (11-of-18) against was a season high for a first half. He was 11-of-18 for 138 yards two weeks ago against Purdue.
McHargue completed passes to 10 different receivers in the game including sophomore Andre Gautreaux who hauled in his first career reception, a 19-yarder for a score in the third quarter. Gautreaux had two catches for 33 yards.
After finishing the season with touchdown receptions in each of the last three games of the 2010 season (five total), Vance McDonald's dive into the end zone on a five-yard scoring reception was his first of the year. McDonald caught six passes for 59 yards and two touchdowns to lead Rice's receivers.
Defense
Rice's defensive was led by linebackers Justin Allen and Cameron Nwosu who each finished with nine total tackles.
For the third straight game this season, Rice did not allow an opponent to score on its opening drive.
Special Teams
Rice's first drive ended in a 55-yard field goal attempt by Chris Boswell which sailed wide left. Boswell's career high is a 50-yarder. The Keller native is now 2-for-4 in field goal attempts from 50+ yards.
Boswell booted a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter, the 16th of his career. He currently ranks seventh on the Rice all-time list. Ranked ahead of Boswell in sixth on the Rice list is Alan Pringle (1973-74) who had 19 field goals during his career.
Rice's special teams forced two fumbles on kickoffs, recovering one which led to an Owl field goal. Tolu Akinwumi forced and Corey Frazier recovered the first Baylor fumble in the second quarter. Zach Patt forced a third-quarter fumble that the Bears recovered.
