It was a milestone week for the Owls in the NFL as Austin Walter kicked it off by becoming the 10th Owl to play in the league this year and ending with Chris Boswell setting a Pittsburgh franchise record as the Steelers extended their season-opening winning streak to eight games.
This week's trivia question is can you name the last Rice player to return a kickoff for a touchdown in an NFL game?
Before you find the answer, here's a rundown on the rest of the Owls in Week Nine
Calvin Anderson—The first Owl offensive lineman to appear in the league since Courtney Hall from 1989-96 Andersen made his debut vs. Tennessee in the opener on special teams and has continued in that role in each of the first eight games, playing a career-best seven snaps in the win over the Jets on October 1. The Broncos travel to Las Vegas this Sunday at 3:05. (CBS)
Chris Boswell—Boswell etched his name in the Steelers record book with a 59-yard field goal at the end of the first half, the first of two three-pointers on the day as Pittsburgh improved to 8-0, the best finish in franchise history. Boswell initially missed a 54-yard attempt, which was one yard longer than his previous professional best, but Pittsburgh was called for a false start and he cleared the extra five yards with room to spare. Boswell's kick was two yards better than the school record he shares with James Hamrick. Ironically, Boswell matched the Rice record in a game at LA Tech, which is where the Owls will be this Saturday. The Steelers are home to host the Bengals at 3:25. (FOX)
Bryce Callahan- After playing every snap in the first seven games of the year, Callahan missed the Broncos game at Atlanta. The Broncos travel to Las Vegas this Sunday at 3:05. (CBS)
Christian Covington—Covington is back in action after a bye week and will take on a pair of former Rice teammates in Chris Boswell and Vance McDonald when the Bengals travel to Pittsburgh on Sunday at 3:25. (FOX)
Jack Fox—Fox continues to lead the NFL in punting (52.8) and net punting (47.7) The Lions host Washington on Sunday at noon. (FOX)
THIS WEEK IN NFL BIRTHDAYS
Douglas Cunningham (11/14)Phillip Gaines— Had his most productive day of the season, finishing with six tackles in the Texans' win at Jacksonville. The Texans head to Cleveland this Sunday at noon. (FOX)
Vance McDonald— McDonald caught one pass for two yards against the Cowboys to inch closer to 2,000 receiving yards in his career (1,998). The Steelers are home to host the Bengals at 3:25. (FOX)
Andrew Sendejo— Has played every defensive snap for the Browns in the first eight games and will be looking to move past Courtney Hall for 11th on the Owls career list of NFL games played with his 119th on Sunday when the Browns host the Texans at noon (FOX).
Austin Walter— Walter was activated on the day of the 49ers Thursday night meeting with Green Bay and became the 10th Owl to play in the league this year when he was on the field for San Francisco's first kickoff return. He went on to return three kicks for 64 yards, including a long return of 33 yards. He was the first Owl to return kicks in an NFL game since Spencer George returned four for Tennessee in the 1999 season-opener vs. Cincinnati. George finished with 63 yards on his four returns.
With Walter's 2020 debut, Rice has had 10 players see action in 2020, the most Owls to play in an NFL season in school history. Nine Owls saw action in 2015 to set a school record, but only eight were active for the opening weekend. Rice also had nine former players active in professional football between the NFL and AFL in 1961 and nine between the NFL and the All American Football Conference in 1948.
Answer—Current research has yet to reveal that any former Owl has returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the NFL. Walter returned one for a score in his last game with the Dallas Desperados of the XFL before the league shutdown due to the pandemic. He finished that game with 246 all-purpose yards and his 431 yards on kickoff returns ranked second in the league at the time play was suspended.
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