Saturday, October 23
Birmingham, AL
2:30 p.m.
Rice University
3-4 , 2-1
30
at
24
UAB
5-3 , 3-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Rice
13
7
7
3
30
UAB
14
0
7
3
24
Rice Takes Down UAB, 30-24
10/23/2021 7:18:00 PM | Football
The Lead
Wiley Green passed for 205 yards and threw for a career-high three touchdowns as Rice led for most of the game in a 30-24 victory over UAB, Saturday afternoon from Protective Stadium in Birmingham.
The Story
Rice got off to a strong start. After Juma Otoviano returned the opening kickoff 50 yards, the Owls twice converted fourth downs before Jordan Myers scored on a one-yard touchdown. On UAB's first play, Gabe Taylor forced a fumble and Antonio Montero recovered at the Rice 49. After Wiley Green connected with August Pitre II for 35 yards to UAB two-yard line, Green hit Jaeger Bull in the end zone for a 13-0 Rice lead. UAB then drove 75 yards to get on the board. On Rice's next possession, Green was sacked, fumbled and the Blazers recovered at the Rice 33. UAB needed just four plays to score, taking a 14-13 lead. After the teams traded punts, the Owls went 80 yards in 13 plays, eating up 7:33 before Green hit Pitre III for an 11-yard touchdown late in the second quarter to send Rice into halftime with a 20-14 lead.
After forcing a three-and-out on UAB's opening possession of the second half, the Owls took advantage, driving 65 yards in 10 plays, capped by Bull's second touchdown of the day, this time from one-yard out as Rice took a 27-14 lead. But the Blazers needed just three plays to go 76 yards, scoring on a 72-yard pass to cut the deficit to six points. The Owls answered by driving 71 yards in 13 plays, capped off by Christian VanSickle's 27-yard field goal. On its next possession, UAB drove down to the Rice five-yard line, but a Naeem Smith sack forced the Blazers to settle for a field goal. Rice went three-and-out, giving UAB the ball back with 2:10 to play. UAB drove down to the Rice 40-yard line and seemed to tie the game with 11 seconds left after completing a 40-yard touchdown pass. But the Blazers were called for holding. They had one last chance, but Taylor batted down their Hail Mary attempt and the Owls hung on for the victory.
Team
Individual
Wiley Green passed for 205 yards and threw for a career-high three touchdowns as Rice led for most of the game in a 30-24 victory over UAB, Saturday afternoon from Protective Stadium in Birmingham.
The Story
Rice got off to a strong start. After Juma Otoviano returned the opening kickoff 50 yards, the Owls twice converted fourth downs before Jordan Myers scored on a one-yard touchdown. On UAB's first play, Gabe Taylor forced a fumble and Antonio Montero recovered at the Rice 49. After Wiley Green connected with August Pitre II for 35 yards to UAB two-yard line, Green hit Jaeger Bull in the end zone for a 13-0 Rice lead. UAB then drove 75 yards to get on the board. On Rice's next possession, Green was sacked, fumbled and the Blazers recovered at the Rice 33. UAB needed just four plays to score, taking a 14-13 lead. After the teams traded punts, the Owls went 80 yards in 13 plays, eating up 7:33 before Green hit Pitre III for an 11-yard touchdown late in the second quarter to send Rice into halftime with a 20-14 lead.
After forcing a three-and-out on UAB's opening possession of the second half, the Owls took advantage, driving 65 yards in 10 plays, capped by Bull's second touchdown of the day, this time from one-yard out as Rice took a 27-14 lead. But the Blazers needed just three plays to go 76 yards, scoring on a 72-yard pass to cut the deficit to six points. The Owls answered by driving 71 yards in 13 plays, capped off by Christian VanSickle's 27-yard field goal. On its next possession, UAB drove down to the Rice five-yard line, but a Naeem Smith sack forced the Blazers to settle for a field goal. Rice went three-and-out, giving UAB the ball back with 2:10 to play. UAB drove down to the Rice 40-yard line and seemed to tie the game with 11 seconds left after completing a 40-yard touchdown pass. But the Blazers were called for holding. They had one last chance, but Taylor batted down their Hail Mary attempt and the Owls hung on for the victory.
Team
- Rice improved to 3-4 on the season and 2-1 in Conference USA.
- The Owls have started 2-1 in C-USA play for the first time since 2015.
- This was the 10th meeting between Rice and UAB.
- Rice improved to 4-6 all-time against the Blazers.
- Rice has led at halftime of its last four conference games.
- Rice had five tackles for loss. It's the fourth straight game and the fifth time this year it had at least five tackles for loss.
- The Owls were a perfect 5-for-5 on fourth down attempts.
Individual
- LB DJ Arkansas saw his first career action.
- Arkansas recorded his first career sack in the third quarter.
- QB Wiley Green was 17-of-22 for a season-high 205 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. He has four touchdowns on the year and 11 in his career.
- It was his third multi-touchdown game of his career and first since 2019.
- RB Ari Broussard led the Owls with 16 rushes for a career-high 65 yards.
- Broussard's 19-yard run in the first quarter was a career long.
- WR August Pitre III set career-highs with six receptions for 108 yards and a touchdown.
- It was his first career 100-yard receiving game.
- It was his second touchdown reception of the year and the fifth of his career.
- RB Jordan Myers scored on a one-yard run in the first quarter. It was his sixth touchdown run of the season and eighth of his career.
- TE Jaeger Bull tied a career-high with two catches for three yards and a career-high two touchdowns.
- It is his first career two-touchdown game. It was his first two touchdowns of the season and he has three in his career.
- It was his first touchdowns since catching a two-yarder against Houston on Sept. 1, 2018.
- Bull also had a 30-yard run on a fake punt. It was his first career carry.
- RB Juma Otoviano returned three kickoffs for 92 yards. It was his first time returning kicks in his career.
- Otoviano's 50-yard kickoff return on the opening kick was Rice's longest return of the season.
- CB Gabe Taylor recorded a career-high 10 tackles.
- It was his first career double-digit tackle game.
- S Naeem Smith intercepted his second pass of the year and fifth of his career.
- Smith also recorded his first sack of the season and second of his career.
- LB Josh Pearcy recorded his third sack of the year and fourth of his career in the third quarter.
- K Christian VanSickle connected on a 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
Team Stats
RIC
UAB
Total Yards
346
445
Pass Yards
205
318
Rushing Yards
141
127
Penalty Yards
30
108
1st Downs
19
15
3rd Downs
6
2
4th Downs
5
1
TOP
38:01
21:59
1st Quarter
RIC 7, UAB 0
RIC - Myers,Jordan 1 yd run (VanSickle,Christian kick), 12 plays, 50 yards, TOP 05:10
RIC 13, UAB 0
RIC - Bull,Jaeger 2 yd pass from Green,Wiley () 6 plays, 51 yards, TOP 02:28
RIC 13, UAB 7
UAB - McBride,DeWayne 12 yd run (Quinn,Matt kick), 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:34
RIC 13, UAB 14
UAB - McBride,DeWayne 26 yd run (Quinn,Matt kick), 3 plays, 33 yards, TOP 01:35
2nd Quarter
RIC 20, UAB 14
RIC - Pitre III,August 11 yd pass from Green,Wiley (VanSickle,Christian kick) 13 plays, 80 yards, TOP 07:33
3rd Quarter
RIC 27, UAB 14
RIC - Bull,Jaeger 1 yd pass from Green,Wiley (VanSickle,Christian kick) 10 plays, 65 yards, TOP 05:20
RIC 27, UAB 21
UAB - Prince,Gerrit 72 yd pass from Hopkins,Dylan (Quinn,Matt kick) 3 plays, 76 yards, TOP 00:40
4th Quarter
RIC 30, UAB 21
RIC - VanSickle,Christian 27 yd field goal 13 plays, 71 yards, TOP 08:22
RIC 30, UAB 24
UAB - Quinn,Matt 33 yd field goal 8 plays, 59 yards, TOP 02:29
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
17
TD
3
YDS
205
INT
0
CMP
0
TD
0
YDS
0
INT
0
Players Mentioned
LB
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RB
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TE
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