Rice University
3-7 , 2-4
WKU
6-4 , 5-1
Owls Fall to WKU
11/13/2021 6:09:00 PM | Football
Travel to El Paso next week
In Brief: Bailey Zappe threw for 482 yards and five touchdowns to lead WKU to a 42-21 win at Rice Stadium on Saturday, clinching bowl eligibility for the Hilltoppers (6-4) while ending Owls (3-7) hopes for a return to postseason action.
The Details: Facing the nation's top passing attack, the Owls foiled WKU's opening threat when Naeem Smith picked off Zipe's pass into the end zone. Jake Constantine lead Rice back down the field only to see the turnovers even out as the Owls fumbled at the Hilltopper three. Zappe then lead his troops to the first score of the game to take a 7-0 lead after one quarter. WKU's attack found its stride in the second quarter, scoring three times--the last two while needing only 1:06--to take a 28-0 lead into halftime. Rice held WKU scoreless in the third period while breaking through on the scoreboard when Constantine found Cedric Patterson III for a 23-yard touchdown. The teams traded scores in the fourth, with Khalan Griffin and Juma Otoviano each scoring on the ground for the Owls.
Up Next: Rice travels to El Paso next weekend to take on UTEP at 3 p.m. (central) before bringing the curtain down on the 2021 campaign in two weeks when they host Louisiana Tech for Senior Day.
The Notes:
- Rice's 504 total yards are the most in a Conference USA game since totaling 520 at UTSA on Nov. 21, 2015 and the most at home since they had 526 vs. ODU on September 20, 2014.
- With two interceptions, Rice now has 10 on the year, its most since having 14 in 2013.
Individual
- QB Jake Constantine was 28-of-50 for a career-high 380 yards and a touchdown.
- The 380 passing yards are the most since Tyler Stehling had 407 against Prairie View A&M on Oct. 22, 2016 and the most in a Conference USA game since Nick Fanuzzi had 405 against UTEP on Nov. 5, 2011.
- It is also Rice's sixth-most by a quarterback in a Conference USA game.
- His 50 passing attempts tied the seventh-most in school history (Mark Comalander vs. Houston, Nov. 28, 1987) and are the most since Chase Clement's school record 66 against Tulsa on Nov. 24, 2007.
- WR August Pitre III set career-highs with nine catches for 133 yards.
- It is his second career 100-yard receiving game.
- WR Cedric Patterson III caught a career-high seven receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown.
- It was Patterson's third touchdown reception of the year and the sixth of his career.
- RB Juma Otoviano scored on a two-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. It was his first rushing touchdown of the year, fourth of his career and first since 2018.
- LB Kirk Lockhart recorded a season-high 10 tackles. It was his second career double-digit tackle game.
- Lockhart also had his second interception of the year.
- LB Desmyn Baker tied a career-high with seven tackles.
- CB Sean Fresch recorded a career-high five tackles.
- S Naeem Smith recorded his third interception of the year in the first quarter. It was also the sixth of his career.
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
Team Stats
WKU 7, RIC 0
WKU - Robichaux,Kye 2 yd run (Narveson,Brayden kick), 7 plays, 97 yards, TOP 03:00
WKU 14, RIC 0
WKU - Robichaux,Kye 13 yd pass from Zappe,Bailey (Narveson,Brayden kick) 5 plays, 39 yards, TOP 02:18
WKU 21, RIC 0
WKU - Tinsley,Mitchell 65 yd pass from Zappe,Bailey (Narveson,Brayden kick) 2 plays, 70 yards, TOP 00:34
WKU 28, RIC 0
WKU - Smith,Dalvin 7 yd pass from Zappe,Bailey (Narveson,Brayden kick) 2 plays, 34 yards, TOP 00:32
WKU 28, RIC 7
RIC - Patterson III,Cedric 23 yd pass from Constantine,Jake (VanSickle,Christian kick) 8 plays, 80 yards, TOP 03:44
WKU 35, RIC 7
WKU - Tinsley,Mitchell 9 yd pass from Zappe,Bailey (Narveson,Brayden kick) 10 plays, 77 yards, TOP 03:15
WKU 35, RIC 14
RIC - Griffin,Khalan 7 yd run (VanSickle,Christian kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:12
WKU 42, RIC 14
WKU - Beljan,Joey 5 yd pass from Zappe,Bailey (Narveson,Brayden kick) 2 plays, 23 yards, TOP 00:35
WKU 42, RIC 21
RIC - Otoviano,Juma 2 yd run (VanSickle,Christian kick), 6 plays, 37 yards, TOP 01:13
