Photo by: Maria Lysaker | Rice Athletics
Owls Drop Homecoming Game to Charlotte
10/29/2022 6:55:00 PM | Football
Host UTEP on Thursday night
In Brief: Rice saw its hopes for a Happy Homecoming and extending its home winning streak to five dashed as an inspired Charlotte team playing its first game for interim head coach Pete Rossomando exploded for 49 points over the last three quarters to defeat Rice 56-23 at Rice Stadium.
The Details: The day opened with Rice marching 82 yards on the game's first possession to take an early lead when TJ McMahon connected with Luke McCaffrey for a 27-yard touchdown. McMahon then teamed with Bradley Rozner on the first of two scoring tosses to give the Owls a 14-7 lead after one quarter, matching their best first-quarter scoring effort to the year. After the 49ers tied it at 14 apiece, McMahon led the Owls back into Charlotte territory, but the drive stalled and Christian VanSickle connected on a 35-yard field goal to give Rice what would prove to be its last lead of the day.
Up Next: Rice has a quick turnaround as the Owls will be back in action on Thursday night, hosting UTEP at 6:30 in a game broadcast nationally on CBS SN,
The Notes
Team
The Details: The day opened with Rice marching 82 yards on the game's first possession to take an early lead when TJ McMahon connected with Luke McCaffrey for a 27-yard touchdown. McMahon then teamed with Bradley Rozner on the first of two scoring tosses to give the Owls a 14-7 lead after one quarter, matching their best first-quarter scoring effort to the year. After the 49ers tied it at 14 apiece, McMahon led the Owls back into Charlotte territory, but the drive stalled and Christian VanSickle connected on a 35-yard field goal to give Rice what would prove to be its last lead of the day.
Up Next: Rice has a quick turnaround as the Owls will be back in action on Thursday night, hosting UTEP at 6:30 in a game broadcast nationally on CBS SN,
The Notes
Team
- This was the fourth meeting between Rice and Charlotte.
- Rice moved to 2-2 in the series and 1-1 in Houston.
- Rice's 92-yard scoring yard in the fourth quarter was a season-long.
- Rice now has seven scoring drives of at least 80 yards this year.
- TE Boden Groen made his first career start
- QB TJ McMahon was 18-of-33 for 218 yards and three touchdowns.
- McMahon has 16 touchdowns this year and 18 in his career.
- The 16 touchdown passes are the most since Driphus Jackson had 18 in 2015 and are the ninth-most in a season in school history.
- McMahon has four games this year with at least three touchdown passes.
- WR Bradley Rozner had five catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
- It was his third 100-yard receiving game this year and the eighth of his career.
- It was Rozner's second game this year with two touchdowns.
- Rozner now has seven touchdowns this year, moving into a tie with Bill Howton (1951), David Houser (1978) and Jordan Taylor (2014) for the ninth-most in a season in school history.
- WR Luke McCaffrey had four receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown.
- He now has six touchdowns on the season.
- This is the first time Rice has had two players with at least six receiving touchdowns since Mario Hull had eight and Jordan Taylor had seven in 2014.
- LB Andrew Awe led Rice with a career-high eight tackles.
- DE Josh Pearcy recorded a sack in the first quarter. He has set a career-high with 5.5 sacks and has 11.0 in his career.
- With five tackles, Pearcy went over 100 tackles for his career.
- DL Quent Titre recorded his first sack of the season and now has 3.5 in his career. His sack resulted in a loss of 11 yards, which matched his career total for yards lost.
- DE Trey Schuman recorded a sack in the first quarter. He has set a career-high with 4.0 sacks this year and he has 9.0 in his career.
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