Owls Open '22 Campaign at #14 USC

Game #1
What: Rice (0-0/0-0) @ #14 USC (0-0/0-0)
When: Saturday, September 3 5 p.m. (central)
Where: Los Angeles, California
Stadium: United Airlines Field At Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (77,500)
Television: Pac 12 Network Ted Robinson (play by play) Yogi Roth (analyst)
Where to Find the Game: PAC-12 Network channel finder
Rice Radio: JP Heath (play-by-play), Nate Griffin (analyst), David Pillen (sidelines)
Audio Streaming: RiceOwls.com, Rice Game Day App, Varsity Network
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Digital Game Program: Game 1: Rice @ USC
Series Information: This is the fourth meeting between the schools, with USC leading the overall series 2-0-1 including a 1-0-1 advantage in games at The Coliseum.

Series History
O4, 1947       T 7-7           Los Angeles, Calif.
O9, 1948      L 7-0             Los Angeles, Calif.
S18, 1971     L 24-0           Houston

Series Notes

This is the first meeting at the Coliseum since October 9, 1948 when the Trojans fended off three Rice incursions inside the USC five-yard line in the fourth quarter, the last in the game's final moment, to win 7-0. The Owls' final scoring threat was set up when USC's Don Doll, who had scored on a 28-yard run in the second quarter, dropped the snap while attempting to punt and the Owls recovered at the seven.

From all available research, the 74-year gap between Rice's appearances in the Coliseum is the longest in college football history. The previous best was the 72 years between appearances by Miami (Ohio) at Illinois Memorial Stadium (1941-2013).

The series began on October 3, 1947, when the defending Orange Bowl champion Owls came west and battled USC to a 7-7 tie as the Trojans rallied to score in the game's final moment. One of the assistants for USC in 1947 was Raymond George, who would go on to become the head coach at Texas A&M where he went 0-3 against Rice and was replaced by Bear Bryant. Bryant was 2-2 vs. the Owls, including a 7-6 loss when the Aggies were #1 in the country, 65 years ago this fall.

The most recent meeting between the schools came on September 18, 1971 and the Trojans, who had been ranked #5 in the preseason polls but lost to #17 Alabama at home to open the season, used five interceptions to blank Rice 24-0.

Rice is 12-13-2 against the current members of the Pac-12 (Arizona 4-0; California 1-1; Colorado 1-0; Oregon 0-1; Stanford 3-3; UCLA 0-5; USC 0-2-1 and Washington 0-0-1).

USC and Rice both play home games in stadiums which hosted Super Bowls. The Coliseum hosted the inaugural game in 1967 and Super Bowl VII in 1973 while Rice Stadium hosted Super Bowl VIII the following year.

While the schools have not met in football since 1971, their marching bands have combined more recently, sharing an entry in IMDb. The Spirit of Troy appeared on camera in 1988's The Naked Gun while marching to a recording of the Rice MOB playing "Louie Louie".

• USC head coach Lincoln Riley faced last faced Rice when he was the OC at East Carolina in 2010 when the Owls won 62-38 at Rice Stadium in 2010.

Full Game Notes

STARTING IT OFF
Saturday's game at USC opens the 111th season of football for Rice. The Owls own a 57-51-2 record all-time in season openers but have dropped 11 of its last 132. This is the 38th time that Rice will open the season on the road. The Owls are 6-31 when opening the season away from Rice Stadium and have dropped their last nine since defeating Houston in the 2004 Bayou Bucket at NRG. This will mark the third time in school history Rice has opened a football season on the west coast. The Owls lost at Santa Clara 13-0 to open the 1933 season and 63-21 at UCLA in 2005. Rice is 1-13-1 when playing in California and has lost its last 10 after a 30-7 win at Stanford in 1957.

RANKED OPENERS
This will be the 16th time in school history the Owls have opened the season facing a ranked opponent and the first since 2017 when they faced #14, Stanford, in Australia. The Owls are 2-12-1 when opening against a ranked opponent with their last win coming on September 23, 1961, when Rice defeated preseason #5 LSU 16-3 at Rice Stadium. The Owls are 0-8-1 when facing a ranked team on the road to open the season, earning a tie with #5 LSU to open the 1962 season.

FAMILIAR GROUND
While Rice has not played at the Coliseum since 1948, four members of the coaching staff are no strangers to the venue. Mike Bloomgren coached as Stanford from 2011-17 and his first visit to Los Angeles saw the Cardinal win an epic three overtime battle, 54-48. Offensive Coordinator Marques Tuiasosopo was on staff at USC in 2014 &15 and played against USC in 1997 & 1998, Samie Parker (Offensive QC coach) caught 12 passes for 101 yards in three games for Oregon vs. USC and caught a pair for 44 yards in a 28-14 win at the Coliseum in 2000. Running Backs coach CJ Anderson rushed for 37 yards on 7 carries in two games with Cal vs. USC and he caught two passes for 25 yards. He also attempted his only career pass in college in 2012 at the Coliseum.

GREEN BREAKS QB START STREAK
Wiley Green has been named to start his second consecutive start in the season opener (and third of his career), ending a seven-year streak in which Rice has opened the season with a different starting quarterback. Green was the starter at Arkansas to open the 2021 and also had the starting assignment at Army in 2019. Mike Collins opened the 2020 season vs. Middle Tennessee, Shawn Stankavage kicked off the Mike Bloomgren era vs. Prairie View in 2018, Sam Glaesmann made the start vs. Stanford in 2017 in Sydney, Australia and Tyler Stehling stepped into the starting lineup in 2016 at WKU. Driphus Jackson is the last Owl QB to start in consecutive season openers (2014 & 2015). Green's three season-opening starts are the most since Taylor McHargue, who started four consecutive openers from 2010-2013.

UP NEXT
Rice returns to the Houston for its next four games, hosting McNeese State next Saturday in the home opener, followed by Louisiana at Rice Stadium on September 17, a road game at the University of Houston for the annual Bayou Bucket clash on September 24 and back at Rice Stadium to open the Owls final season of C-USA action vs. UAB on October 1.

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