Rice Keeps Bowl Hopes Alive with 28-7 Victory at Charlotte

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at Navy

Sep 27

2:30 PM

Annapolis, Md.

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Oct 4

6 PM

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at UTSA

Oct 11

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San Antonio, TX

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vs UCONN

Oct 25

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vs Memphis

Oct 31

6 PM

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vs UAB

Nov 8

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vs North Texas

Nov 22

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The Lead

Dean Connors ran for a career-high 184 yards and AJ Padgett accounted for three touchdowns as Rice kept its chances for a second straight bowl game alive, dominating Charlotte, 28-7, Saturday afternoon at Jerry Richardson Stadium.

The Story

Rice got off to a hot start, forcing a three-and-out on Charlotte's first drive. After Sean Fresch returned the punt to the Charlotte 48, the Owls needed seven plays, culminating in AJ Padgett's five-yard touchdown run, the first of his career. The 49ers then drove to the Rice 38-yard line. But on fourth-and-three, Trexler Ivey's pass was incomplete and Rice took over. The Owls then drove to the Charlotte five-yard line behind Dean Connors' 30-yard run, but they were forced to settle for a Tim Horn 23-yard field goal. Horn added a 37-yard field goal in the second quarter as Rice went into halftime with a 13-0 lead.

The Owls wasted no time in the second half. Guided by a Connors 34-yard run, Padgett scored his second rushing touchdown of the game, this time from two-yards out. Charlotte got on the board to start the fourth quarter when, following an interception, the 49ers scored on a 12-yard touchdown run by quarter Trexler Ivey. But the Owls weren't deterred, using a 13-play, 75-yard drive that took 7:17 off the clock, that culminated in a 20-yard touchdown from Padgett to Luke McCaffrey. Tre'shon Devones then iced the game with his second interception of the year.

Next Up

Rice will host Senior Day next Saturday, Nov. 25, when it hosts Florida Atlantic. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.

Team

Rice improves to 5-6 on the year and 3-4 in the AAC.
This was the fifth meeting between Rice and Charlotte.
Rice leads the series, 3-2 overall and 2-1 in Charlotte.
Rice won the toss and deferred to the second half.
Rice scored a touchdown on its first offensive possession for the third time this year and the first since the Texas Southern game on Sept. 16.
The Owls have outscored its opponents, 34-10 in the first quarter.
Rice's 13-point halftime lead was its largest in a conference game since leading Southern Miss, 23-6, on Oct. 21, 2020.
Rice shut out an opponent in the first half for the first time since Sept. 10, 2022 against McNeese State and the first time against a conference opponent since Dec. 5, 2020 at Marshall.
Rice's 240 rushing yards are the most since rushing for 279 against Louisiana Tech on Oct. 22, 2022.
Rice held Charlotte to just 158 total yards, the first time holding an opponent under 200 yards since UTSA on Oct. 6, 2018.

Individual

OL Trace Norfleet saw his first career action.
CB Lamont Narcisse made his first start of the year and the second of his career.
TE Jack Bradley was inactive, snapping his consecutive games played streak at 52, two games shy of the school record.
QB AJ Padgett was 13-of-21 for 140 yards and a touchdown.
He now has four touchdowns on the year and 10 in his career.
Padgett also scored on touchdown runs of five and two yards, the first two rushing touchdowns of his career.
Padgett is the fourth player this year with at least two rushing touchdowns, joining Daelen Alexander (3 vs. Houston, 2 vs. Texas Southern), Dean Connors (3 at Tulsa) and Juma Otoviano (2 vs. Connecticut).
RB Dean Connors set career-highs with 19 rushes for 184 yards.
Connors has 632 rushing yards on the year, the most in a season since Aston Walter in 2019.
WR Luke McCaffrey caught five passes for 54 yards and a touchdown.
McCaffrey has now caught a touchdown in six straight games.
It is McCaffrey's 11^th touchdown reception this year and 17^th in his career.
His 17 career touchdowns tie James Casey (2007-08) for the fourth-most in school history and his 11 this year pass Bradley Rozner (2022) for the fifth-most in a season.
McCaffrey went over 1,500 receiving yards at Rice.
He became the 12^th player in school history with 1,500 career receiving yards.
McCaffrey now has 1,545 receiving yards, passing Doug Cunningham (1975-78) and Vance McDonald (2009-12) for ninth-place in school history.
McCaffrey also has 114 catches, passing Ed Lofton (1973-75) for the 10^th most in school history.
McCaffrey's 40-yard run in the second quarter was his longest rush at Rice and his longest since a 47-yarder at Ohio State on Oct. 24, 2020 while at Nebraska.
K Tim Horn connected on 23 and 37-yard field goals.
It is his first career game with at least two field goals.
LB DJ Arkansas tied a career-high with six tackles.
Arkansas recorded his first sack of the year and second of his career.
It was also his first sack since Oct. 23, 2021 at UAB.
LB Beau Barton recorded his first career tackle in the second quarter.
CB Sean Fresch recorded his first career sack in the third quarter.
CB Tre'shon Devones recorded his second interception of the year in the fourth quarter.

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