A Homecoming Bowl
12/24/2023 4:26:00 PM | Football
For many players, Rice's matchup against Texas State at the Servpro First Responder Bowl on Tuesday will be a return to roots. A total of 18 Owls hail from the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, turning Tuesday's bowl outing into a homecoming.
"It's incredible," sixth year senior offensive lineman Clay Servín said. "This upcoming week to the game has been pretty chaotic talking to family and friends on who's coming and how many tickets I can get. I have a lot of siblings and parents who are pretty busy, so the fact that during the holiday season right after Christmas, everybody can come and see my final game, it's going to be amazing and I'm very excited for it."
Servín, who played his high school career at J.J. Pearce HS in Richardson, Texas, expects at least 20 friends and family in attendance at the Servpro First Responder Bowl. He is not alone in bringing a large number of Rice supporters to the game.
"As of right now, I've probably got about 12 tickets and hoping to get about eight more," redshirt senior running back Juma Otoviano said. "I don't want to hog up all the tickets from other people, but if I can get a solid 20 tickets, it'd be good for me and my family and friends and hopefully we can enjoy this occasion."
Otoviano, a product of James Martin HS in Arlington, is no stranger to playing football in the DFW area. Many Owls are also not unfamiliar with Gerald J. Ford Stadium, with the facility hosting a plethora of youth camps and other sporting events.
"I grew up practicing there when I played in the FBU circuit," redshirt junior defensive lineman Izeya Floyd said. "I played in a North Texas-based team that was in Dallas, so I practiced there twice a week all throughout middle school. I've played my fair share of football downs in that stadium. It's a good one."
Floyd played his high school career at Reedy HS in nearby Frisco. Those early memories now offer a rare full-circle opportunity for several Owls. After accomplishing the long journey to become a Division-I athlete, they now have the opportunity to return to where those dreams began.
"I do remember playing at (Gerald Ford Stadium) for a championship back in elementary school," Servín said. "I went to a few SMU soccer camps that were actually on-campus. I've definitely been around that campus and that field and have some memories. I'm actually excited to make a new one with football and be on that field hopefully celebrating us winning that game."
In addition to playing at Gerald Ford Stadium, the Owls are practicing at Highlander Stadium in advance of Tuesday's matchup, home of Highland Park HS. For one Owl in particular, the coincidence brings back several memories of the high school state playoffs. Redshirt sophomore linebacker DJ Arkansas played at Ryan HS in Denton, Texas, and faced off versus Highland Park in the state playoffs twice during his high school career, including his senior year when Arkansas and Ryan HS defeated Highland Park, 17-7, en route to winning the state championship.
"Tough game. That was probably the hardest game of the season," Arkansas said. "But Highland Park was always just super disciplined… (They're) legit when it comes to football. I don't really think too much about them since last time I played them, we won. So, you know, I got a ring."
The host of DFW Owls recognize the importance of replicating such a win at the college level, not only to their personal histories, but to the Rice program at large. The Owls are seeking the first bowl win since 2014. In doing so, Rice would also claim its first winning season since the same year.
"I think it's extremely important," Servín said. "For my career, collegiate and high school, this would be my first ever winning season with football… For me, personally, it's everything. And for this organization and this program, it's going to be looked back on historically as a huge step in what we've built and what we're building. Going into the AAC and trying to… play this style of intellectual brutality that we're building here. Looking back, I think this is going to be a stepping stone for us moving into a winning season and becoming a winning program."
For Servín and numerous other Owls, the return to the DFW also offers a fitting capstone to a career for Rice football, as the matchup against Texas State is the likely final opportunity for some to don the Rice blue.
"It means a lot because it's my last time playing as a Rice Owl," Otoviano said. "Just being able to play in front of my family and friends who watched me back in high school but haven't gotten an opportunity to watch me play in college, it means a lot to me."
For 18 Owls, the Servpro First Responder Bowl offers a chance to play in their hometown and continue Rice's push toward excellence in football. While some DFW Owls may approach the game just like any other, at least one aspect will differ greatly.
"It's going to be awesome to get to play there," Floyd said. "The crazy thing that I was just thinking about was finishing the game and just going home like it was a high school game. It's been about six or seven years since I last did that. So it's going to be an interesting feeling certainly."
The perks of a hometown game.
"It's incredible," sixth year senior offensive lineman Clay Servín said. "This upcoming week to the game has been pretty chaotic talking to family and friends on who's coming and how many tickets I can get. I have a lot of siblings and parents who are pretty busy, so the fact that during the holiday season right after Christmas, everybody can come and see my final game, it's going to be amazing and I'm very excited for it."
Servín, who played his high school career at J.J. Pearce HS in Richardson, Texas, expects at least 20 friends and family in attendance at the Servpro First Responder Bowl. He is not alone in bringing a large number of Rice supporters to the game.
"As of right now, I've probably got about 12 tickets and hoping to get about eight more," redshirt senior running back Juma Otoviano said. "I don't want to hog up all the tickets from other people, but if I can get a solid 20 tickets, it'd be good for me and my family and friends and hopefully we can enjoy this occasion."
Otoviano, a product of James Martin HS in Arlington, is no stranger to playing football in the DFW area. Many Owls are also not unfamiliar with Gerald J. Ford Stadium, with the facility hosting a plethora of youth camps and other sporting events.
"I grew up practicing there when I played in the FBU circuit," redshirt junior defensive lineman Izeya Floyd said. "I played in a North Texas-based team that was in Dallas, so I practiced there twice a week all throughout middle school. I've played my fair share of football downs in that stadium. It's a good one."
Floyd played his high school career at Reedy HS in nearby Frisco. Those early memories now offer a rare full-circle opportunity for several Owls. After accomplishing the long journey to become a Division-I athlete, they now have the opportunity to return to where those dreams began.
"I do remember playing at (Gerald Ford Stadium) for a championship back in elementary school," Servín said. "I went to a few SMU soccer camps that were actually on-campus. I've definitely been around that campus and that field and have some memories. I'm actually excited to make a new one with football and be on that field hopefully celebrating us winning that game."
In addition to playing at Gerald Ford Stadium, the Owls are practicing at Highlander Stadium in advance of Tuesday's matchup, home of Highland Park HS. For one Owl in particular, the coincidence brings back several memories of the high school state playoffs. Redshirt sophomore linebacker DJ Arkansas played at Ryan HS in Denton, Texas, and faced off versus Highland Park in the state playoffs twice during his high school career, including his senior year when Arkansas and Ryan HS defeated Highland Park, 17-7, en route to winning the state championship.
"Tough game. That was probably the hardest game of the season," Arkansas said. "But Highland Park was always just super disciplined… (They're) legit when it comes to football. I don't really think too much about them since last time I played them, we won. So, you know, I got a ring."
The host of DFW Owls recognize the importance of replicating such a win at the college level, not only to their personal histories, but to the Rice program at large. The Owls are seeking the first bowl win since 2014. In doing so, Rice would also claim its first winning season since the same year.
"I think it's extremely important," Servín said. "For my career, collegiate and high school, this would be my first ever winning season with football… For me, personally, it's everything. And for this organization and this program, it's going to be looked back on historically as a huge step in what we've built and what we're building. Going into the AAC and trying to… play this style of intellectual brutality that we're building here. Looking back, I think this is going to be a stepping stone for us moving into a winning season and becoming a winning program."
For Servín and numerous other Owls, the return to the DFW also offers a fitting capstone to a career for Rice football, as the matchup against Texas State is the likely final opportunity for some to don the Rice blue.
"It means a lot because it's my last time playing as a Rice Owl," Otoviano said. "Just being able to play in front of my family and friends who watched me back in high school but haven't gotten an opportunity to watch me play in college, it means a lot to me."
For 18 Owls, the Servpro First Responder Bowl offers a chance to play in their hometown and continue Rice's push toward excellence in football. While some DFW Owls may approach the game just like any other, at least one aspect will differ greatly.
"It's going to be awesome to get to play there," Floyd said. "The crazy thing that I was just thinking about was finishing the game and just going home like it was a high school game. It's been about six or seven years since I last did that. So it's going to be an interesting feeling certainly."
The perks of a hometown game.
Players Mentioned
WBB: Rice vs. Marshall Postgame Presser
Wednesday, March 09
VB: Rice-Texas Postgame Presser
Saturday, December 04
VB: Rice-San Diego Postgame Presser
Thursday, December 02