Saturday, November 2
Rice Stadium
5:30 PM
Rice University
3-6 , 2-3
24
vs
10
Navy
6-2 , 4-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Navy
0
7
0
3
10
Rice
14
3
7
0
24
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | Rice Athletics
Worth the Wait
11/3/2024 1:47:00 AM | Football
Rice Overcomes Delays to Down Navy on Homecoming
The Lede: It had been 30 years since Pete Alamar last stood on a sideline as a head coach, so a series of weather delays totaling just over five hours was hardly the inconvenience it might have been to others as the Rice Owls handed their interim head coach a 24-10 win Navy in his debut over on Saturday night.
The Details: Alamar was named interim head coach six days earlier after the Owls fell 17-10 at UConn to fall to 2-6 on the season, assuming a role he last held in 1994 at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León in Monterrey Mexico and tasked with facing Navy team for Homecoming that had risen into the top 25 two weeks earlier. The game was set for a 3 p.m. kickoff, but the first of several storm cells that would wreak havoc on the plans of returning alumni and fans forced the teams to abandon their pre-game warmups and return to the locker rooms over two hours. The game finally kicked off at 5:30, but was delayed again at 5:37 after Rice punted on its opening possession. The teams return to the field after delay of 1:01 and on Navy's first snap of the game, Tyson Flowers intercepted a pass from the Middies Blake Horvath at the Navy 45. E.J. Warner needed just four plays to move to the Navy four-yard line, before Mother Nature once again stepped in to stop the contest one last time. After another 1 hour, 40 minute stoppage, the weather relented and the teams returned to the field for good. Dean Connors raced around the right end to give Rice a 7-0 lead. Rice got the ball back after a 30-yard punt return by Tyson Thompson less than three minutes later, and Warner swiftly moved the Owls 62 yards, highlighted by a 32-yard completion to Connors and a hook-and-ladder combination with Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman and Quinton Jackson for 14 yards. One play later he connected with Matt Sykes on a 17-yard touchdown to put the Owls up by two scores. Another Thompson return of 12 yards kicked off a drive that ended in a 47-yard field goal by Tim Horn to push the Owls' lead to 17-0. Navy's offense came into the game ranked fourth in the nation in rushing (267.3) and ninth nationally in scoring (40.4) and found its rhythm on its next series, driving 75 yards to a touchdown and getting the ball right back after forcing one of only two three-and-outs by Rice. But Gabe Taylor forced a three-and-out for Rice by knocking away Horvath's third-down pass attempt. Connor pinned Navy back at its one-yard line with a punt on its next possession to quell any hopes of getting a late score to end the half and then get the ball again to start the third. After trading three and outs to open the third, Navy marched to the Rice 19 midway through the quarter, but Josh Pearcy foiled a fourth and one attempt at the Rice 20. Rice moved down the field, thanks to three consecutive completions by Warner and a personal foul by Navy, and Connors finished off the drive with a nine-yard run to push the lead to 24-7. Navy mounted one last lengthy drive, reaching the Rice seven, but Chike Anigbogu and Pearcy each hurried Horvath pass attempts into incompletions, and the Middies settled for a field goal. Faced with the need to gobble up as much clock as possible, Rice turned to Connors, who more than doubled his game total on three successive carries, totaling 53 yards on a drive that ate up half the remaining time. Rice held Navy in check the rest of the night, and Gabriel Taylor's interception put the finishing touches on a memorable--if lengthy—Homecoming for Rice.
Up Next- Rice has a short week ahead as the Owls will take on Memphis at the Liberty Bowl on Friday night at 8 p.m.
Notes
Team
The Details: Alamar was named interim head coach six days earlier after the Owls fell 17-10 at UConn to fall to 2-6 on the season, assuming a role he last held in 1994 at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León in Monterrey Mexico and tasked with facing Navy team for Homecoming that had risen into the top 25 two weeks earlier. The game was set for a 3 p.m. kickoff, but the first of several storm cells that would wreak havoc on the plans of returning alumni and fans forced the teams to abandon their pre-game warmups and return to the locker rooms over two hours. The game finally kicked off at 5:30, but was delayed again at 5:37 after Rice punted on its opening possession. The teams return to the field after delay of 1:01 and on Navy's first snap of the game, Tyson Flowers intercepted a pass from the Middies Blake Horvath at the Navy 45. E.J. Warner needed just four plays to move to the Navy four-yard line, before Mother Nature once again stepped in to stop the contest one last time. After another 1 hour, 40 minute stoppage, the weather relented and the teams returned to the field for good. Dean Connors raced around the right end to give Rice a 7-0 lead. Rice got the ball back after a 30-yard punt return by Tyson Thompson less than three minutes later, and Warner swiftly moved the Owls 62 yards, highlighted by a 32-yard completion to Connors and a hook-and-ladder combination with Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman and Quinton Jackson for 14 yards. One play later he connected with Matt Sykes on a 17-yard touchdown to put the Owls up by two scores. Another Thompson return of 12 yards kicked off a drive that ended in a 47-yard field goal by Tim Horn to push the Owls' lead to 17-0. Navy's offense came into the game ranked fourth in the nation in rushing (267.3) and ninth nationally in scoring (40.4) and found its rhythm on its next series, driving 75 yards to a touchdown and getting the ball right back after forcing one of only two three-and-outs by Rice. But Gabe Taylor forced a three-and-out for Rice by knocking away Horvath's third-down pass attempt. Connor pinned Navy back at its one-yard line with a punt on its next possession to quell any hopes of getting a late score to end the half and then get the ball again to start the third. After trading three and outs to open the third, Navy marched to the Rice 19 midway through the quarter, but Josh Pearcy foiled a fourth and one attempt at the Rice 20. Rice moved down the field, thanks to three consecutive completions by Warner and a personal foul by Navy, and Connors finished off the drive with a nine-yard run to push the lead to 24-7. Navy mounted one last lengthy drive, reaching the Rice seven, but Chike Anigbogu and Pearcy each hurried Horvath pass attempts into incompletions, and the Middies settled for a field goal. Faced with the need to gobble up as much clock as possible, Rice turned to Connors, who more than doubled his game total on three successive carries, totaling 53 yards on a drive that ate up half the remaining time. Rice held Navy in check the rest of the night, and Gabriel Taylor's interception put the finishing touches on a memorable--if lengthy—Homecoming for Rice.
Up Next- Rice has a short week ahead as the Owls will take on Memphis at the Liberty Bowl on Friday night at 8 p.m.
Notes
Team
- Rice won on Homecoming for the first time since 2016 and improved to 48-53-3 all-time.
- Rice snapped a four-game losing streak to Navy and improved to 7-6 all-time (5-3 at Rice Stadium).
- Rice held Navy scoreless in the first quarter. It is the fifth time it held an opponent scoreless in the first quarter this year.
- Rice held Navy to season-lows of 10 points, 120 rushing yards, and 260 total yards.
- Rice recorded two sacks in the game, Navy came into the game having given up just three all season.
- RB Dean Connors ran 18 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
- It was his third 100-yard game of the season and fifth of his career.
- Connors scored on a four-yard rushing touchdown with 9:30 to play in the first quarter and a nine-yard touchdown with 2:00 to play in the third quarter.
- It was his eighth rushing touchdown of the year, setting a career-high.
- It was his second multi-rushing touchdown game of the year and the fourth of his career.
- He also caught four passes for 34 yards and has 49 catches on the season, passing Earl Cooper (1979) for second place by a running back in a season in school history.
- He also has 100 career catches, passing Trevor Cobb (1989-92) for the second-most in a career by a running back.
- Connors became the 17th player in school history with at least 100 receptions.
- WR Matt Sykes tied a career-high with eight passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.
- Sykes caught a 17-yard touchdown with 2:41 to play in the first quarter.
- It was his fourth receiving touchdown of the season and fifth of his career.
- QB E.J. Warner was 28-of-40 for 239 yards and a touchdown.
- The 28 completions tied a season-high.
- Warner now has 11 touchdowns on the year and 52 in his career.
- S Gabriel Taylor recorded six tackles and his second interception of the season in the fourth quarter.
- It was the ninth interception of his career, tying Michael Downs (1977-80), Brian Patterson (1981-83), and Andrew Sendejo (2006-09) for eighth place on Rice's career list.
- PR Tyson Thompson had five punt returns for a career-high 83 yards.
- Thompson's 32-yard punt return at 6:33 in the first quarter was a season-long.
- LB Michael Daley recorded his third sack of the season in the third quarter and also had a forced fumble.
- LB Tyson Flowers recorded his second interception of the year in the first quarter.
- DE Josh Pearcy had four tackles, going over 200 for his career.
- S Peyton Stevenson recorded his first career sack in the fourth quarter.
Team Stats
NAV
RIC
Total Yards
260
344
Pass Yards
120
239
Rushing Yards
140
105
Penalty Yards
45
35
1st Downs
12
20
3rd Downs
4
7
4th Downs
2
0
TOP
28:46
31:14
1st Quarter
NAV 0, RIC 7
RIC - Connors,Dean 4 yd run (Horn,Tim kick), 5 plays, 45 yards, TOP 02:05
NAV 0, RIC 14
RIC - Sykes,Matt 17 yd pass from Warner,E.J. (Horn,Tim kick) 7 plays, 62 yards, TOP 03:53
2nd Quarter
NAV 0, RIC 17
RIC - Horn,Tim 47 yd field goal 10 plays, 45 yards, TOP 04:01
NAV 7, RIC 17
NAV - Horvath,Blake 9 yd run (Kirkwood,Nathan kick), 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:53
3rd Quarter
NAV 7, RIC 24
RIC - Connors,Dean 9 yd run (Horn,Tim kick), 11 plays, 80 yards, TOP 05:38
4th Quarter
NAV 10, RIC 24
NAV - Kirkwood,Nathan 21 yd field goal 18 plays, 71 yards, TOP 08:26
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
28
TD
1
YDS
239
INT
1
Players Mentioned
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RB
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DE
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SAF
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OLB
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SAF
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