Saturday, August 31
Rice Stadium
6 PM
Rice University
0-1 , 0-0
14
vs
34
Sam Houston
1-0 , 0-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Sam Houston
17
7
10
0
34
Rice
0
7
7
0
14
Photo by: Rhonda Taormina | Rice Athletics
Fast Start Leads Bearkats Past Owls
8/31/2024 11:27:00 PM | Football
Rice drops opener 34-14
In Brief
Sam Houston jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter and held the ball for over 20 minutes in the second half to thwart hopes of a Rice comeback, and the Bearkats took a 34-14 decision at Rice Stadium on Saturday night.
The Story
After a series of three punts to open the game, Sam Houston jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the span of four plays. On the first play of the Bearkats' second series, quarterback Hunter Watson connected on a 67-yard scoring pass to John Gentry to open the scoring. Two plays later, David Fisher stepped in front of an E.J. Warner pass in the flat and returned it 30 yards for a score. Sam Houston added a 52-yard field goal on its next possession to extend the lead to 17-0.
A 20-yard punt return by Sean Fresch set up Rice at midfield early in the second quarter and Warner needed just five plays to guide the Owls to their first touchdown of the season. He hit Matt Sykes (10 yards) and Dean Connors (11 yards) to move the ball to the Sam Houston 25, and following a three-yard run by Taji Atkins, Warner stood in the pocket to allow Kobie Campbell to come open, then hit him for a 22-yard touchdown.
The Bearkats went back in front by 17 with a touchdown later in the quarter and then extended the lead to 31-7 before Warner engineered his second scoring drive of the night, guiding the Owls 65 yards in seven plays, with Connors dashing the final 15 for his first touchdown of the year.
Notes
Team
Individual
Up Next: The Owls return to Rice Stadium next Saturday to host Texas Southern at 6 p.m. on September 7.
Sam Houston jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter and held the ball for over 20 minutes in the second half to thwart hopes of a Rice comeback, and the Bearkats took a 34-14 decision at Rice Stadium on Saturday night.
The Story
After a series of three punts to open the game, Sam Houston jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the span of four plays. On the first play of the Bearkats' second series, quarterback Hunter Watson connected on a 67-yard scoring pass to John Gentry to open the scoring. Two plays later, David Fisher stepped in front of an E.J. Warner pass in the flat and returned it 30 yards for a score. Sam Houston added a 52-yard field goal on its next possession to extend the lead to 17-0.
A 20-yard punt return by Sean Fresch set up Rice at midfield early in the second quarter and Warner needed just five plays to guide the Owls to their first touchdown of the season. He hit Matt Sykes (10 yards) and Dean Connors (11 yards) to move the ball to the Sam Houston 25, and following a three-yard run by Taji Atkins, Warner stood in the pocket to allow Kobie Campbell to come open, then hit him for a 22-yard touchdown.
The Bearkats went back in front by 17 with a touchdown later in the quarter and then extended the lead to 31-7 before Warner engineered his second scoring drive of the night, guiding the Owls 65 yards in seven plays, with Connors dashing the final 15 for his first touchdown of the year.
Notes
Team
- Rice fell to 0-1 on the year and 57-54-2 all-time in season openers.
- The Owls opened the season at home for the first time since 2018. They are 51-21-2 when opening the season at home.
- Seven Owls combined for seven sacks, the most for Rice since the Owls collected eight at FIU in 2014.
- DL Charlie Looes, WR Matt Sykes, and QB E.J. Warner made their first starts at Rice.
- •CB Max Ahoia, WR Drayden Dickmann, OL Weston Kropp, C David Stickle, and WR Braylen Walker made their first career starts.
- RB Taji Atkins, K Reese Keeney, DB AJ Stephens saw their first career action.
- DE Michael Daley saw his first action at Rice.
Individual
- Dean Connors ran 12 times for 52 yards and a touchdown and set a career-high with nine receptions for 30 yards… With his 82 all-purpose yards, Connors went over 1,500 for his career, giving him 1,556.
- Matt Sykes reached a career-high with seven receptions for 74 yards.
- Kobie Campbell's 22-yard touchdown reception with 11:17 to play in the second quarter was the second touchdown reception of his career and the first since a 70-yarder against Texas Southern on Sept. 16, 2023…He finished with four catches for 53 yards.
- E.J. Warner was 27-of-44 for 227 yards and one touchdown, the 42nd of his career.
- Josh Pearcy recorded a half-sack in the second quarter, giving him 13.5 in his career and giving him 28 tackles for loss in his career, tying Rashad Reynolds (1995-98) and Blaze Alldredge (2018-20) for 10th on the school all-time list.
- Brothers Ty and Elroyal Morris III each recorded their first career solo sacks… Ty Morris finished the game with a career-best five tackles.
- Demone Green set a career-high with six tackles, including his fourth career sack.
- Charlie Looes registered a sack on his first career tackle as an Owl and finished with 1.5 in the game and has 11 in his collegiate career.
Up Next: The Owls return to Rice Stadium next Saturday to host Texas Southern at 6 p.m. on September 7.
Team Stats
SAM
RIC
Total Yards
407
274
Pass Yards
229
227
Rushing Yards
178
47
Penalty Yards
20
44
1st Downs
20
14
3rd Downs
6
5
4th Downs
1
0
TOP
35:20
24:40
1st Quarter
SAM 7, RIC 0
SAM - Humphreys,Qua'Vez 67 yd pass from Watson,Hunter (Pavon,Christian kick) 1 plays, 67 yards, TOP 00:12
SAM 14, RIC 0
SAM - Fisher,David 30 yd interception (Pavon,Christian kick)
SAM 17, RIC 0
SAM - Pavon,Christian 52 yd field goal 9 plays, 42 yards, TOP 03:43
2nd Quarter
SAM 17, RIC 7
RIC - Campbell,Kobie 22 yd pass from Warner,E.J. (Horn,Tim kick) 5 plays, 50 yards, TOP 02:40
SAM 24, RIC 7
SAM - Adeyi,Ife 32 yd pass from Watson,Hunter (Pavon,Christian kick) 6 plays, 56 yards, TOP 02:10
3rd Quarter
SAM 31, RIC 7
SAM - Gentry,John 1 yd run (Pavon,Christian kick), 10 plays, 76 yards, TOP 04:39
SAM 31, RIC 14
RIC - Connors,Dean 15 yd run (Horn,Tim kick), 7 plays, 65 yards, TOP 02:46
SAM 34, RIC 14
SAM - Pavon,Christian 26 yd field goal 10 plays, 67 yards, TOP 03:53
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
27
TD
1
YDS
227
INT
2
Players Mentioned
RB
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WR
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RB
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DE
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WR
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CB
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DL
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K/P
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OL
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DL
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DL
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OLB
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DB
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C
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WR
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WR
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