Rice Defeats Louisiana to Give Abell First Win

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vs Memphis

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vs UAB

Nov 8

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The Lead

Quinton Jackson rushed for a career-high 119 yards on 22 carries, and Rice earned a thrilling, 14-12 victory over Louisiana to give Head Coach Scott Abell his first victory.

The Story
Louisiana got on the board first when Tony Sterner connected on a 47-yard field goal on their first drive. But the Owls came right back, driving 72 yards in 13 plays, capped off by a Jackson one-yard touchdown run. Rice extended its lead late in the second quarter when Aaron Turner took an end-around 17 yards for his first career rushing touchdown. But the Ragin' Cajuns made it a one-score game when Sterner connected on a 51-yard field goal just before the half, as Rice took a 14-6 lead into the break.

After getting a stop to start the third quarter, Rice drove to the Louisiana 41, but was forced to punt, where Alex Bacchetta downed UL at its own two-yard line. However, the Ragin' Cajuns went 98 yard in just over five minutes, capping the drive off with a Walker Howard 25-yd run. But the Owls stopped their two-point conversion to keep the lead. Both defenses then began to step up their play. Louisiana went for a 4^th-and-2 on its own 34-yard line. But, Daveon Hook broke through the middle, stopping Howard short of the first down. Rice took over with 6:30 remaining, taking almost five minutes off the clock. But, on fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line, Chase Jenkins couldn't handle the snap and was sacked. Louisiana got the ball back with 1:56 to play, needing just a field goal. UL got the ball out to its own 35. But on fourth-and-10, Daniel Beale's pass was broken up by Michael Daley, sealing the victory for the Owls.

Postgame Notes
Series vs. Louisiana
• This was the seventh meeting between Rice and Louisiana and the second in the last four years.
• Rice is 4-3 in the series and have won the last two.
• This was just the second meeting in Lafayette and the first since 1988, a 41-16 loss.
• This is the third time the teams have met in the season opener. The Owls are 6-1.

Head Coach Scott Abell Notes
• Abell became the 11th first-year head coach to win their debut, including the third straight.
• Abell is the fifth head coach to make their debut on the road, and the third to win.
• He's the first to win their debut on the road since Fred Goldsmith in 1989.

Team Notes
• Rice moves to 58-54-2 all-time in season openers.
• Rice won its season opener for the first time since 2018.
• The Owls opened the season on the road for the fourth time in the last five years. They are 8-25-1 when opening the season on the road.
• The 12 points allowed are the fewest in a season opener since giving up seven to Houston in 2004.
• Louisiana won the toss and deferred to the second half.
• DL Chris Clark-Jolivet, RB Quinton Jackson, QB Chase Jenkins, OL Luke Miller, DL Joseph Mutombo, OL Luke Neeham and OL Patrick Valent made their first career starts.
• WR Artis Cole, CB Khary Crump, DE Michael Daley, S Jack Kane, CB Omari Porter and SLOT Aaron Turner made their first starts at Rice.
•DE Ethan Broughman, VIPER Jo Chavez, CB Jerrick Harper, SLOT Semaj Pierre and LB Ty Thames saw their first career action.
• DL Ejike Adele, DL Tony Anyanwu, DL Dillon Botts, RB Ryan Butler, WR David Kaxemervisz and OL Sean Sullivan saw their first action at Rice.

Individual Notes - Offense
#20 RB Daelen Alexander
• Alexander set career-highs with 15 carries for 74 yards.

#10 RB Quinton Jackson
• Jackson set career-highs with 22 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown.
• It was his first career 100-yard rushing game.
• He's the first player with a 100-yard game in the season opener since Nahshon Ellerbe had 103 at Army on Aug. 30, 2019.
• It's also the most rushing yards in a season opener since Anthony Ekpe had 173 against Prairie View A&M on Aug. 25, 2018.
• Jackson's 22 rushing attempts are the most since Jordan Myers had 26 against Texas Southern on Sept. 25, 2021.
• Jackson's one-yard touchdown run with 14:34 to play in the second quarter was the second touchdown run of his career and the first since a 12-yarder against South Florida on Nov. 30, 2024.
• He's now scored rushing touchdowns in his last two games.

#4 QB Chase Jenkins
• Jenkins was 7-of-9 for 45 yards.

#1 SLOT Aaron Turner
• Turner scored on a 17-yard run with 3:38 to play in the second quarter.
• It was his first career rushing touchdown.

Individual Notes - Defense
#26 DL Tony Anyanwu
• Anyanwu recorded a sack in the second quarter, the first of his career.

#0 LB Andrew Awe
• Awe led the team with seven tackles.

#75 DL Blake Boenisch
• Boenisch recovered his first career fumble in the second quarter.

#1 DE Michael Daley
• Daley recorded a sack in the second quarter, the fourth sack of his career.
• He tied a career-high with 1.5 tackles for loss.

#27 S Jack Kane
• Kane recorded an interception in the second quarter, the third of his career.

#8 DL Joseph Mutombo
• Mutombo recorded a sack in the first quarter, the third sack of his career.

#9 S Peyton Stevenson
• Stevenson recorded a career-high five tackles.

Individual - Special Teams
#91 P Alex Bacchetta
• Bacchetta punted six times for a 42.7-yard average.
• Bachetta's 56-yard punt in the fourth quarter was the 11th 50-yarder of his career.

#28 K Enock Gota
• Gota connected on a pair of PATs. He has connected on 16-of-17 in his career.

#10 KR Quinton Jackson
• Jackson had two kick returns for 58 yards.
• He's now tied with Mike Falco (2003-06) for 10th-place on Rice's all-time list with 41 career kick returns.
• Jackson went over 1,000 career kick return yards, becoming the ninth player in school history to go over the 1,000-yard mark.
• He now has 1,040 career kick return yards, passing Shane Turner (2009-10) for eighth-place on the school all-time list.

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