Cougars Pull Away From Owls to Retain the Bayou Bucket

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vs Florida Atlantic

Oct 4

6 PM

Rice Stadium

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at UTSA

Oct 11

TBA

San Antonio, TX

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Oct 25

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Oct 31

6 PM

Rice Stadium

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vs UAB

Nov 8

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vs North Texas

Nov 22

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at South Florida

Nov 29

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Tampa, FL

The Lede: Houston broke open a tightly fought contest with 21 fourth-quarter points to retain the Bayou Bucket with a 35-9 win over Rice on Saturday night at Rice Stadium.

How it Happened: The 47^th edition of the rivalry between the two cross-town rivals started out as a defensive stalemate with the teams combining for 69 yards on 29 plays. Rice linebacker Ty Morris set the tone for a career night with six tackles and a sack in the opening frame. Rice caught an offensive spark to start the second quarter on an 11-yard pass and run combination between Chase Jenkins and Landon Ransom-Goelz that moved the ball to the Owls' 43-yard line. Rice moved the ball to the Houston 24 before setting for a 42-yard field goal from Enoch Gota. The Rice defense, which shut out Houston in the first quarter for the first time since 2004, continued to hold Houston in check until Dean Connors broke off a 54-yard scoring run to give Houston a 7-3 lead at the half. Houston out-gained Rice 93 yards to one in the third quarter, but remained within striking distance at 14-3. An interception return for a score on the first play of the fourth quarter increased the lead to 21-3 before Rice found its offensive footing. The Owls moved 75 yards in 12 plays, 31 of them on three carries by Daelan Alexander, to set up a three-yard touchdown run by Jenkins to draw back to 21-9. Houston added two late touchdowns to close out the last currently scheduled game in the series.

Up Next: Rice will be back at Rice Stadium next Saturday to host Prairie View A&M (1-1) at 6 p.m. The Panthers lost to UTRGV, 27-21 on Saturday night.

Notes:
Team:
• Rice fell to 12-35 in the series, including a 6-17 record at Rice Stadium.
• Rice and Houston played a scoreless first quarter for the first time since 2004. Rice won, 10-7.

Individual:
• LB Ty Morris had 15 tackles and S Jack Kane had 11. They are the first pair of Rice teammates to have double-digit tackles in the same game since Plae Wyatt and Jonathan Jean had 12 and 11, respectively, against Tulane on Oct. 28, 2023.
•Morris' 15 tackles are a career-high and his first double-digit tackle game, and are the most in a game by an Owl since Myron Morrison had 15 against Florida Atlantic on Oct. 15, 2022.
• Morris recorded a sack in the first quarter, his first of the season to give him 5.5 in his career.
•Kane's 11 tackles are a career-high and his first double-digit tackle game.
• CB Jerrick Harper made his first career start.
• DL Dillan Botts made his first start at Rice.
• RB D'Andre Hardeman saw his first career action.
• DL Matthew Aribisala, DL Sam Carrell, S Jabari Ellison, S Bailey Fletcher, and S Cade McMillan saw their first career collegiate action.

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