Rice Falls to Texas State in Armed Forces Bowl

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The Lead

Rice was outgained 436-to-195, as it fell to Texas State in the Armed Forces Bowl, 52-3, Friday afternoon from Amon G. Stadium.

The Story
After the teams played a scoreless first quarter, Patrick Crayton, Jr.'s pass on the second play of the quarter was intercepted and returned 44 yards by Jaden Rios. The Bobcats took advantage of the turnover, scoring on a Brad Jackson six-yard run. After Rice went three-and-out, Tyler Robles connected on a 30-yard field goal.

The Owls, though, answered right back. Crayton led them on a 68-yard drive, scoring with nine seconds to play in the half when Aaron Turner scored from two yards out, pulling Rice within 10-7 at the break.

Texas State got the ball to start the second half and needed just three plays to find the end zone, scoring on a 69-yard pass from Jackson to Beau Sparks. Crayton then fumbled, and two plays later, Jackson hit Chris Dawn, Jr. for a 12-yard touchdown. On the first play of Rice's next possession, Crayton fumbled, and the Bobcats converted with a 29-yard Robles field goal.

The Bobcats added another touchdown to start the fourth quarter before Enock Gota closed the scoring with a 28-yard field goal.

Postgame Notes
Series vs. Texas State
• This was the sixth meeting between Rice and Texas State.
• Texas State leads the overall series, 4-2.
• This was the second meeting in postseason play.
• The teams also met in the 2023 First Responder Bowl, which Texas State won, 45-21.

Bowl Notes
• Rice participated in its 15^th bowl game.
• The Owls fell to 7-8 all-time.
• Rice faced Texas State for the second time in a bowl game, the first opponent it played twice.
• This is the second time that Rice has participated in the Armed Forces Bowl, defeating Air Force, 34-14, in 2012.
• LB Andrew Awe, TE Micah Barnett, DL Blake Boenisch, RB Quinton Jackson, and VIPER Peyton Stevenson became the 20^th players in program history to play in three bowl games.

Team Notes
• Rice won the toss and received.
• Rice held Texas State scoreless in the first quarter, the first time it held its opponent scoreless in the first quarter in a bowl game since Air Force in the 2012 Armed Forces Bowl.
• QB Lucas Scheerhorn made his first career start.
• Tony Anyanwu and Peyton Stevenson are the third duo this year to reach double-digit tackles in the same game, joining Ty Morris and Jack Kane against Houston on Sept. 6, and Andrew Awe and Jo Chavez at South Florida on Nov. 29.

Individual Notes - Offense
#15 QB Patrick Crayton, Jr.
• Crayton Jr. was four-of-nine for 70 yards and a touchdown.
• Crayton, Jr.'s touchdown down with 0:09 seconds left in the second quarter was the first of his career.
• His 54-yard completion in the second quarter was the longest of his career.

#10 RB Quinton Jackson
• Jackson ran 16 times for a team-high 78 yards.

#23 WR Payton Matthews
• Matthews' 54-yard reception in the second quarter was a career-long.

#1 WR Aaron Turner
• Turner tied a career-high with 10 receptions for 24 yards and a touchdown.
• It was his team-leading fourth touchdown reception of the year and the ninth of his career.
• The 10 catches gave him his second career double-digit reception game.
• It is also the most receptions in Rice bowl game history.

Individual Notes - Defense
#26 DL Tony Anyanwu
• Anyanwu set a career-high with 11 tackles.
• It was his first career double-digit tackle game.
• Anyanwu recorded 1.5 sacks.
• He has a team-high 6.5 sacks on the year and 11.5 in his career.

#0 LB Andrew Awe
• Awe recorded five tackles.
• Awe recorded a sack in the first quarter.
• He has 3.5 sacks on the year and 4.5 in his career.
• Awe finished the season with 106 tackles, the most in a season since Emmanuel Ellerbee has 120 in 2017.
• With five tackles, Awe reached 200 career tackles.

#96 DL Dillan Botts
• Botts recorded a half-sack in the second quarter, his first of the season.
• He has six in his career.

#57 DL Aquantis Clemmons
• Clemmons recovered his first career fumble in the third quarter.

#3 LB Ty Morris
• Morris had six tackles, putting him over 150 career.

#16 LB Chibby Nwajuaku
• Nwajuaku recorded his first career forced fumble in the third quarter.

#9 VIPER Peyton Stevenson
• Stevenson had a career-high 10 tackles.
• It was his first career double-digit tackle game.

Individual - Special Teams
#82 P Chase Allen
• Allen punted six times for a 47.7-yard average.
• The 47.7-yard average is the highest in Rice bowl game history.
• Allen had a pair of 50-yard punts.
• Allen's 66-yard punt in the first quarter was the longest since Charlie Mendes had a 66-yarder at UTSA on Oct. 16, 2021.

#28 K Enock Gota
• Gota connected on a 28-yard field goal with 5:32 left in the fourth quarter.
• He is 10-of-13 this year and 15-of-21 in his career.
• Gota also connected on a PAT attempt in the second quarter.
• He is 27-of-27 this year and 40-of-41 in his career.

#10 KR Quinton Jackson
• Jackson had one kick return for 34 yards.
• Jackson has 52 career kick returns, tying James Sykes (1973-76) for the sixth-most in school history.

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