Rice Falls Short at Florida Atlantic Despite Ochoa’s Big Day

Saturday, October 24

Boca Raton, FL

11 a.m.

Rice University

1-7 , 0-4

Florida Atlantic

5-2 , 2-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Rice	14	7	21	7	49
Fla. Atlantic	7	16	21	7	51

Game Notes (PDF)

10/24/2026 2:54:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Tim Andrzejewski (tra3@rice.edu)

In his first collegiate start, Gael Ochoa contributed to five touchdowns, four on the ground for 259 yards rushing, the second most in school history, but the Rice Owls fell 51-49 in a shootout at Florida Atlantic Saturday afternoon at Flagler Credit Union Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida.

The Story
After winning the coin toss, Rice needed just three plays to get on the board. Ochoa, starting for an injured Jacurri Brown, rushed untouched 55 yards for the game's first score. After forcing a punt, Ochoa scored again, this time from 52 yards to give Rice a 14-0 lead. Rice forced another punt. But after crossing midfield, D'Andre Hardeman, Jr. fumbled, and Florida Atlantic recovered. FAU made them pay, as Caden Veltkamp hit Brandon Hoch for a 30-yard score. After Rice went three-and-out, Charlie Durkin's punt was blocked out of the back of the end zone for a safety. Florida Atlantic took the free kick and went 75 yards, scoring on an Easton Messer two-yard run. On the ensuing possession, Rice went for it on fourth-and-one from its own 34. But Hardeman was stopped short, and FAU took over. Florida Atlantic needed just five plays to score, this time on a Messer two-yard catch. Rice, however, answered, as Ochoa scored on a 74-yard touchdown, his third of the day, to pull Rice within 23-21 at halftime.

FAU opened the second half going 75 yards in nine plays, scoring on a Messer five-yard run. Rice answered, this time by Max Mosey, who ran 41 yards up the middle for his first score of the season. But FAU answered right back, as Veltkamp connected with Messer for a 68-yard touchdown. Rice again responded. Patrick Crayton, Jr., led Rice 75 yards, capped off by Hardeman's one-yard touchdown. The home Owls responded and marched right down the field to extend the lead following a one-yard rushing touchdown. On the second play of the following Rice drive, Ochoa broke free once again, this time for a 69-yard rushing touchdown, bringing Rice back within two points at 44-42 at the end of the third quarter. Both sides stalled on offense over the next couple of possessions, until Florida Atlantic had an 82-yard punt return for a touchdown with 3:37 remaining in the game to give the home Owls a 51-42 advantage. Ochoa found an immediate answer, this time by air, with a 71-yard touchdown pass to Braylen Walker to bring Rice within two points again at 51-49 with 2:51 remaining. Rice forced a three-and-out on the following FAU drive, setting up Rice at the 31-yard line with 2:06 to go. Rice got down to the Florida Atlantic 37-yard line, but Tommy Bauchiero's 55-yard field goal fell short with 45 seconds remaining, as FAU took a knee for the win.

Next Up

Following its bye week, Rice will stay on the road when it travels to Denton to face North Texas on Nov. 7. Time and television designation will be announced at a later date.

Series vs. Florida Atlantic
•   This was the seventh meeting between Rice and Florida Atlantic.
•   Rice is 3-4 against the Owls, including 1-2 in Boca Raton.

Team Notes
•   Rice won the toss and received.
•   Rice's 49 points were a season-high and the most under Scott Abell.
•   It's the most since scoring 69 against Texas Southern on Sept. 7, 2024, and the most in a conference game since scoring 52 against Louisiana Tech on Nov. 16, 2013.
•   Rice scored a touchdown on its opening possession for the second straight week.
•   It was the first time scoring touchdowns on its opening drive in consecutive games since at UAB and vs. South Florida in 2024.
•   OL Peyton Farmer and QB Gael Ochoa made their first career starts.
•   They are the 14th and 15th players to make their first collegiate starts this season.
•   He's also the 20th quarterback to make a start since 2017.
•   Rice has six 50-yard runs in the last two games and eight on the season.
•   Rice's 608 total yards are the most since recording 620 against Texas Southern on Sept. 25, 2021.
•   Rice's 499 rushing yards are the most since rushing for 570 against San Jose State on Oct. 2, 2004.
•   Rice scored 14 first quarter points, its most this season.
•   Rice had 11 tackles for loss, the most since it had 11 against Texas Southern on Sept. 7, 2024.

Individual Notes - Offense
#26 RB Tyvonn Byars
•   Byars ran a career-high tying 16 times for 93 yards.

#13 SLOT Max Mosey
•   Mosey rushed seven times for a career-high 84 yards and a touchdown.
•   Mosey scored on a 41-yard run with 11:49 to play in the third quarter.
•   It was his first rushing touchdown of the season and the fifth of his career.

#4 QB Gael Ochoa
•   Ochoa was 2-of-5 for 80 yards and touchdown.
•   It was his first career passing touchdown.
•   Ochoa ran 12 times for a career-high 259 yards and four touchdowns.
•   It is the second-most rushing yards in school history and the most by a quarterback since 1984.
•   It is also the eighth-most rushing yards in American Conference history and the third-most by a quarterback.
•   His 21.6 yards per carry is the second-most in school history and set the American Conference record.
•   Ochoa scored on 55-yard, 52-yard, 69-yard and 74-yard runs.
•   The 74-yard run was the longest of his career.
•   He now has five rushing touchdowns this season.
•   He is the 12th player in school history with at least four rushing touchdowns, and the first since Jordan Myers against Texas Southern on Sept. 25, 2021.
•   He's also the second quarterback with four rushing touchdowns, joining Donald Hollas vs. Texas Tech on Oct. 20, 1990.
•   Ochoa joins Jacurri Brown (Oct. 17 vs. Tulsa) with two 50-yard touchdown runs in a game this season.

#28 RB D'Andre Hardeman, Jr.
•   Hardeman scored on a one-yard touchdown with 6:40 to play in the third quarter.
•   It was his second rushing touchdown of the season, and third of his career.

#81 WR Braylen Walker
•   Walker scored on a 71-yard reception with 2:51 to play in the fourth quarter.
•   It was his first receiving touchdown of the season, and the fifth of his career.

Individual Notes - Defense
#3 S Koa Akui
•   Akui recorded his first career sack in the first quarter.
•   He also had two tackles for loss.
•   He now has a team-leading 8.0 tackles for loss this year.

#41 LB Beau Barton
•   Barton recorded his first career solo tackle for loss in the second quarter.

#94 DL Braden Bays
•   Bays recorded a tackle for loss, his seventh of the season.

#10 CB Kyren Condoll
•   Condoll tied a season-high with six tackles.
•   Condoll recorded his first career interception with 0:36 to play in the second quarter.

#0 S Daveon Hook
•   Hook recorded a season-high five tackles.

#8 DL Joseph Mutombo
•   Mutombo recorded his first sack of the season in the second quarter.
•   He now has 4.5 sacks in his career.

Individual - Special Teams
#49 K Tommy Bauchiero
•   Bauchiero hit all six of his PAT attempts. He is 9-of-10 this year.