2024 Football Roster
Jersey Number 8
Matt Sykes
- Height:
- 6-4
- Weight:
- 210
- Class:
- Graduate Student
- Hometown:
- Makakilo, Hawai’i
- High School:
- Saint Louis School
Bio
Honors
2024
Led the Owls with 65 receptions, 782 yards, and five touchdowns…. 65 receptions rank eighth on the Rice single-season list… Ranked fourth in the AAC overall in receptions and was tied for seventh in receiving yards, but led all AAC receivers in conference games with 52 receptions and was second with 631 yards… Caught at least six in seven of eight conference games… Caught a career-high eight vs. Charlotte and then matched his career-best with eight receptions for a career-high 93 yards and a TD (all in the first half) vs. Navy… Caught six for 82 yards and a touchdown vs. Army to give him a TD reception against both Army and Navy during the season… Caught seven for 85 yards, including the game-winning 18-yard TD with :04 left to defeat UTSA 29-27 after missing most of the week of practice after being admitted to the hospital on Monday… Catch was #10 on ESPN Sports Center's Top Ten that night.
Transfer from UCLA who battled injuries by saw action in 10 games on offense and also saw action on special teams in four games… Recorded his only catch of the season with a 32-yard connection with JT Daniels… Saw action on 51 offensive snaps and 17 special teams plays.
UCLA
2022
Saw action in 13 games as a reserve receiver and on special teams ... Caught a season-high four passes at Colorado ... Grabbed his first TD reception at Colorado (24 yards) ... Had two receptions against Stanford… Saw action in all 12 games in 2021 with starts against Stanford and Utah ... made his lone catch of the season in the opener against Hawaii ... Enrolled at UCLA in the spring of 2020, but did not take part in spring practices that had been paused at that point… Saw action in six games ... Earned starting assignments against California and at Oregon ... Had catches against Oregon (2 yards), Arizona (9), and Stanford (13).
Saint Louis School
Helped spark the Crusaders beat Kahuku 45-6 in the 2019 Oahu Open Division final for their fourth state championship in a row and 38th consecutive win … Four-star recruit according to 247Sports … Three-star recruit according to ESPN and Rivals … Ranked No. 261 overall by 247Sports … No. 4 prospect in the state by 247Sports and ESPN … 40 receptions for 742 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019 … Named 2018 wide receiver MVP at 2018 All-American Bowl National Combine … Invited to play in 2020 Polynesian Bowl.
Personal
Full name: Matthew Sykes … Born: February 15… Parents: John and Rachel Sykes… One brother… Father attended the Air Force Academy and played basketball….Brother, Chris played wide receiver at Dartmouth... Enrolled in the Master's of Global Affairs program.
- CSC 2022-23 Academic All-District Football Team.
- 2021-22 Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll
- AAC All-Academic 2024, 2025
- All-AAC 2024 (Coaches, honorable mention; CFN, third team)
- George R Brown Offensive Award
- Rice Honor Athlete 2025
2024
Led the Owls with 65 receptions, 782 yards, and five touchdowns…. 65 receptions rank eighth on the Rice single-season list… Ranked fourth in the AAC overall in receptions and was tied for seventh in receiving yards, but led all AAC receivers in conference games with 52 receptions and was second with 631 yards… Caught at least six in seven of eight conference games… Caught a career-high eight vs. Charlotte and then matched his career-best with eight receptions for a career-high 93 yards and a TD (all in the first half) vs. Navy… Caught six for 82 yards and a touchdown vs. Army to give him a TD reception against both Army and Navy during the season… Caught seven for 85 yards, including the game-winning 18-yard TD with :04 left to defeat UTSA 29-27 after missing most of the week of practice after being admitted to the hospital on Monday… Catch was #10 on ESPN Sports Center's Top Ten that night.
2023We thought it was worthy, and @ESPN agrees! pic.twitter.com/sNI67Fw8eD
— Rice Football (@RiceFootball) October 13, 2024
Transfer from UCLA who battled injuries by saw action in 10 games on offense and also saw action on special teams in four games… Recorded his only catch of the season with a 32-yard connection with JT Daniels… Saw action on 51 offensive snaps and 17 special teams plays.
UCLA
2022
Saw action in 13 games as a reserve receiver and on special teams ... Caught a season-high four passes at Colorado ... Grabbed his first TD reception at Colorado (24 yards) ... Had two receptions against Stanford… Saw action in all 12 games in 2021 with starts against Stanford and Utah ... made his lone catch of the season in the opener against Hawaii ... Enrolled at UCLA in the spring of 2020, but did not take part in spring practices that had been paused at that point… Saw action in six games ... Earned starting assignments against California and at Oregon ... Had catches against Oregon (2 yards), Arizona (9), and Stanford (13).
Saint Louis School
Helped spark the Crusaders beat Kahuku 45-6 in the 2019 Oahu Open Division final for their fourth state championship in a row and 38th consecutive win … Four-star recruit according to 247Sports … Three-star recruit according to ESPN and Rivals … Ranked No. 261 overall by 247Sports … No. 4 prospect in the state by 247Sports and ESPN … 40 receptions for 742 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019 … Named 2018 wide receiver MVP at 2018 All-American Bowl National Combine … Invited to play in 2020 Polynesian Bowl.
Personal
Full name: Matthew Sykes … Born: February 15… Parents: John and Rachel Sykes… One brother… Father attended the Air Force Academy and played basketball….Brother, Chris played wide receiver at Dartmouth... Enrolled in the Master's of Global Affairs program.
Rice Unfiltered Episode 3
Wednesday, September 10
Game Day Radio Booth » @RiceFootball vs Prairie View A&M
Tuesday, September 09
Scott Abell Weekly Press Conference
Tuesday, September 09
Houston postgame
Sunday, September 07
