Defensive duel ultimately tilts Roadrunners’ way
Even change in QBs can’t lift offense as Owls lose 5th in row
UTSA powered past Rice to win a 20-3 defensive battle at Rice Stadium on Saturday night, handing the Owls a fifth straight loss in the process.
“Tonight our offense did not perform,” Rice coach Mike Bloomgren said. “Where we’re going to start pointing the finger right now with our offense is at me.”
Coming into the game, Bloomgren felt that if his defensive unit — which entered the game ranked 13th in Conference USA in total defense — could get enough stops, then his offense could carry the team to victory.
But when the game started, Rice’s offense missed the memo.
Both defenses controlled the game from the opening kickoff until UTSA (3-3, 2-0 C-USA) drew first blood on Jared Sackett’s 44yard field goal in the first quarter.
The Owls (1-5, 0-2) managed just 18 yards to UTSA’s 77 yards of offense in the period, including six rushes for 1 yard. As Rice runners were stuffed at the line of scrimmage, however, the Roadrunners’ receivers dropped passes that likely would have contributed to a larger lead.
The Owls’ offensive struggles invited a change halfway through the second quarter when Bloomgren inserted Jackson Tyner at quarterback. Unfortunately for Rice, he provided more of a spark for UTSA.
“I did everything I knew to do to jump-start an offense today that was struggling and nothing worked,” Bloomgren said. “Point the finger squarely at me, we will get it fixed.”
On his second play, Tyner was intercepted by Cassius Grady, who returned the ball to Rice’s 3yard line. On the next play, B.J. Daniels rumbled over the goal line for the game’s first touchdown to put UTSA up by 10 points.
Two plays later, after Rice got the ball back, Tyner was buried under a pile of bodies after fumbling the snap away at Rice’s 15.
Rice’s defense held strong, limiting the Roadrunners to a field goal for a 13-0 halftime lead.
The Owls limited UTSA to 178 yards of offense in the game, the fewest they’ve yielded since 2013. They also allowed just 43 passing yards, the fewest to a C-USA opponent since they joined the league in 2005.
“I’m proud of our defense. I thought our defense came out on fire,” Bloomgren said.
Rice’s offense emerged for its opening drive of the second half with kicker Haden Tobola providing the team’s first points on a 28yard field goal. Despite splitting time with Jack Fox this season, it was Tobola’s 20th career field goal, a Rice record.
“Special teams-wise we were stellar again, starting with Jack Fox,” Bloomgren said of his punter, who booted four of his six punts inside the UTSA 20.
Rice spent much of the second half in four-down territory. On the game, the Owls converted half of their six fourth-down attempts, including a 25-yard completion from starting quarterback Shawn Stankavage to running back Austin Walter
Walter, who entered the game as the nation’s leader in all-purpose yards, finished the game with 101 yards of offense. Stankavage completed 15-of-27 passes for 158 yards and a pick.
UTSA sank the dagger in Rice’s chest with just under five minutes left. On a fourth-and-one from inside the Owls’ own territory, running back Emmanuel Esukpa tried to reach the ball over the pile before it was stripped and recovered for a UTSA touchdown.
A penalty erased the touchdown, but the Roadrunners capped off their victory when Jalen Rhodes punched the ball in from a yard out.
“I am so proud of where our defense is and our special teams,” Bloomgren said. “If our defense can perform like that in this program, we’ll win a lot of games here.”