C-USA play starts for Owls

It’s on to Conference USA play for both teams, whose lone victories have been over FCS competition. Rice is coming off an 48-34 home victory over Texas Southern. Southern Miss fell to top-ranked Alabama 63-14. Rice won last year’s matchup in Hattiesburg 30-6, snapping USM’s five-game win streak in the series.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH: Could be low-scoring affair

1Neither Rice nor Southern Miss have put up big numbers on the scoreboard. Including Rice’s win over Texas Southern, the Owls average 18.0 points per game. The Golden Eagles average slightly less at 16.8. Rice is averaging 356 yards of offense per game and USM 266.5. The teams have combined to average 62.7 points during the 11 games of the series but only 31 points over the past two games.

Progression of Jake Constantine

2

Jake Constantine will make his second start, and

third appearance, at quarterback for the Owls, after guiding the Owls to a clear-cut decision over TSU. In making his first start since 2019 at Weber State, Constantine threw only five incompletions in 23 attempts, passing for 271 yards against the Tigers. Luke McCaffrey is expected to see action at that position as well, mainly in running situations.

Frank Gore Jr. has the bloodlines

3

The son of one of the

NFL’s all-time leading rushers, Frank Gore Jr. is the Golden Eagles’ top rusher with 281 yards and a touchdown on 64 carries. The 5-foot-8, 195-pounder ran for 162 yards against Grambling State. Gore ran for 708 yards in 2020. The Golden Eagles are trying to get Gore, whose father has rushed for 16,000 yards in the NFL, more involved in the passing game.

Golden Eagles have found their quarterback

4

True freshman Ty

Keyes has taken over the quarterback position for Southern Miss. Against Alabama the dual-threat quarterback, who was a four-star recruit in high school, threw two touchdowns. Sophomore Trey Lowe started at the position the first two games but suffered a leg injury against Grambling in the second game of season. Keyes has started ever since for first-year coach Will Hall.

Special teams

5

Southern Miss had two

major glitches in kickoff return coverage at Alabama, allowing Jameson Williams to score on returns of 100 and 83 yards. Rice kept TSU contained on kickoffs, allowing only 69 yards on four of eight kickoffs returned by kickers Christian VanSickle and Collin Riccitelli. The Owls are 1-of-4 on field goals, opponents 4-of-5. Rice punter Charlie Mendes is averaging 42 yards per kick with no blocks.