Owls hold on for first road win of season
It certainly didn’t come easy, but Rice finally won a football game on the road. And it was hard-earned for the Owls, who overcame three lost fumbles and three double-digit deficits.
After blowing an eightpoint lead in the final minute of regulation, the Owls held on for a 42-41 overtime victory in Ruston, La., spoiling Louisiana Tech’s homecoming at Aillet Stadium.
“We didn’t want to end with another loss,” said running back Juma Otoviano, who scored the Owls’ extra-period touchdown. “Today, we did what we had to do to win.”
Chipping in with Otoviano, who became the feature back over the second half, was T.J. McMahon, who threw three touchdown passes and ran for a 64-yard score, and Luke McCaffrey, who caught 10 passes for 171 yards and collected 204 total yards.
The Owls took their first lead in the fourth quarter on McMahon’s long touchdown run on a quarterback keeper.
“With our backs against the wall, things started clicking,” McMahon said. “We calmed ourselves and we got focused.”
The Conference USA game was tied 35-35 at the end of regulation. With 37 seconds left, Cyrus Allen caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from true freshman Landry Lyddy.
On the first series of overtime, Otoviano scored from 4 yards. Christian VanSickle, who made all five of his extra points in regulation, was good on the point after, giving Rice a 42-41 lead.
The Bulldogs scored on their possession as well, an 18-yard pass to Tre Harris from Lyddy, the third Bulldogs quarterback to play after injuries brought him into the game.
Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Cumbie decided to end the game right then and there, and go for 2 points and the win. Lyddy’s intended pass to Harris was incomplete, giving the Owls (4-3, 2-1) their first road win in four tries this season and putting the team above .500 for the season
and in C-USA.
“The Rice fight never dies. It is how we train,” Rice coach Mike Bloomgren said. “It is great to come out on the right side (of overtime). It had a different feel in this overtime than those two last year. I felt we had a lot of confidence.”
Last year, Rice was 0-2 in overtime games.
Saturday, the Owls, despite trailing most of the game, stayed the course.
“There was no panic,” Otoviano said. “We were in a dogfight. The opportunity presented itself. The morale on the sideline was, let’s just keep going until that clock hits zero.”
Rice kept staying within striking distance. McMahon’s three touchdown passes helped keep his team in the game. And his fourth-quarter 64-yard scoring run finally got the visitors even with the Bulldogs.
From there, McCaffrey came through, both receiving and running. McCaffrey’s 17-yard fourth-quarter touchdown out of the wildcat formation widened Rice’s advantage to eight points.
Accounting for four touchdowns, McMahon was 16-of-27 passing for 208 yards. Cameron Montgomery ran for 87 yards. McMahon threw touchdown passes of 32 and 9 yards to McCaffrey and 12 yards to Bradley Rozner. Otoviano rushed for 56 yards on 11 carries.
Harris caught three touchdown passes from three Louisiana Tech quarterbacks. One each from starter Parker McNeil, his backup Matthew Downing, and Lyddy.
After a slow start, Rice ran for 282 yards against the nation’s worst run defense. Rice totaled 490 yards to Louisiana Tech’s 373.
McMahon’s 64-yard score came on a quarterback keeper. He got clearing blocks from center Shea Baker and right guard John Long.
Rice’s Ari Broussard lost two fumbles, including one at the Louisiana Tech 1yard line. A special teams turnover early in the third quarter gave the Bulldogs short-field possession, leading to another touchdown.
The Owls trailed 10-7 at halftime.
With one second remaining in the first quarter, Sean Fresch intercepted Downing for his first pick of the season and second of his career.
Rice was held scoreless in the first quarter for only the second time this season (Houston), and the 10 points allowed in the first were a season high.
The Owls were without two defensive starters. Linebacker Myron Morrison, who recorded 15 tackles a week ago at Florida Atlantic, and free safety George Nyakwol missed the game with injuries.
Last year, Rice rallied past Louisiana Tech 35-31 in Houston to snap a sixgame losing streak in the series.
Rice returns home to play Charlotte at 1 p.m. Saturday.