Ragin’ Cajuns’ win streak looms over Owls
Rice’s opponent Saturday has the Owls’ full attention.
Louisiana may have a new coach, but the Ragin’ Cajuns continue to pile up victories. Louisiana’s 15-game win streak is the longest in the Football Bowl Subdivision. It hasn’t lost a football game since opening week of the 2021 season when Texas prevailed 38-18.
Billy Napier is now roaming the sideline leading Florida. Several players hit the transfer portal after Napier’s departure. But under firstyear coach Michael Desormeaux, the Ragin’ Cajuns are off to a 2-0 start with home victories over Southeastern Louisiana 24-7 and Eastern Michigan 49-21.
“They seem to just be lining back up and picking up right where they left off because they’re coming in here 2-0,” said coach Mike Bloomgren, whose Owls host Louisiana at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Rice Stadium. “Billy Napier did an unbelievable job building that program, and they haven’t missed a beat.”
Receiver Bradley Rozner, selected by the Rice coaching staff as the team’s top offensive player following last week’s 52-10 home victory over McNeese, said he’s never faced an opponent like Louisiana with such a long win streak.
“This will be a first for me,” said Rozner, who totaled 101 receiving yards on only three receptions, including a 75-yard touchdown, against McNeese. “Obviously, we can’t take them lightly. They’re a really good program. We have to go out there and do our job and execute.”
Louisiana is a member of the Sun Belt, which generated national news this past Saturday. Appalachian State took down then-No. 6 Texas A&M 17-14. Marshall shocked Notre Dame 26-21, booting the then-No. 8 Irish out of the AP Top 25. Georgia Southern’s 45-42 win at Nebraska led to the ouster of Cornhuskers coach Scott Frost.
“It was a good week for the Sun Belt,” Bloomgren said.
Prep work pays off for McMahon
Having a complete week to prepare for an opponent as opposed to being thrown into the fire without much preparation makes a huge difference. Owls quarterback T.J. McMahon can attest to that.
In the season-opening 66-14 defeat at USC, he came in cold after starter Wiley Green left the game with a right arm injury early in the second half. McMahon threw two of the Owls’ three interceptions the Trojans returned for touchdowns. Last week in a 42-point victory against McNeese, McMahon threw four touchdown passes and accounted for five scores.
“One thing that was great to see was T.J.’s performance,” Bloomgren said.
In the week leading to the game with the Cowboys, McMahon got the bulk of reps running the first team. He didn’t have that luxury the week of the USC game.
“What I had hoped would be the case with T.J. (was) he would go through a week as the No. 1 and get 80 percent of the reps during the week, as well as having the knowledge that he’s going to be the starter,” Bloomgren said.
The success showed on the field Saturday. McMahon threw for 274 yards on 20 of 29 passing with no interceptions. McMahon’s five touchdowns were the most by an Owl since Tyler Stehling threw five versus Prairie View A&M in 2016 and the most in a home opener since Chase Clement threw six against SMU in 2008.
McCaffrey fitting in after WR move
Luke McCaffrey was the most-targeted Rice receiver against McNeese. Starting just his second game at receiver for the Owls, McCaffrey caught four of the eight targeted passes from McMahon for 46 yards with a long of 16 yards.
McCaffrey, the son of former NFL wideout Ed McCaffrey, is transitioning to receiver after starting three games at quarterback last season for Rice.
“Luke made that transition seemingly,” Rozner said. “He’s just an allaround athlete, a student of the game. His mind is constantly thinking about football.”
After his receptions against the Cowboys, McCaffrey picked up 31 yards after catch.
“He thought he didn’t have the greatest game Saturday,” Rozner said. “He attacks Monday’s practice like he played the worst game of his life. Having a guy like that, who’s just a workhorse and just loves football, it just takes the pressure and workload off everybody in the (receiver) room.”
Through two games McCaffrey has a teamleading nine catches.
Rice to honor its 1st Black athletes
For Saturday’s football game, Rice will wear helmet designs from the early 1970s to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Class of 1972, which included the first Black student-athletes to compete for the Owls.
LeRoy Marion, Mike Tyler and Stahle Vincent were part of that class. Rodrigo Barnes was in the Class of 1973. It’s also the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which opened the door for Leila Freeman (1979) and Denise Bostick (1980) to become the first Black female student-athletes at Rice.
Rice will pay tribute to all six at an event Friday night at the Ion, and again Saturday during the game with Louisiana.
Odds & ends
Five true freshmen made their Rice debuts against McNeese — Brad Baur, Miguel Cedeno, Davion Carter, Demone Green (Heights) and Chibby Nwajuaku (Cypress Ranch). Green picked up a sack, and Nwajuaku recovered a fumble on his first play of the game. … Rice lost the turnover battle at USC 4-0, but against McNeese, the Owls forced five takeaways without committing a turnover. … Rice’s 52-10 win over McNeese was its largest margin of victory since beating North Texas 77-20 in 2008 and its largest margin in a home opener since routing VMI 42-10 in 1970.