Owls are bowl bound again after third win in a row

By Brody Rollins     11/6/08 6:00pm

For only the ninth time since 1961, but the second time since 2006, the football team is bowl eligible. Unlike the 2006 campaign, however, the team did not have to wait until the season's waning moments to qualify. Accomplishing the task after only nine games, the Owls will enjoy a much deserved homecoming celebration tomorrow afternoon at Rice Stadium. The Owls' 49-44 victory over the University of Texas-El Paso last Saturday night in the Sun Bowl gave them the minimum of six victories necessary to play in a bowl game, and gave the senior class a chance at redemption after losing to Troy University 41-17 two years ago in the New Orleans Bowl.

The win over UTEP also gave the Owls their first 5-1 start to conference play since 1960. As it stands now, Rice is one of four one-loss teams in Conference USA. The University of Tulsa remains the only team that has not lost in C-USA play, although the Golden Hurricane did suffer their first loss of the season to Arkansas last week.

Aside from a bid to the Liberty Bowl in Memphis that goes to the conference champion, the conference itself has contracts with five other bowls. Which one the Owls end up attending will be decided by their performance over the final three games of the season against Army, Marshall, and Houston, all of which are played at home. The games against Marshall and Houston are of special importance in deciding the final standings as both teams have just one loss in conference.

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Senior quarterback Chase Clement provided most of last weekend's highlights as he threw for five touchdowns and rushed for one more. Clement is currently just one touchdown away from tying the C-USA mark for total touchdown passes, held by former University of Houston quarterback Kevin Kolb, who now plays for the Philadelphia Eagles.

In what has become a familiar sight, sophomore receiver James Casey tore apart the opposing defense last Saturday. Casey, the team's touted mix of strength, brains and machismo, accounted for four scores and 172 yards of total offense. As he does virtually every weekend, Casey demonstrated his versatility by recovering UTEP's onside kick with just 1:23 remaining to seal the game for the Owls. For his efforts last weekend Casey earned his second C-USA player of the week award and the team's fourth overall.

Senior receiver Jarett Dillard caught eight passes for 93 yards, including one score. The Clement to Dillard touchdown total now stands at 46 career scores. UTEP made it part of their game plan to stop Dillard throughout by double covering him or playing a safety deep on his side of the field.

"What I was amazed about on Saturday when we went by a 4-by-1 set was that they still held two people over Dillard," head coach David Bailiff said. "They are not going to give him the one on one that you would think you would get in that formation. They are just not going to do it and that's what's allowing James Casey to do what he's doing."

Apart from the passing game, the Owls emerged with strong running game over the past few weeks. Junior running back C.J. Ugokwe led the way with 103 yards last weekend. Ugokwe and Casey, who rushed the ball seven times for 28 yards, have opened an aspect of the offense that struggled for most of last year. Its emergence has created better opportunities for Clement to complete passes downfield.

Tomorrow's game against Army will be a stern test for the Rice offense, as the Black Knights will field the NCAA's 17th-best total defense in the nation. The challenge will be a stark contrast to last week's opponent, UTEP, who was 117th. Army has also held opponents to 17 points or less in four of its last five games.

However, the Owls will benefit from the fact that Army's opponent last week threw the ball just eight times, far less than the number of times Clement will air it out on Saturday.

Army implemented the triple option offense at the beginning of the season, fully utilizing a fullback position responsible for over 43 percent of the team's rush attempts. After getting off to a 0-4 start, the Black Knights have bounced back by winning three of their last five games, including a 44-13 win over Tulane University in New Orleans. If the Owls are able to get ahead early then Army will have to resort to implementing the nation's worst passing offense, which has accounted for just 470 yards over nine games. A strong start will be key for Rice to ensure that the homecoming festivities do not come to a disappointing end.

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