Football extends streak

By Meghan Hall     11/12/09 6:00pm

For the first time this season, the football team has one play they can point to as the reason for their loss. This play came at the close of the first half of last Saturday's game against Southern Methodist University, as Rice (0-9, 0-5 Conference USA) had the lead in its hands and was looking for more. Senior Clark Fangmeier lined up for a 37-yard field goal, but instead of splitting the crossbars, the kick found the hands of SMU's (5-4, 4-1 C-USA) defensive line. Mustangs cornerback Bryan McCann scooped up the ball and sprinted 74 yards for the score, giving SMU a 21- 20 lead they would not relinquish in the second half.

Had this one play - just one - gone differently, the Owls would not have fallen 31-28 against SMU and continued their season without a win. Their poor performances, it appears, have now been met with worse luck.

As has happened in every other game this season, Rice's opponent was the first to score. SMU's opening drive took it down the field in six minutes and in with a rushing touchdown. The next drive for each team, neither more than three plays, ended in turnovers.

---

---

Rice then embarked on an 80-yard drive of its own, one that ended with an 11-yard pass from redshirt sophomore quarterback Nick Fanuzzi to redshirt junior receiver Patrick Randolph. After a successful extra point the game was tied.

Head Coach David Bailiff said he was pleased to see one integral member of the offensive line, redshirt sophomore Jake Hicks, return to protect Fanuzzi, who finished 29-42 with 250 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions in his finest performance of the season.

"I think, offensively, we played as well as we have this year," Bailiff said. "Hicks rejoining the offensive line has put everybody back where they need to be. It led to Nick really taking over a football game. Nick had time to make great throws. . I was really pleased with Nick's progress and his decision-making."

Fanuzzi agreed with Bailiff's assessment and attributed his success to the strength of the offensive line.

"Every play is connected, and you get one play in there and you're able to buy time and get the ball to the receivers," Fanuzzi said. "It gives you more confidence for the next play [so] that [when] you step in the pocket you're not thinking so much about the guy coming off the corner. So, throughout the game the offense just executed great. Receivers, O-line, backs, everybody was playing very well. I was very happy with how we played in the game."

Fanuzzi got another chance when the Mustangs again fumbled the ball after less than a minute, letting the Owls start at SMU's 33-yard line. In a two-play drive lasting a mere 14 seconds, Fanuzzi again connected with Randolph - who led the team with 93 receiving yards - to secure Rice a 13-7 lead. The go-ahead score also gave the team its second lead of the season, the first of which came against the University of Tulsa at 10-7 with 47 seconds left in the first half.

However, the Mustangs' Margus Hunt broke Clark Fangmeier's streak of 100 consecutive made PATs, blocking the kick and keeping the score at 13-7. The Owls then closed the half with Fangmeier's ill-fated kick.

SMU tacked on another touchdown and field goal and the Owls failed to score again until late in the fourth quarter. A four-yard pass from Fanuzzi to senior receiver Toren Dixon, with a successful two-point conversion, brought Rice to within three, but SMU recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock to ensure their 31-28 win.

Although the outcome of this game was not in Rice's favor, the Owls have several positive experiences to take from the game and apply to Saturday's eagerly anticipated matchup with Tulane University.

"That was a tough football game," Bailiff said. "It's hard emotionally when you play like we did and you come out with a loss. ... We just have to keep building on what we did there and go out and perform like we're capable of against Tulane."

More confidence can only help as the Owls will still be on the lookout for their first win tomorrow against Tulane for the Homecoming game at 2:30 p.m. The Green Wave (3-7, 1-4 C-USA), despite coming off their first conference win against the University of Texas-El Paso, are plagued by an anemic offense that averages just 16.9 points per game. The defense ranks 114th in the nation - slightly better than Rice's, which ranks 119th with 37.4 points allowed per game.

In addition to the improved offensive line, continued progress by Fanuzzi and sturdy play by the defense, this performance gives the Owls a little poise heading into their homecoming game.

"Obviously this loss really hurt, but I think the main thing we can get out of this is our confidence back," junior defensive end Scott Solomon said. "We were running out there with a swagger about ourselves. I think that's something we can really build on. There were still a few mistakes that need to be corrected, but I feel like our confidence was back in this game.

---