45-19 win moves Owls closer to bowl game

By Dan Elledge     10/21/13 7:00pm

Rice Owls football took one giant step Saturday toward back-to-back bowls for the first time in Rice University history with a 45-19 win over New Mexico State University. Redshirt senior quarterback Taylor McHargue ran for three touchdowns and threw for another to lead the Owls to victory. Redshirt senior running back Charles Ross returned from an injury to rush the ball 26 times for 167 yards and a touchdown.

McHargue said he was proud of the way the team played over its three-game road trip and that it shows the team has learned how to play on the road after years of struggles.

"I'm proud we went on that three-game stretch on the road and came away 3-0," McHargue said. "I don't care who you are playing. Three games on the road are tough, and I think that shows we are a mature football team. I think a few of those wins - [the University of Tulsa] and [the University of Texas, San Antonio] - we had to scratch and claw our way to wins."

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The win marked the Owls' fourth straight win, putting them at 5-2 for the season. With one more win, Rice will be eligible for a bowl for a second straight year. The Owls return to conference play this week against the University of Texas, El Paso, which they beat 33-24 last year to earn a bid to the Armed

Forces Bowl.

Head Coach David Bailiff said he knows the Owls will become bowl-eligible with a win, but he said he does not want the players to get ahead of themselves. He said the team needs to focus on one game at a time in order to keep its winning streak alive.

"We know [the possibility of a bowl game is] right there, and we've talked to the team about it," Bailiff said. "We need to go 1-0 every week and play our hardest, but we cannot look too far ahead. It's like climbing a mountain: If you look too far ahead, you fall off."

McHargue said going to another bowl is an important achievement, but it will only be the start of what the team hopes to accomplish this season. McHargue said the team is prepared to win the conference, which is only a small stepping stone.

"That is the first goal, and that's what this week is all about: knocking that first one out of the way," McHargue said. "The second goal is winning Conference USA West, and then from there, [it's] winning the conference championship. We understand that winning this game is the next step against a good UTEP team, and we definitely understand what's at stake and what we can accomplish if we win this week."

Redshirt senior safety Paul Porras said becoming bowl-eligible this week is crucial since he does not want to have to worry about it as the season goes on. He said he wants to move forward and focus on the conference title, which would be Rice's first in C-USA.

"Getting that sixth win out of the way is a big thing for us, and we can just move on from this, worry about our conference play and try to stay undefeated in conference," Porras said.

Bailiff said that even though UTEP is 1-5, it has an explosive offense, and it is important for the Owls to stop UTEP's star players to prevent the game from becoming a shootout.

"We [need] a smart week of preparation for UTEP as they come into town," Bailiff said. "They are a very explosive team offensively. Their quarterback [Jameill Showers] is the transfer from [Texas A&M University]. They have a great receiver in [Jordan Leslie], who is from [Tomball, Texas]. That's their go-to guy. [Autrey Golden], their running back, rushed for 567 yards this season, and he's taken two kickoffs for touchdowns."

Bailiff said that, like any opponent, UTEP cannot be overlooked. He said no team will willingly give up a win and that it is important for the Owls to be ready on Saturday in order to solidify a bowl berth.

"We are going to have to play a good football game to get a win," Bailiff said. "Nobody gives you anything, and to win college football games is tough."

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