Game #3 What: Rice (1-1/0-0) vs. Louisiana (2-0/0-0) When: Saturday, September 17, 6:30 p.m. (central) Where: Houston, Texas Stadium: Rice Stadium (47,000) Television: ESPN3 David Saltzman (play by play) Chris Mycoskie (analyst) Where to Find the Game: Watch Rice Radio: JP Heath (play-by-play), Nate Griffin (analyst), Jason Metko (sidelines) Audio Streaming: RiceOwls.com, Rice Game Day App, Varsity Network Live Stats: RiceOwls.com Digital Game Program: Game 3: Rice vs. Louisiana Series Information: Louisiana leads 3-2
SERIES NOTES
• This is the sixth meeting between the schools and the first since 9/23/89 when Louisiana won 18-3.
• Louisiana holds a 3-2 lead in the series, while the teams have split four games in Houston overall. The Ragin Cajuns are 2-1 at Rice Stadium.
• The series began with a 54-0 win by Rice on 10/1/21 and began again in 1982 when Louisiana won 21-14 in the season opener.
• Rice's last win in the series came in the first game of 1982, 22-21.
• This is the second of two consecutive meetings this season with schools from Louisiana and the third consecutive home game overall hosting a team from the Pelican state (LA Tech on 11/27/21 & Louisiana on 9/17/22).
• Rice is 48-67-6 all-time vs. teams from Louisiana, including a 38-35-3 record in Houston (23-17-2 at Rice Stadium).
FOR OPENERS
Rice's 52-10 win over McNeese was the Owls was their largest margin of victory in any game since they defeated North Texas 77-20 in 2008 and their largest margin in a home opener since they blanked VMI 42-10 to open the
Vernon Glass
1970 season… It was their highest scoring game since they scored 65 vs. Prairie View in 2016… TJ McMahon's four touchdown passes were the most in a home opener since Mike Collins threw four vs. Middle Tennessee in 2020… He added one score on the ground and his five total touchdowns were the most in a game since Tyler Stehling threw for five vs. Prairie View in 2016 and the most in a home opener since Chase Clement threw for six vs. SMU in 2008. He became the first Rice quarterback to throw four touchdown passes in his first career start (four-year college) since Vernon Glass became the first Owl to throw four TD passes in a game vs. Santa Clara on September 30, 1950 in his first start--which was also the first game played at Rice Stadium. Mike Collins threw four in his first career start at Rice (MTSU in 2020), but he had previous starts at TCU. McMahon is the ninth Owl to throw four or more TD passes in a game.
HONORING SIX
2022 marks the 50th anniversary of Rice's Class of 1972, which included the first four Black student-athletes to compete for the Owls -- Rodrigo Barnes '73, LeRoy Marion '72, Mike Tyler '72 and Stahlé Vincent '72 -- and also the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which created the opportunity for Denise Bostick '80 and Leila Freeman '79 to become the first Black female student-athletes at Rice. Rice will honor the six at an event on Friday night at the Ion and again on Saturday during the game with Louisiana. The Owls will also wear throwback helmet designs that match those worn by Barnes, Tyler and Vincent during their last two years at Rice. Each earned three letters in football and earned at least one All-Southwest Conference honor during their careers. Barnes (Dallas Cowboys, 7th round), Vincent (Pittsburgh Steelers, 8th round) and Tyler (Detroit Lions 17th round) was drafted after their Rice career. Vincent was presented the Bob Quin Award in 1972 as Rice's top student-athlete.
THROWBACKS The helmets the Owls will wear on Saturday in honor of the three first Black players at Rice feature the flying Owl helmet logo they wore during their last seasons at Rice. The logo made its debut in Jess Neely's final season at Rice in1966 and returned in 1971 when Bill Peterson was named head coach. It was designed by the late Charles Straub, whose work was a fixture on Rice football programs for decades. Straub came to Houston in 1950 and immediately fell in love with Rice. He produced drawings for T-shirts, signs, banners, and plaques and completed Rice's all-America certificates with an artistic hand. His son, Steve, lettered in track at Rice and later joined the coaching staff, taking over as head coach in 980 through 1994. In retirement, Charles Straub worked as an usher at athletic events, becoming a beloved fixture at games. In 1997, he was awarded an honorary "R" by Rice.
. FRIENDLY CONFINES TJ McMahon is 2-0 in his last two games at Rice Stadium, leading a second-half comeback to defeat LA Tech in the 2021 finale and throwing for 271 yards and four touchdowns in his first career start in the 2022 home opener vs. McNeese. In his last six quarters of action at Rice Stadium, he has completed 32-49 passes for 465 yards, one interception and six touchdowns.
UP NEXT
Rice remains in Houston for the next wo weekends taking on the University of Houston on the road for the annual Bayou Bucket clash on September 24 and back at Rice Stadium to open the Owls' final season of C-USA action vs. UAB on October 1.
The helmets the Owls will wear on Saturday in honor of the three first Black players at Rice feature the flying Owl helmet logo they wore during their last seasons at Rice. The logo made its debut in Jess Neely's final season at Rice in1966 and returned in 1971 when Bill Peterson was named head coach. It was designed by the late Charles Straub, whose work was a fixture on Rice football programs for decades. Straub came to Houston in 1950 and immediately fell in love with Rice. He produced drawings for T-shirts, signs, banners, and plaques and completed Rice's all-America certificates with an artistic hand. His son, Steve, lettered in track at Rice and later joined the coaching staff, taking over as head coach in 980 through 1994. In retirement, Charles Straub worked as an usher at athletic events, becoming a beloved fixture at games. In 1997, he was awarded an honorary "R" by Rice.