UConn Football Game Preview 6 — Rice
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Rice Facts:
Location: Houston, TX
Enrollment: 3,992
Stadium: Rice Stadium
Capacity: 47,000
Last Bowl: 2022 LendingTree Bowl (38-24 L to Southern Miss)
All-Time Bowl Record: 7-6
All-Time Record vs UConn: First meeting
Meet the Owls:
Rice made a big splash this off-season by adding well-traveled former five star QB JT Daniels. Daniels, who started his career at USC, has also played at Georgia, and West Virginia, before making his way to Houston. He started ten games last season in Morgantown, throwing for 2,107 yards and a 13:9 TD:INT ratio, completing 61% of his passes. AJ Padgett is the backup after throwing for 634 yards and a 5:1 ratio, much of it coming in their bowl game.
Last year’s leading rusher Cameron Montgomery exits, and backups Juma Otoviano, and Ari Broussard return. Broussard fumbled at the goal line in game seven via Louisiana Tech, and didn’t get another carry the rest of the way. Otoviano had 5.7 you, and expects to share the load with JUCO transfer Dean Connors, who had 128 yards and 4.7 ypc.
Rice took a big hit to its receiving corps when Bradley Rozner entered the portal late and ended up in Raleigh at NC State. Luke McCaffrey Jr steps up to take his place, after catching 58 passes for 723 yards and 6 TDs, despite missing the final two games. TE Jack Bradley also returns, having caught 28 passes for 260 yards and two TDs. They added Matt Sykes, a UCLA transfer, who had 119 yards in three seasons with the Bruins. It’ll be tough to replace Rozner’s 20 ypc.
The offensive line returns three starters from a year ago, after helping rush for 141 ypg, and four ypc. C Braedon Nutter anchors the line after missing the final ten games of the season due to injury. G Lavel Dumont, a Toledo transfer, will take over the RG spot after starting 14 games the past four seasons. Brant Banks, a Nebraska transfer, will take the LG spot after starting 25 games the past three years in Lincoln. The group has some experience, and should continue to improve.
On the defensive line, the Owls lose their top rusher in Ikenna Enechukwu (4.5 sacks, 5 TFL), along with Trey Schuman (23 tackles, 4 sacks), and Quent Titre (3.5 TFL). To shore up the line, they added Colgate transfer Coleman Coco (3 sacks and 8 TFL in 2022). They’ll also look to returning NT Blake Boenisch, who had 29 tackles and 1.5 sacks last season as a freshman. Josh Pearcy returns at the RUSH position, having totaled 50 tackles and 6.5 sacks last season, earning him 3rd Team CUSA honors.
At linebacker, last year’s top two tacklers return in Rutgers transfer Chris Conti (75 tackles, one sack), and Myron Morrison (73 tackles, 1.5 sacks). It’s an experienced group, but could have had even more experience had the number four tackler, Treshawn Chamberlain, not transferred to Samford. Sophomore Plae Wyatt looks to take over for Chamberlain after recording 28 tackles in 16 games over the past two seasons.
The secondary is in good shape, buoyed by three returning starters in Sean Fresch (21 tackles, 5 PBU, and one INT), Jordan Dunbar (25 tackles, 10 PBU), and Gabe Taylor (60 tackles, 6 PBU, two INTs), brother of the late great Sean Taylor. This is a group that should continue to improve with experience.
HC Mike Bloomgren is entering his sixth season in Houston with a 16-39 record. It started off rough, going only 1-20 in FBS games before winning the last three CUSA contests in 2019. In the covid shortened 2020, the Owls went 2-3 with victories at Southern Miss and ranked Marshall, while losing three close games. After a 4-8 2021, Rice went bowling last season despite a 5-7 record as there were not enough bowl eligible teams, and Rice was eligible to take a slot due to their high APR score. The schedule doesn’t help with an uptick in competition joining the AAC this season. They gave Texas and Houston OOC, and face SMU, Tulane, and FAU at home in conference with a road matchup with UTSA. It’ll be challenging to get back to bowl eligibility.
Prediction:
Similar to Georgia State, I’m 50-50 on this one also. Road games are tough, and it’s a long way to Houston. It’ll be close, but I think Rice prevails.
21-17 Rice
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