Rice Upsets Houston in Double Overtime Thriller
In a thrilling double overtime encounter, Rice pulled off an upset victory over Houston in the 42nd Bayou Bucket clash. Rice’s quarterback, JT Daniels, played a crucial role in leading his team to the stunning win, passing for a career-high 401 yards and three touchdowns. Daelen Alexander also made a significant impact, rushing for three touchdowns to secure the victory for Rice.
The win for Rice marked their first triumph over Houston in 12 years, breaking their seven-game losing streak in the series. Rice’s head coach, Mike Bloomgren, expressed his team’s excitement at achieving their goal of reclaiming the Bayou Bucket. He emphasized the significance of defeating a team from the Big 12 conference, solidifying the progress of Rice’s program.
The game proved to be a tightly contested battle, with the Bayou Bucket series rarely going to overtime. This was only the second time in its history that an encounter between Rice and Houston had reached overtime. The last occurrence was in 2000, further highlighting the rarity of such an intense game.
JT Daniels showcased his talent once again, registering his second career 400-yard passing game. Despite his impressive performance, Coach Bloomgren believes there is still more to come from Daniels, expressing his confidence that the quarterback will continue to improve in future games.
The thrilling second overtime began with a 3-yard rushing touchdown by Daelen Alexander, followed by a successful two-point conversion, giving Rice a 43-35 lead. Houston fought back with a 2-yard touchdown run by Donovan Smith, narrowing the score to 43-41. However, Rice’s defense came up clutch during the two-point conversion attempt, breaking up Smith’s pass and securing the stunning upset victory.
As the final whistle blew, Rice fans and students flooded the field in celebration, amplifying the magnitude of their triumph. Houston’s head coach, Dana Holgorsen, expressed his disappointment at his team’s performance, acknowledging that they may have underestimated their opponent. He took full responsibility for the loss, acknowledging that it ultimately fell on him to prepare his team adequately.
Earlier in the game, Rice had surged to a commanding 21-0 lead in the first quarter, capitalizing on Daniels’ connection with Luke McCaffrey for two touchdown passes. The Owls extended their lead to 28-0 in the second quarter with a 15-yard touchdown reception by Braylen Walker, firmly establishing their dominance.
Houston struggled to respond and was held scoreless until Donovan Smith connected with Matthew Golden for a 10-yard touchdown just before the halftime break, reducing their deficit to 28-7.
Looking forward, Rice will aim to build on this stunning upset when they face off against Texas Southern in their upcoming game. Meanwhile, Houston will have a challenging task on their hands as they prepare to host TCU, last season’s national runner-up, in their inaugural Big 12 Conference game.
Rice’s offensive improvement in this game, after being held to just 176 total yards of offense in their previous outing against Texas, underscores their potential this season. Houston, on the other hand, will need to regroup and address their shortcomings, particularly their struggles on fourth downs and their lackluster performance in the first half.
In conclusion, Rice’s upset victory over Houston in a double overtime thriller marks a significant milestone for the program. The game showcased the exceptional skills of JT Daniels and the determination of the Rice team. It also highlights the unpredictable nature of college football, underlining the importance of respecting all opponents.
