Rice Owls

Rice's triple-option offense is the defining feature of the Scott Abell era, and it showed in the opener when the Owls ran 70 times for 465 yards in a 31-3 win over Houston Christian. Quentin Jackson and Tyvonn Byars have shouldered the load, and quarterback Jacurri Brown is a dangerous runner, ripping off a 78-yard touchdown against Tulsa and a 50-yard score against Fresno State. But the passing game has been almost nonexistent: Rice attempted only 10 passes in Week 1, and against Tulsa, Brown completed just 2 of 6 for 47 yards. When opponents load the box, the offense stalls, as it did in a 52-0 loss at Notre Dame and a 16-14 home loss to UTSA. The Owls have scored more than 24 points only once against FBS competition, and that was in a 38-24 loss at Fresno State. For Rice to stay competitive, it must find a credible passing threat to keep defenses honest.

The preseason concern was a rebuilt defense that lost its top seven tacklers and allowed scores on every red-zone trip last season. Early on, those fears were realized: Houston Christian drove into Rice territory six times, and Notre Dame scored on seven of its first eight possessions. But the unit has settled in, holding UTSA to 16 points and keeping East Carolina within reach until a fourth-quarter burst. Viper Jo Chavez and edge rusher Joseph Mutombo have stabilized the front, and the tackling issues that plagued the opener have not recurred. The Owls still aren't forcing many takeaways (only seven all last season), but they've become a bend-don't-break group that can keep Rice in games. That improvement will be tested by high-powered offenses like Tulsa's, which put up 38 points and 401 total yards last week.

Rice lost four fumbles in the Notre Dame game, including one on the first play that was returned for a touchdown, and quarterback Jacurri Brown acknowledged that ball security is solely on the players. The Owls only lost seven fumbles all of last season, so that game was an outlier, but it exposed how quickly the option exchange can unravel. Since then, Rice has not had a repeat, but the risk remains inherent in the scheme. In a game like the upcoming trip to Florida Atlantic, where the market has the Owls as a 7.5-point underdog, a couple of early turnovers could shrink their margin for error dramatically. Protecting the ball is paramount for an offense that struggles to come from behind.

Kicker Enock Gota has been reliable, hitting 10 of 13 field goals last season and providing consistent touchbacks on kickoffs. Punter Charlie Durkin, a transfer from Kent State, has been a weapon, averaging 41.4 yards per punt with the ability to flip field position. In a run-heavy, clock-control offense, field position and hidden yards matter, and Rice's specialists have largely delivered. Gota's 22-yard field goal against Fresno State gave the Owls a halftime lead, and his leg could be the difference in a close game down the stretch. Special teams won't win games alone, but they help offset some of the offense's limitations.

Rice has already faced a brutal slate: a road trip to No. 3 Notre Dame, a cross-country trek to Fresno State, and a conference opener against a solid UTSA team. The Owls are 1-6 but have been competitive in most games, with three of their losses coming by 14 points or fewer. The remaining schedule features opponents with power ratings closer to Rice's, starting with Florida Atlantic (4-2, power -6.9). The Owls have covered in three of seven games and have shown they can hang with teams outside the top tier. However, with a 0-3 conference record, bowl hopes are all but gone. The focus now shifts to playing spoiler and building momentum for next season. The biggest key is sustaining drives and avoiding the three-and-outs that have plagued the offense, because the defense, while improved, can't carry the team alone.