Rice Owls NCAA Football News

Athletic director Steve Orsini, clad in his standard red blazer, slapped backs and hugged with zeal.

Line: Rice by 2 1/2. Series Record: Rice leads 16-14-1. Last meeting: 2008, Rice 42-17. Rice was close to finally notching a victory last week against SMU.

Shouldn't be leaving Dallas without a victory... WHAT I LIKED: - The use of the Wildcat/Thor or whatever it's called.

Travis Bradshaw started playing football in either second or third grade. Toren Dixon was 11.

Shawnbrey McNeal rushed for 88 yards and two touchdowns to lift SMU to a 31-28 win over Rice Saturday afternoon.

Series Record: SMU leads 45-40-1. Last meeting: 2008, Rice 56-27. What's at Stake As they close in on bowl eligibility, the Mustangs look to stay in contention in the Conference USA race.

Kentucky point guard John Wall, one of the nation's top incoming freshmen, has been cleared to play by the NCAA but must sit out two games and repay almost $800 in expenses incurred on unofficial visits to schools during his junior year of high school.

I meant to post this yesterday, but I was sidetracked. Anyway, the Monday news conference with David Bailiff was, like the entire season thus far, more of the same.

After the open week, Rice's Cheta Ozougwu was looking ahead to Saturday's game at SMU, and the junior defensive end casually tossed out what usually would be interpreted as harmless smack or bulletin board material Monday.

The Pirates had the week off as they face Memphis Tuesday night. ECU is 4-3 overall and 3-1 in conference play, which includes a 49-13 victory over Rice in its last outing.

Rice sophomore Kyle Martens, a bright spot in a dismal season for the Owls, was named to the Ray Guy Award watch list Friday.

Originally published October 28, 2009 at 11:27 p.m., updated October 28, 2009 at 11:35 p.m. An injury and no wins through the first eight games of the season isn't how Willie Garley envisioned his junior season going.

Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin have agreed to a four-year deal to play their annual "Battle of the Piney Woods" football series at Reliant Stadium through 2013, organizers and school officials announced Tuesday.

Zach McCann and I compiled the following UCF football notes: After a disappointing showing against Miami on Saturday, a game against Rice is seemingly the perfect solution to get UCF's offense back on track.

Brett Hodges was 8 of 13 passing for 145 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score Saturday in Central Florida's 49-7 victory over Rice.

I wrote an article for today's Sentinel previewing UCF's game at Rice. You can read it by clicking on this link.

In the past six years, a Football Bowl Subdivision school has won 10 games one season and then finished with a sub-.500 record the next only 13 times; it has been done twice during that span by Tennessee.

I spoke a long time with David Bailiff, and I have a better understanding of what's going on.

Line: Central Florida by 10. Series Record: Tied 1-1. Last meeting: 2006, Rice 40-29. What's at Stake After losing at No.

Rice Coach David Bailiff and several players spoke with the media Monday. UCF plays at Rice Saturday afternoon in Houston.