Demoralizing loss for Rice

Harry · September 26, 2016

"The guys are hurt right now," Rice coach David Bailiff said. "There will be a lot of soul-searching. And I have to, too. Everything in this program begins with me. I've got to look at what we're doing. Players win games, coaches lose them and this is one we darn sure should've won."

Rice's quick start didn't suggest a wild finish.

Rice (0-4, 0-1) had 157 total yards to North Texas' minus-17 and 12 first downs to the Mean Green's zero by the end of the first quarter. North Texas then went on the 28-3 run sparked by freshman quarterback Mason Fine. The Mean Green took a 21-20 lead – its first of the night - off Jeffrey Wilson's 75-yard touchdown run eight minutes into the third quarter.

Wilson was huge for North Texas with 18 carries for 157 yards and three touchdowns. Fine finished completing 17-of-29 passes for 224 yards and a score.

It's demoralizing for Rice and jumpstarts North Texas' season.

read more: http://www.chron.com/sports/rice/article/North-Texas-mounts-comeback-to-take-down-Rice-in-9281224.php

NM Green · September 26, 2016

Ridiculous comment. The better team win last night. UNT should have felt demoralized if they lost after the fight they put up to grab that lead. Rice was fortunate to be in a position to steal one last night.

Happy the good guys win!

Go Mean Green!!!!!

greenminer · September 26, 2016

17-0 Rice was demoralizing.

Glad Seth's squad responded.

UNT86 · September 26, 2016

The problem for them is that they were counting on this one as one of the 6 to get bowl eligible.

They still have UTSA, P. View, Fl Atl, Charlotte, and UTEP as probable/possible wins.

Now, they have to beat someone they are not supposed to beat.

When you are 0-4, must beat everyone you can, and must beat either S. Miss, La Tech, or Stanford.....I would find that a little demoralizing.

Army of Dad · September 26, 2016

52 minutes ago, NM Green said:

Ridiculous comment. The better team win last night. UNT should have felt demoralized if they lost after the fight they put up to grab that lead. Rice was fortunate to be in a position to steal one last night.

Happy the good guys win!

Go Mean Green!!!!!

It's coach speak mixed with some leadership. Like most coach speak it's partially true.

All About UNT · September 26, 2016

Bailiff is a great coach and has had a ROUGH opening schedule that put his team 0-3 before even seeing the likes of a young North Texas team. He is right that the squandered the lead but I also feel like Littrell is correct in assuming that our D might have been a bit antsy in the 1st quarter and our offense is fresh off of the Florida game where they couldn't get anything going. Once they fired on all cylinders you saw a performance that we haven't seen since 2013...

The rest of this schedule should be very interesting!

Matt from A700 · September 26, 2016

10 hours ago, UNT86 said:

The problem for them is that they were counting on this one as one of the 6 to get bowl eligible.

They still have UTSA, P. View, Fl Atl, Charlotte, and UTEP as probable/possible wins.

Now, they have to beat someone they are not supposed to beat.

When you are 0-4, must beat everyone you can, and must beat either S. Miss, La Tech, or Stanford.....I would find that a little demoralizing.

They've got that schedule left? Geeeez....

If we still had that schedule left, we'd be going to a bowl game this year for sure.

Cerebus · September 26, 2016

1 minute ago, Matt from A700 said:

They've got that schedule left? Geeeez....

If we still had that schedule left, we'd be going to a bowl game this year for sure.

Yes. they get Char and FAU as their cross division games, we get MTSU and Marshall... for the second year in a row.

Matt from A700 · September 26, 2016

1 minute ago, Cerebus said:

Yes. they get Char and FAU as their cross division games, we get MTSU and Marshall... for the second year in a row.

AND Western Kentucky... which I am still incredibly salty about. I'm expecting a bowl game for sure next year. I'm not sure how we would get screwed out of playing at least 2 of the 4: Charlotte, ODU, FAU, FIU in 2017.

GrandGreen · September 26, 2016

One constant thought, I had in viewing that game is how much better position NT is in compared to Rice. Rice has superior academics to sell, but next to no support.

Now with UH getting all the attention, it has got to be even worse. Now, most at least on their board; want a new coach; but I think Baliff is actually a very good coach. There always are good coaches available, but finding the right one at Rice better than Baliff will be very difficult.

Rice has great tradition, a beautiful campus, great academics and money. Rice also has very low student and alumni numbers and a big disconnect between the academic and athletic segments of the school.

I am sure Rice strives for Sanford like success in athletes, but that is just not going to happen in CUSA and moving up with their athletic support level is going to be very challenging.

Cerebus · September 26, 2016

17 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

I am sure Rice strives for Sanford like success in athletes, but that is just not going to happen in CUSA and moving up with their athletic support level is going to be very challenging.

Actually I am pretty sure they don't. They have a SEVEN BILLION DOLLAR endowment. That almost double Texas A&M's and quadruple TCU's endowment. If they wanted to throw money at athletics they could be the top G5 program. They could have positioned themselves to get into the B12 like TCU did. UH is showing that you can win big with Houston area talent.

However to do that they would need to make bigger admittance exceptions for student athletes, and spend that money on athletics. There is way too large of a contingent of leaders, students and alumni that don't want that to happen.

In my mind they are only FBS because they are in Texas. There is a big enough contingent of alumni that want football, so they placate them by running out the minimum. If they were in the Northeast they would be FCS, because those alumni don't demand FBS football.

THOR · September 26, 2016

55 minutes ago, Matt from A700 said:

They've got that schedule left? Geeeez....

If we still had that schedule left, we'd be going to a bowl game this year for sure.

i'm glad we don't have that schedule this year. let the team learn and grow under littrell and play the tough guys this year, then next year, after the boys and coaching staff have gelled, gained experience, and further understand the sytsem, LET THEM LOOSE ON THE TEAMS WE HAVE YET TO PLAY!

GrandGreen · September 26, 2016

3 hours ago, Cerebus said:

Actually I am pretty sure they don't. They have a SEVEN BILLION DOLLAR endowment. That almost double Texas A&M's and quadruple TCU's endowment. If they wanted to throw money at athletics they could be the top G5 program. They could have positioned themselves to get into the B12 like TCU did. UH is showing that you can win big with Houston area talent.

However to do that they would need to make bigger admittance exceptions for student athletes, and spend that money on athletics. There is way too large of a contingent of leaders, students and alumni that don't want that to happen.

In my mind they are only FBS because they are in Texas. There is a big enough contingent of alumni that want football, so they placate them by running out the minimum. If they were in the Northeast they would be FCS, because those alumni don't demand FBS football.

Not sure having a enormous endowment means much for athletics at Rice. I have no idea how much of those funds are unrestricted, but doubt there would be a lot of support for big withdrawals from their endowment to support a big time athletic agenda. I think you will find that Stanford's standards for athletes admittance are significantly higher than Rice.

I do agree that Rice's football program is probably still here because of a relatively small number of supporters, most from the SWC days. That number is obviously dwindling and will be very difficult to replace. That group is probably thinking Stanford, while a larger contingent of fans are thinking Ivy League type sports.

Cerebus · September 26, 2016

2 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

I have no idea how much of those funds are unrestricted, but doubt there would be a lot of support for big withdrawals from their endowment to support a big time athletic agenda.

That is exactly my point. There isn't support to fund it. If there was support to fund it, then you can say they strive for success. Since there isn't support to fund it, then they obviously aren't striving for success.