College Football Countdown | No. 62: Rice

UNT15 · July 3, 2014

"Rice gets program set for sustained success"

You'd have to go back 15 years to find the last Rice defense that played with such aplomb, and another 30-plus years before that to find a defense that played with such aplomb during a winning season – because winning Rice seasons are admittedly few and far between, rarer even than the Owls' occasional defensive stinginess.

Yet it wasn't the offense that carried the Owls to the third 10-win season in program history, the second under eighth-year coach David Bailiff, in 2013. It was the defense: Rice finished fourth in Conference USA in total defense, trimming its per-game total by roughly 15%, and finished fifth in scoring, allowing one fewer touchdown per game.

Last year's defense allowed only two opponents, both from the SEC, to score more than 34 points; five opponents did so in 2012, with the Owls dropping four of five, and a combined 16 did so from 2010-12. In the Conference USA title game, Rice held high-octane Marshall to 371 yards of offense on 4.76 yards per play – the Thundering Herd's second-worst performance in each category during an otherwise explosive season.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2014/07/03/rice-owls-2014-countdown-preview-roster-depth-chart-schedule-football-four/12072583/

Harry · July 3, 2014

Nice summary. Really proud to be in a conference with the Owls. They are going to be tough to beat again this year!

Christopher Walker · July 3, 2014

I like how their loss to us was not considered the low point in their last season.

The perception of "Oh, you lost to who??" isn't there anymore.

LongJim · July 3, 2014

Nice summary. Really proud to be in a conference with the Owls.

Totally agree. They've got it together down there, and are great for the CUSA.

emmitt01 · July 3, 2014

"Rice gets program set for sustained success"

You'd have to go back 15 years to find the last Rice defense that played with such aplomb, and another 30-plus years before that to find a defense that played with such aplomb during a winning season – because winning Rice seasons are admittedly few and far between, rarer even than the Owls' occasional defensive stinginess.

Yet it wasn't the offense that carried the Owls to the third 10-win season in program history, the second under eighth-year coach David Bailiff, in 2013. It was the defense: Rice finished fourth in Conference USA in total defense, trimming its per-game total by roughly 15%, and finished fifth in scoring, allowing one fewer touchdown per game.

Last year's defense allowed only two opponents, both from the SEC, to score more than 34 points; five opponents did so in 2012, with the Owls dropping four of five, and a combined 16 did so from 2010-12. In the Conference USA title game, Rice held high-octane Marshall to 371 yards of offense on 4.76 yards per play – the Thundering Herd's second-worst performance in each category during an otherwise explosive season.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2014/07/03/rice-owls-2014-countdown-preview-roster-depth-chart-schedule-football-four/12072583/

Oh, you have a defense? That's cute...as you'll recall we play a little defense too