The Cougar football team’s dream of making its second trip to the Conference USA Championship game in three years was dashed as the Rice Owls defeated Houston 56-42 before 35,534 at Rice Stadium on Saturday.
Houston entered the game in a three-way tie with Rice and Tulsa for first place in C-USA West. The Cougars (7-5, 6-2 C-USA) would have clinched a berth to the championship game with a victory over the Owls (9-3, 7-1 C-USA).
Tulsa beat Marshall 38-35 in Huntington, W.V. to earn their second consecutive trip to the C-USA title game on Dec. 6.
The Owls entered halftime with a 35-21 lead after two receiving touchdowns and one rushing touchdown from sophomore tight end James Casey.
Casey finished with 182 all-purpose yards, caught three touchdown passes and added another on the ground. Rice senior quarterback Chase Clement had 381 yards and five touchdowns on 28-of-41 passing against the Cougars.
Keenum (494 yards on 30-of-54 passing) was intercepted by Rice senior linebacker Brian Raines with 13:02 left in the first half to give the Owls the ball on Houston’s 11-yard line, setting up an easy Owl scoring drive to put Rice up by two touchdowns with 11:56 left in the half.
The Owls extended their lead to 35-14 with 5:26 to go before halftime, but Houston closed the gap to 14 when Keenum found sophomore wide receiver Kierrie Johnson from 3 yards out with 1:06 left in the half. Johnson led the Cougars with 142 yards and a touchdown on six catches.
The Owls continued their onslaught in the second half, outscoring Houston 14-7 in the third quarter and taking their biggest lead of the game when Casey found junior tight end Taylor Wardlow from three yards to put the score at 56-28 early in the fourth quarter.
Keenum found redshirt freshman wide receiver Tyron Carrier and sophomore wide receiver L.J Castile (5 catches for 144 yard and 3 TDs) in the fourth quarter for two scores, but it wasn’t enough for Houston to complete the comeback as the Owls reclaimed the Bayou Bucket for the first time in four years.
