Clayton Tune and the UH offense look to have a bounce-back performance Saturday night against Rice in the Bayou Bucket Classic. | Armando Yanez/The Cougar
Looking to bounce back from its season-opening loss to Texas Tech, Houston travels across town to take on Rice in the Bayou Bucket Classic.
Follow along with our live scoring updates throughout the game:
Final: Houston 44, Rice 7
The Cougars dominated the second half and the game, led by a three-touchdown performance from McCaskill as he finished the game with 92 total yards.
Tune finished the game 22-for-30 for 236 yards and two touchdowns, with sophomore receiver Nathaniel Dell leading all receivers with 10 receptions for 87 yards.
The Cougars’ defense tallied three turnovers, holding the Owls to 212 total yards en route to their first victory of the season.
Fourth Quarter (0:00): Houston 44, Rice 7
On the last play of the game, junior cornerback Alex Hogan picked off Luke McCaffrey deep in Cougars territory and returned it 91 yards to the endzone for a pick-six.
Fourth Quarter (4:51): Houston 38, Rice 7
After a blocked punt deep in Owls’ territory, the Cougars extended their lead two plays later as senior running back Chandler Smith burst out to the right side for a 14-yard rushing touchdown.
This was the third rushing touchdown of the game for the Cougars.
Third Quarter (0:01): Houston 31, Rice 7
In the final seconds of the third quarter, the Cougars’ offense drove down the field on their second consecutive possession to finish a 10 play, 85-yard drive with a 2-yard rushing touchdown by McCaskill for his third score touchdown of the game.
Third Quarter (7:18): Houston 24, Rice 7
After a dormant second quarter for the UH offense, the Cougars drove down the field on their first possession of the second half, taking just over seven and a half minutes off the clock.
McCaskill finished off the 17 play, 75-yard drive with a 1-yard rushing touchdown for his second score of the game.
Halftime: Houston 17, Rice 7
Tune led the Cougars in the first half offensively, completing 12 of 17 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns for the Cougars.
Senior cornerback Marcus Jones, who head coach Dana Holgersen said would play a role on the Cougars’ offense in 2021, led the team in receiving with three receptions for 51 yards.
The Cougars only managed to acquire three yards of total offense in the second quarter, giving up a score just before halftime arrived.
Second Quarter (0:13): Houston 17, Rice 7
A near scoreless second quarter came to end as Rice quarterback Luke McCaffrey led the Owls on an 11 play, 81-yard drive capped off with a 5-yard touchdown pass to running back Jordan Myers.
First Quarter (2:19): Houston 17, Rice 0
After an interception by sophomore safety Hasaan Hypolite set the Cougars up in Owls’ territory, UH marched down the field with ease.
Tune found senior wide receiver Jake Herslow in the corner of the endzone for an 11-yard touchdown pass.
First Quarter (5:37): Houston 10, Rice 0
Following Rice’s second consecutive three-and-out, the Cougars drove down deep into the Owls’ territory before the drive stalled out, resulting in a 38-yard field goal by senior kicker Dalton Witherspoon.
First Quarter (10:08): Houston 7, Rice 0
UH started the game driving straight down the field, putting together an eight-play, 84-yard drive capped off when junior quarterback Clayton Tune found freshman running back Alton McCaskill for a 35-yard touchdown pass.
This was McCaskill’s first career collegiate touchdown.
