Rice

[Bulldog Tom]

This week’s games of note.

Rice @ Tech +3.0
UAB @ Western Kentucky -2.5
FIU @ Charlotte -14.5
North Texas @ UTSA -10.0
FAU @ UTEP +4.0

BYU @ Liberty +7.0
San Jose State @ New Mexico State +21.5

Troy @ South Alabama -3.0
Syracuse @ Clemson -13.5
Vanderbilt @ Missouri -14.0

ULM @ Army -7.0
Ole Miss @ LSU -1.5
Memphis @ Tulane -7.0
Arkansas State @ ULL -6.5

Tech has the worst rushing defense in the country allowing 263 yards per game. Fortunately, Rice is not great at running the ball at 127 yards per game, good for 98^th nationally. Ari Broussard (85 for 233, 9 td’s) leads in yards. Cameron Montgomery (27 for 211 7.81) leads in yards per attempt.

Their QB is TJ McMahon. He is 106 for 180, 59.15%, 1350 yards, 10 td’s, 10 picks.

Luke McCaffrey is no longer a running QB, he is now their number 1 WR. 33 catches for 384 yards, 3 td’s. He still gets some rushes, 5 times for 49 yards this season. Bradley Rozner is their big play guy. 19 receptions for 447 yards, 23.53 ypc, 4 td’s.

Rice’s defense is solid.

Total defense 346.3 (35)
Scoring defense 28.67 (80)
Pass yards allowed/game 191.3 (22)
Rush yards allowed/game 155.0 (81)

We are only three-point underdogs. Rice does not have a very good offense. This is a winnable game, if we can crack the defense.

[dawg80]

Rice will jump from 98th nationally in rushing into the top 50 after this weekend. They will then fade back after they face real teams again.

The ONLY thing Coach Crumble has going for him is he is currently 2-0 playing at home vs. teams from Texas. Will he make it 3-0? Miracles have been known to happen, so maybe.

[Bone_afide_Dawg]

In one way or another every team Tech plays seems to establish some sort of new record best performance ever. Or maybe it’s more that Tech establishes some new record worst performance ever. I guess we’ll see which it’ll be for Rice and Tech this weekend. I’m not picking or predicting… just hoping Tech plays well enough to win and maybe get better for the rest of the season.

[Bulldog Tom]

Rice will jump from 98th nationally in rushing into the top 50 after this weekend. They will then fade back after they face real teams again.

The ONLY thing Coach Crumble has going for him is he is currently 2-0 playing at home vs. teams from Texas. Will he make it 3-0? Miracles have been known to happen, so maybe.

dawg80 I hope you are wrong about the first paragraph and right about the second. I have a good feeling about this game. My biggest concerns are Luke McCaffrey and/or Cameron Montgomery having big games. I feel if they can get McCaffrey the ball in rushing type situations (maybe wildcat, if they have that) or balls in the flat his athleticism would be hard to contain.

[dawg80]

I see that Tech is completely out of ALL bowl projections. The only CUSA team to be...even though surely FIU can't be far behind. There are 16 services that make bowl projections and not even one of them has Tech listed as a possibility. Of course, 2-10 teams don't usually get invited to a bowl.

We are 0-4 in road games, with the closest being the 20-point loss to UNT. Four humiliating blowouts. This is the worst Tech team at least since the dismal mid-80's team that struggled to a 3-8 finish. But that team would beat this one. This is probably the worst Tech team in "my lifetime" i.e. of my following Tech football which dates back to the early 1970's.

Of course, in such matters, I HOPE I am wrong and all of sudden a decent team shows up. Hope springs eternal!

[SicemDawgz]

I see that Tech is completely out of ALL bowl projections. The only CUSA team to be...even though surely FIU can't be far behind. There are 16 services that make bowl projections and not even one of them has Tech listed as a possibility. Of course, 2-10 teams don't usually get invited to a bowl.

We are 0-4 in road games, with the closest being the 20-point loss to UNT. Four humiliating blowouts. This is the worst Tech team at least since the dismal mid-80's team that struggled to a 3-8 finish. But that team would beat this one. This is probably the worst Tech team in "my lifetime" i.e. of my following Tech football which dates back to the early 1970's.

Of course, in such matters, I HOPE I am wrong and all of sudden a decent team shows up. Hope springs eternal!

We’re probably a little better than the 2006 team. Remember watching us have to come from behind at home to beat Nichols State. The ran a triple option, and three plays in a row they faked a FB dive, faked the pitch to the RB, then threw a bomb to the FB who was now 10 yards behind the nearest safety. All three plays TDs. That was a terrible team.

[FriscoDawg]

Tech is not only last in FBS (#131) in rushing yards allowed per game (263.0), but it is also last in FBS in rushing yards allowed per play (6.41). That's despite being 50th in total rushing plays against at 246 in 6 games (41 per game).

[inudesu]

I have theory, and I'm not totally sure how accurate it is, but I think to beat Rice we need to get a lead early and make it a shootout if we can. We don't have the depth to win a shoot-out with another team that wants one (and has the talent on offense to do it), but against UTEP (trying to be Kansas State light) and hopefully Rice (trying to be Stanford light) it just might work. Neither team is really set up to score a lot or quickly (or wants to).
We probably can't try to do to Rice what UAB or FAU tried to do to them. But if we get a special teams or defensive score early and some early big-plays on offense (and score touchdowns instead of field goals) we may be able to make it an Air Raid game and get them out of what they'd prefer to do. Obviously if you can just run the ball for 6 and half yards a carry this won't factor. But Rice is a team that we want to be throwing the ball.

[champion110]

I have theory, and I'm not totally sure how accurate it is, but I think to beat Rice we need to get a lead early and make it a shootout if we can. We don't have the depth to win a shoot-out with another team that wants one (and has the talent on offense to do it), but against UTEP (trying to be Kansas State light) and hopefully Rice (trying to be Stanford light) it just might work. Neither team is really set up to score a lot or quickly (or wants to).
We probably can't try to do to Rice what UAB or FAU tried to do to them. But if we get a special teams or defensive score early and some early big-plays on offense (and score touchdowns instead of field goals) we may be able to make it an Air Raid game and get them out of what they'd prefer to do. Obviously if you can just run the ball for 6 and half yards a carry this won't factor. But Rice is a team that we want to be throwing the ball.

I agree! For it to work, though, we have to get about a 3 TD lead by the middle of the 3rd. That will force them into making mistakes trying to catch up. If it is close in the 3rd, it will be difficult. Early big lead will help a LOT!

[RUBLUE]

It was after 1:30 Eastern time before I bothered to look for a game time or opponent. It depressed me when I realized that. I used to plan my Saturdays around this team.

[dawg80]

Griffin Hebert?

[sportdawg]

Griffin Hebert?

Injured

[inudesu]

Sometimes I hate football.

[Bulldog Tom]

My biggest concerns are Luke McCaffrey and/or Cameron Montgomery having big games. I feel if they can get McCaffrey the ball in rushing type situations (maybe wildcat, if they have that) or balls in the flat his athleticism would be hard to contain.

Career day. 10 receptions, 171 yards, 2 touchdowns. 3 carries, 31 yards, 1 touchdown (td coming from the wildcat formation). Coach Crummy just can't see it coming. Even though it is very easy to predict.

[Dixonfor6]

Career day. 10 receptions, 171 yards, 2 touchdowns. 3 carries, 31 yards, 1 touchdown (td coming from the wildcat formation). Coach Crummy just can't see it coming. Even though it is very easy to predict.

Let me guess, you’re a Holtz guy?