HOUSTON, Texas -- Trailing by as many as nine points in the third quarter, Rice escaped with a 31-28 victory over Prairie View A&M at Rice Stadium on Saturday night. The Owls survived thanks to 23-yard field goal by Jack Fox as time expired."For us," Rice coach Mike Bloomgren said with a heavy sigh, "good to get a W."
Rice, which generated just 16.3 points per game last year, unveiled a new offense Saturday that was automatic through its first four drives.
Austin Walter darted up the middle for a 10-yard touchdown run on the Owl's opening drive. Emmanuel Esukpa scored from 15 yards out on the following series and, although they failed on the two-point conversion, they'd net field goals on back-to-back drives — first by Fox, then by Haden Tobola.
But just as Rice appeared to take control, the Panthers clawed back, ripping through the Owls' secondary along the way.
Between the Owls' first two field goals, Prairie View quarterback Jalen Morton found teammate Zarrian Holcomb fading toward the back pylon for six points. Following Tobola's 36-yard field goal, Morton used his feet to help push the Panthers' offense up the field to where he connected with Jose Medrano on a play-action rollout pass for a 2-yard touchdown.
With mere seconds before half time, the Panthers pounced again.
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