2008 Rice Owls football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 2008
| team = Rice Owls
| sport=football
| image =Rice Owls logo.svg
| image_size =
| conference = Conference USA
| division = West
| short_conf = C-USA
| record = 10–3
| conf_record = 7–1
| head_coach = David Bailiff
| hc_year = 2nd
| off_coach = Tom Herman
| oc_year = 2nd
| off_scheme = Spread
| def_coach = Chuck Driesbach
| dc_year = 2nd
| codef_coach1 = Craig Naivar
| codc1_year = 2nd
| def_scheme = 4–3
| stadium = Rice Stadium
| champion = C-USA West Division co-champion
Texas Bowl champion
| bowl = Texas Bowl
| bowl_result = W 38–14 vs. Western Michigan
}}
{{2008 Conference USA football standings}}
The 2008 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Owls played six home games at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas The Owls finished the season with an overall record of 10–3 and a conference record of 7–1 in David Bailiff's second season.
Personnel
=Coaching staff=
| class="toccolours" style="text-align: left" |
| colspan="8" style="background-color: #002469; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: center;"|2008 Rice Owls coaching staff |
|---|
| valign = "top"|
| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Head coaches
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
| width = "35"| | valign = "top"| | style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Special teams
Administrative staff
|
=Roster=
Regular season
=Schedule=
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 2008
| poll = AP
| timezone = Central
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = August 29
| time = 7:00 pm
| w/l = w
| opponent = SMU
| gamename = Mayor's Cup
| site_stadium = Rice Stadium
| site_cityst = Houston, TX
| tv = ESPN
| score = 56–27
| attend = 23,164
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 6
| time = 7:00 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Memphis
| site_stadium = Liberty Bowl
| site_cityst = Memphis, TN
| tv = CBSCS
| score = 42–35
| attend = 28,351
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 13
| time = 6:05 pm
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Vanderbilt
| site_stadium = Vanderbilt Stadium
| site_cityst = Nashville, TN
| tv =
| score = 21–38
| attend = 37,370
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 20
| time = 2:30 pm
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Texas
| opprank = 7
| site_stadium = Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Austin, TX
| tv = FSN
| score = 10–52
| attend = 97,201
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 27
| time = 4:30 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = North Texas
| gamename =
| site_stadium = Rice Stadium
| site_cityst = Houston, TX
| tv = KTXA
| score = 77–20
| attend = 16,885
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 4
| time = 7:00 pm
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Tulsa
| site_stadium = Chapman Stadium
| site_cityst = Tulsa, OK
| tv = CBSCS
| score = 28–63
| attend = 24,926
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 18
| time = 2:00 pm
| w/l = w
| opponent = Southern Miss
| site_stadium = Rice Stadium
| site_cityst = Houston, TX
| tv =
| score = 45–40
| attend = 11,117
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 25
| time = 2:05 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Tulane
| site_stadium = Louisiana Superdome
| site_cityst = New Orleans, LA
| tv =
| score = 42–17
| attend = 17,841
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 1
| time = 8:05 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = UTEP
| site_stadium = Sun Bowl Stadium
| site_cityst = El Paso, TX
| tv =
| score = 49–44
| attend = 30,702
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 8
| time = 2:00 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| homecoming = y
| opponent = Army
| site_stadium = Rice Stadium
| site_cityst = Houston, TX
| tv =
| score = 38–31
| attend = 19,243
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 22
| time = 2:30 pm
| w/l = w
| opponent = Marshall
| site_stadium = Rice Stadium
| site_cityst = Houston, TX
| tv = CBSCS
| score = 35–10
| attend = 15,131
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 28
| time = 2:30 pm
| w/l = w
| opponent = Houston
| gamename = rivalry
| site_stadium = Rice Stadium
| site_cityst = Houston, TX
| tv = CBSCS
| score = 56–42
| attend = 35,534
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 30
| time = 7:05 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| neutral = y
| opponent = Western Michigan
| gamename = Texas Bowl
| site_stadium = Reliant Stadium
| site_cityst = Houston, TX
| tv = NFL Network
| score = 38–14
| attend = 58,880
}}
}}
Game summaries
=SMU=
{{Linescore Amfootball
| Road = Mustangs
|R1=13|R2=0|R3=7|R4=7
| Home = Owls
|H1=14|H2=14|H3=28|H4=0
}}
The game kicked off Rice's 97th season of football."SMU vs Rice (August 29, 2008)." [http://riceowls.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2008-2009/rice0829.html Game Summary.] Rice official athletic site. Retrieved on January 3, 2008. Rice began down 13–0, but two scores, both Chase Clement touchdown passes, within 52 seconds put the Owls up by one point to close the first quarter. Clement threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter as well, to Jarett Dillard (21 yards) and Corbin Smiter (12 yards), to take a 28–13 lead into halftime. After a Mustang touchdown pass, Rice exploded for four scores, two Clement passes, a James Casey run, and an interception returned 55 yards for a score by Andrew Sendejo. Logan Turner would throw a touchdown for SMU with 2:10 remaining in the contest.
Clement's six touchdown passes and Dillard's three receiving TDs both tied career highs in Rice's highest offensive output in a season opener in their history.
{{Clear}}
=Memphis=
{{Linescore Amfootball
| Road = Owls
|R1=3|R2=0|R3=10|R4=29
| Home = Tigers
|H1=0|H2=14|H3=7|H4=14
}}
The Owls were behind the Tigers by fifteen, 35–20, with 8:33 to play."Rice vs Memphis (September 6, 2008)." [http://riceowls.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2008-2009/rice0906.html#GAME.NEW Game Summary.] Rice official athletic site. Retrieved on January 3, 2009. The comeback began when James Casey snared a 41-yard pass from Chase Clement, setting up a 5-yard hook-up with Jarett Dillard on the ensuing play, cutting the Memphis lead to 35–27 with 6:22 remaining. Rice began their comeback. After a quick stop, the Owls were looking to score again, taking over at their own six. Clement would sprint in from the nine four plays later. Casey would haul in the two-point conversion that knotted the game at 35–35.
Memphis would drive to the Rice 38, until the third-and-one slant was intercepted by Chris Jammer, who broke a tackle and scored with eleven seconds left, giving Rice the 42–35 win.
Dillard became the all-time leader in total points and touchdowns during the game, with Clement passing Tommy Kramer on the Rice all-time passing list. James Casey set career highs with 11 receptions and 208 yards, which passed David Houser for the Owl's single-game receiving yardage record.
{{Clear}}
=Vanderbilt=
{{see also|2008 Vanderbilt Commodores football team}}
{{Linescore Amfootball
| Road = Owls
|R1=14|R2=7|R3=0|R4=0
| Home = Commodores
|H1=7|H2=14|H3=10|H4=7
}}
The Vanderbilt game marked the first time the Owls traveled to Nashville to play the Commodores, although the two programs had met three times before.
{{Clear}}
=Texas=
{{see also|2008 Texas Longhorns football team}}
{{Linescore Amfootball
| Road = Owls
|R1=3|R2=0|R3=7|R4=0
| Home = #7 Longhorns
|H1=7|H2=17|H3=14|H4=14
}}
Rice began the game with a Clark Fangmeier field goal, but it would be all Texas after that. Colt McCoy would run in a score before tossing two touchdowns to Jordan Shipley. Texas also added a field goal to their lead, making it 24–3."Rice vs Texas (September 20, 2008)." [http://riceowls.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2008-2009/rice0920.html#GAME.NEW Game Summary.] Rice official athletic site. Retrieved on January 3, 2009. The lone Owls touchdown came in the third quarter, a Clement-to-Dillard hook-up of fifteen yards. McCoy would strike again, with a 46-yard completion to Chris Ogbonnaya for a score. Back-up Longhorn signal-caller John Chiles added a rushing touchdown, as did Cody Johnson, to put the final at 52–10.
Colt McCoy of Texas threw four touchdown passes, and led the Longhorns in rushing, as Texas rolled over Rice. McCoy also took the all-time passing touchdown record at Texas. Andrew Sendejo recorded 13+ tackles for the third consecutive game. His 17 stops against the Longhorns also fell one short of a career mark. Jarett Dillard had 158 yards receiving to lead the Owls. Clement also had his second career punt downed inside the twenty.
{{Clear}}
=North Texas=
{{Linescore Amfootball
| Road = Mean Green
|R1=13|R2=7|R3=0|R4=0
| Home = Owls
|H1=21|H2=35|H3=21|H4=0
}}
Rice set a record for most points by a Rice team since 1916, when the Owls defeated SMU 146–3."Rice vs North Texas (September 27, 2008)." [http://riceowls.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2008-2009/rice0927.html Game Summary.] Rice official athletic site. Retrieved on January 3, 2009. Quarterback Chase Clement and receiver Jarett Dillard combined to set a record, becoming the most productive duo in NCAA history, eclipsing Tim Rattay and Troy Edwards at Louisiana Tech. Rice took advantage of North Texas mistakes, recovering three muffed punts, picking off three passes (two returned for touchdowns), and blocking a pair of kicks.
Rice opened the scoring with a 50-yard pass from Chase Clement to Toren Dixon. The Mean Green responded with a 71-yard drive capped with a one-yard score by Cam Montgomery, but the extra point was blocked. Clement came back with a touchdown pass to Jarett Dillard, giving the Owls a 14–6 lead. Rice would score another touchdown before the close of the first quarter, a 25-yard scamper by Clement. Cam Montgomery again scored in the first period for North Texas.
Rice's Jeramy Goodson threw a touchdown pass to Dillard, and North Texas replied with a Giovanni Vizza passing touchdown to push the score to 28–20. Chase Clement then added a rushing touchdown, followed by a Marcus Knox rushing score to give the Owls a 22-point lead. Dillard and Clement hooked up for two scores within four minutes, giving the Owls a 56–20 lead and the two players a place in history.
After halftime, Clement would hit Patrick Randolph for a six-yard touchdown, and two North Texas interceptions would be returned for touchdowns by Rice, first by Arnaud Gascon-Nadon, then by Christopher Douglas. Neither team would score in the fourth quarter, leaving the Owls a 77–20 victory. Clark Fangmeier set a school record by converting eleven extra points in the contest.
{{Clear}}
=Tulsa=
{{see also|2008 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team}}
{{Linescore Amfootball
| Road = Owls
|R1=7|R2=7|R3=7|R4=7
| Home = Golden Hurricane
|H1=7|H2=14|H3=21|H4=21
}}
{{Clear}}
=Southern Miss=
{{Linescore Amfootball
| Road = Golden Eagles
|R1=6|R2=6|R3=7|R4=21
| Home = Owls
|H1=7|H2=10|H3=14|H4=14
}}
{{Clear}}
=Tulane=
{{Linescore Amfootball
| Road = Owls
|R1=21|R2=14|R3=7|R4=0
| Home = Green Wave
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=10|H4=7
}}
{{Clear}}
=UTEP=
{{Linescore Amfootball
| Road = Owls
|R1=14|R2=14|R3=7|R4=14
| Home = Miners
|H1=17|H2=3|H3=10|H4=14
}}
{{Clear}}
=Army, Homecoming=
{{Linescore Amfootball
| Road = Black Knights
|R1=7|R2=3|R3=7|R4=14
| Home = Owls
|H1=10|H2=21|H3=7|H4=0
}}
{{Clear}}
=Marshall=
{{Linescore Amfootball
| Road = Thundering Herd
|R1=0|R2=7|R3=3|R4=0
| Home = Owls
|H1=7|H2=0|H3=14|H4=14
}}
{{Clear}}
=Houston=
{{Linescore Amfootball
| Road = Cougars
|R1=7|R2=14|R3=7|R4=14
| Home = Owls
|H1=14|H2=21|H3=14|H4=7
}}
{{Clear}}
=Western Michigan, Texas Bowl=
{{Linescore Amfootball
| Road = Broncos
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=14
| Home = Owls
|H1=10|H2=14|H3=7|H4=7
}}
{{Clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Rice Owls football navbox}}
Category:Rice Owls football seasons