Moving on from the great debacle of El Paso.

USM is 6-3, with their 3 losses coming against Miss State (34-16), Marshall (31-10) and Nebraska (36-28). Sagarin ranks them a mediocre 92, when compared to our 124.

USM is by no means good, however they have efficiently taken care of business against the rest of C-USA.

Not confident in our chances. Really hoping we show up, especially at our homecoming.

So Miss is #15 in passing offense and #13 in total offense in FBS. Relatively balanced attack. Offense is ranked ahead of La Tech and barely behind WKU. Props to Monken for turning that thing around.

For Owls, given weak pressure on QB (115 out of 128) in sacks and second to last (127 if 128) in all of FBS in yards/pass completion, could be lots of points scored by So. Miss.

And as a side, their Pass D is better than any other opponent we have played this year.

Another C-USA blow-out is real possibility. A W would be the first in awhile against a decent opponent. Could be ugly though. Big game for DB's future and direction of the program.

Tough one for the pitchfork crowd on other threads. Pitchforks always want Rice to win but another blow-out L at HRS could be what some want to make the tough decisions for longer-term health of program. Personally, I might be in the minority but would rather see a W and some mojo for back-end of season.

Speaking for, I'm sure, the vast majority of the pitchfork crowd, I'm making a long drive to root for an Owl victory. I don't know if we'll win or lose, but I do know that we'll have maybe 5 thousand fans show up to a homecoming game, we'll have about 50 students and 30 Mob members, the TV cameras will show over 20,000 east-side empty seats, and our play calling will be vanilla and predictable, almost to the point of looking scared. We've got to get some new blood to get some life back into this program.

My guess is that Bailiff will be evaluated on his full tenure at Rice. No game so far this year has provided any evidence that the team is on the right track. I don't think three (or even four) strong performances in a row would change the overall evaluation.

Rice is a 7.5 point underdog to USM. I believe that a Rice win would be their biggest point spread upset since at least Marshall in the conference championship game. I don't expect to see the upset, but I hope that I do.

I have not seen anyone else mention this, but Southern Miss is coming off a bye week. Also, they only have 2 common opponents with Rice so far - North Texas & UTEP. Rice played both on the road and Southern Miss played both at home. But the results are pretty different.

Rice 38, NT 24 (Rice +14)
SoMiss 49, NT 14 (SoMiss +35)
Difference - SoMiss +21 over Rice's result

Rice 21, UTEP 24 (Rice -3)
SoMiss 34, UTEP 13 (SoMiss +21)
Difference - SoMiss +24 over Rice's result

So Southern Miss has perfomed 3+ TD's better against common opponents. And yeah, Southern Miss has a really good passing attack, meaning I fully expect Rice to be screwed. I can't remember the last time I predicted a Rice loss in a weekly prediction thread. Hopefully no one starts one of those threads, as I would predict a loss for this game. Pains me to admit it.

(11-10-2015 01:56 PM)mrbig Wrote:  I have not seen anyone else mention this, but Southern Miss is coming off a bye week. Also, they only have 2 common opponents with Rice so far - North Texas & UTEP. Rice played both on the road and Southern Miss played both at home. But the results are pretty different.

Rice 38, NT 24 (Rice +14)
SoMiss 49, NT 14 (SoMiss +35)
Difference - SoMiss +21 over Rice's result

Rice 21, UTEP 24 (Rice -3)
SoMiss 34, UTEP 13 (SoMiss +21)
Difference - SoMiss +24 over Rice's result

So Southern Miss has perfomed 3+ TD's better against common opponents. And yeah, Southern Miss has a really good passing attack, meaning I fully expect Rice to be screwed. I can't remember the last time I predicted a Rice loss in a weekly prediction thread. Hopefully no one starts one of those threads, as I would predict a loss for this game. Pains me to admit it.

Uh oh...those numbers are NOT good. Especially with them having a strong passing offense.

(11-10-2015 03:40 PM)RiceOwl53 Wrote:  

(11-10-2015 01:56 PM)mrbig Wrote:  I have not seen anyone else mention this, but Southern Miss is coming off a bye week. Also, they only have 2 common opponents with Rice so far - North Texas & UTEP. Rice played both on the road and Southern Miss played both at home. But the results are pretty different.

Rice 38, NT 24 (Rice +14)
SoMiss 49, NT 14 (SoMiss +35)
Difference - SoMiss +21 over Rice's result

Rice 21, UTEP 24 (Rice -3)
SoMiss 34, UTEP 13 (SoMiss +21)
Difference - SoMiss +24 over Rice's result

So Southern Miss has perfomed 3+ TD's better against common opponents. And yeah, Southern Miss has a really good passing attack, meaning I fully expect Rice to be screwed. I can't remember the last time I predicted a Rice loss in a weekly prediction thread. Hopefully no one starts one of those threads, as I would predict a loss for this game. Pains me to admit it.

Uh oh...those numbers are NOT good. Especially with them having a strong passing offense.

Maybe it will force us to change up the pass D. Hopefully Ibe is out (not glad he's injured, just want someone else -ANYONE ELSE- to get a shot). We have to do something different schematically, we are just awful on pass D. And open up the offensive playbook. We basically need to score on every possession to even have a slight chance of winning.

(11-10-2015 04:55 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  Maybe it will force us to change up the pass D.

(11-10-2015 05:02 PM)Bailiff_Lingo_Bingo Wrote:  

(11-10-2015 04:55 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  Maybe it will force us to change up the pass D.

That's slated for year 10

Prediction.
Southern Miss 38
Rice 24

Pray the rain comes in early!!!!

(11-09-2015 08:11 PM)Antarius Wrote:  Moving on from the great debacle of El Paso.

USM is 6-3, with their 3 losses coming against Miss State (34-16), Marshall (31-10) and Nebraska (36-28). Sagarin ranks them a mediocre 92, when compared to our 124.

USM is by no means good, however they have efficiently taken care of business against the rest of C-USA.

Not confident in our chances. Really hoping we show up, especially at our homecoming.

This game can get ugly if we don't come in with a different game plan than what we have shown the last month.

1)Southern Miss with two weeks to prepare
2)They need the win to set up a divisional title match against La Tech
3) They have a good passing game and a solid running game
4) Will be very physical with us, will look to get us out of our game. They know we lack discipline on defense, cannot win throwing, our running game has disappeared and our OC (Edmondson) is predictable. He coached at Southern Miss so they have some history on him.
Southern Miss 45 Rice 28
No rain in the forecast!!!

(11-10-2015 11:10 PM)UTOWL94 Wrote:  

(11-09-2015 08:11 PM)Antarius Wrote:  Moving on from the great debacle of El Paso.

USM is 6-3, with their 3 losses coming against Miss State (34-16), Marshall (31-10) and Nebraska (36-28). Sagarin ranks them a mediocre 92, when compared to our 124.

USM is by no means good, however they have efficiently taken care of business against the rest of C-USA.

Not confident in our chances. Really hoping we show up, especially at our homecoming.

This game can get ugly if we don't come in with a different game plan than what we have shown the last month.

1)Southern Miss with two weeks to prepare
2)They need the win to set up a divisional title match against La Tech
3) They have a good passing game and a solid running game
4) Will be very physical with us, will look to get us out of our game. They know we lack discipline on defense, cannot win throwing, our running game has disappeared and our OC (Edmondson) is predictable. He coached at Southern Miss so they have some history on him.
Southern Miss 45 Rice 28
No rain in the forecast!!!

Southern Miss just needs to beat either ODU or Rice to set up division championship with La Tech, so our game isn't a must win for them.

(11-10-2015 11:56 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(11-10-2015 11:10 PM)UTOWL94 Wrote:  

(11-09-2015 08:11 PM)Antarius Wrote:  Moving on from the great debacle of El Paso.

USM is 6-3, with their 3 losses coming against Miss State (34-16), Marshall (31-10) and Nebraska (36-28). Sagarin ranks them a mediocre 92, when compared to our 124.

USM is by no means good, however they have efficiently taken care of business against the rest of C-USA.

Not confident in our chances. Really hoping we show up, especially at our homecoming.

This game can get ugly if we don't come in with a different game plan than what we have shown the last month.

1)Southern Miss with two weeks to prepare
2)They need the win to set up a divisional title match against La Tech
3) They have a good passing game and a solid running game
4) Will be very physical with us, will look to get us out of our game. They know we lack discipline on defense, cannot win throwing, our running game has disappeared and our OC (Edmondson) is predictable. He coached at Southern Miss so they have some history on him.
Southern Miss 45 Rice 28
No rain in the forecast!!!

Southern Miss just needs to beat either ODU or Rice to set up division championship with La Tech, so our game isn't a must win for them.

Which totally reinforces what I've been saying all along: Rice 41 USM 20.

Rice hasn't lost consecutive home games since 2012
Rice hasn't lost to USM since 2011
Rice hasn't lost a home game in November since 2007
Rice hasn't lost on Homecoming since 2004

Owls win.

I have to admit, I was really disappointed with how we played in El Paso. And our trajectory this season has been downward. USM is playing much better than us, at the present time.
Home game or not, we are underdogs and deserve it.
I'd love to see the team come out with fire and really dominate.
Sadly, I don't see that happening.
USM 38 Rice 17

(11-11-2015 09:32 AM)That Guy 2012 Wrote:  Rice hasn't lost consecutive home games since 2012
Rice hasn't lost to USM since 2011
Rice hasn't lost a home game in November since 2007
Rice hasn't lost on Homecoming since 2004

Owls win.

If that last one is true, them I am getting old way too fast. It seems to me that we lost several homecoming games in a row until "just recently".

(11-10-2015 10:23 PM)jhruzek Wrote:  Pray the rain comes in early!!!!

It's funny that our biggest weapon has become the rain. Perhaps the MOB can do a rendition of "purple rain"

(11-11-2015 11:10 AM)temchugh Wrote:  

(11-11-2015 09:32 AM)That Guy 2012 Wrote:  Rice hasn't lost consecutive home games since 2012
Rice hasn't lost to USM since 2011
Rice hasn't lost a home game in November since 2007
Rice hasn't lost on Homecoming since 2004

Owls win.

If that last one is true, them I am getting old way too fast. It seems to me that we lost several homecoming games in a row until "just recently".

I knew that it hasn't happened at least since I matriculated in '08, which is why I looked it up.

11/08/14 Rice 17 UTSA 7
11/16/13 Rice 52 La Tech 14
10/13/12 Rice 34 UTSA 14
11/05/11 Rice 41 UTEP 37
10/16/10 Rice 34 Houston 31
11/14/09 Rice 28 Tulane 20
11/08/08 Rice 38 Army 31
11/03/07 Rice 56 UTEP 48
11/18/06 Rice 18 ECU 17
11/12/05 Rice 42 Tulane 34

11/06/04 Rice 21 Fresno St 52

So that is 10 straight, even through some very lean years.

Impressive