Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Rice celebrates like it’s 1954

Owls win bowl game, notch 10th victory

Associated Press

HOUSTON – Rice took out more than 50 years of postseason frustration on Western Michigan in the Texas Bowl.

Chase Clement threw three touchdown passes, ran for a score and caught a TD pass from Jarett Dillard to lead the Owls to a 38-14 win over the Broncos at Reliant Stadium on Tuesday night.

Dillard also caught his nation-leading 20th touchdown pass of the season as the Owls (10-3) won a bowl game for the first time since the 1954 Cotton Bowl and reached 10 victories for the first time since 1949.

Clement went 30 for 44 for 307 yards and was the game’s Most Valuable Player. Dillard caught his 60th career touchdown, adding to his NCAA record, and also tied former Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams’ Conference USA record for career touchdowns.

The performance by Rice’s defense may have been just as remarkable.

The Owls were giving up 467 yards and 35 points per game, but they shut out the high-scoring Broncos for more than three quarters before Tim Hiller threw a 2-yard TD pass to Kirk Elsworth with 6:33 left in the game.

Western Michigan (9-4), ranked 24th in total offense coming in, gained only 278 yards and went 3 for 14 on third downs. Hiller, who led the Mid-American Conference in yards passing, went 19 for 42 for 198 yards with two interceptions.

The Broncos dropped to 0-4 in bowls and missed their chance for the first 10-win season.

Jamarko Simmons caught a 9-yard pass on the Broncos’ first play from scrimmage, setting a school record with his 99th reception of the season. But Juan Nunez dropped a touchdown pass behind the Rice defense and John Potter missed a 51-yard field-goal try, setting the tone for the Broncos’ night.

Western Michigan safety Louis Delmas was called for pass interference to set up Clement’s 26-yard touchdown run with 5:21 left in the first quarter. It was Clement’s 12th rushing TD of the season.

The Owls’ 102nd-ranked rush defense stuffed Brandon West on a third-and-1 from the Western 39, Clement threw a 29-yard pass to James Casey and Clark Fangmeier kicked a 30-yard field goal to put the Owls up 10-0.