Rice Owls NCAA Football News

Jeff Karam got a taste of where his Bethlehem Catholic wrestling squad is in the early stages of the season.

With a burst of sub-zero temperatures, it sure is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, eh? Let's look at a few pre-holiday stocking stuffers from the very busy sports landscape ... n n n If any sport in America relies on tradition, along with pomp and circumstance, it's college football .

My choice has nothing to do with what Refugio has on its roster. The Bobcats are a very talented group with some exceptional football players.

Rice running back Charles Ross, tight end Vance McDonald and defensive back Kevin Gaddis were named to the Conference USA all-freshman team that was selected by the league's coaches.

McCoy also has been named the AT&T All-America Player of the Week and joins Chris Hall and sophomore Earl Thomas as selections to the American Football Coaches Association All-America team.

Stephen Laporte's championship season feels a bit like his last one. The St. Mark grad was the leading tackler in the Vanier Cup, with eight total stops and a sack in the Queen's Golden Gaels' comeback 33-31 win over the Calgary Dinos last Saturday in Ste-Foy, Que.

Officially, the season is over for Rice , and the shock of allowing the third-most points in school history probably won't subside for weeks, maybe months.

Case Keenum and Houston appeared to hit a major bump in their road to the Conference USA title game, but another superb passing performance coupled with a fortuitous loss by a rival put them back in control of the West Division.

The Cougars had only one option on Saturday night. To advance to the C-USA title game, the Cougars had to defeat Rice.

Rice's Tyler Smith, right, finds it impossible to get past Houston's Brandon Brinkley in Saturday's 73-14 rout by UH.

In the last five games, junior defensive end Cheta Ozougwu recorded 33 of his tackles and 8.5 of his tackles for losses.

David Bailiff and Kevin Sumlin reside in the same neighborhood and talk at least once a week.

Rice coach David Bailiff says he's bringing a confident bunch to Robertson Stadium for Saturday's Bayou Bucket game against Houston Share Share The Houston Cougars average nearly 575 yards and a little more than 42 points per game, all of which supports the notion that the nation's most prolific offense resides at the other end of Main Street.

Last meeting: 2008, Rice 56-42. What's At Stake At 5-2 in Conference USA play Houston needs a victory to win the West division and qualify for the championship game.

The UCF football team did something last Saturday it hadna t done in 22 tries; beat a ranked team.

Houston Cougars quarterback Case Keenum is on the Conference USA Player of the Week roll call for the sixth time this season.

UTEP coach Mike Price has been busy on the phones and on the computer this week, contacting everyone of importance in a quest to get Donald Buckram some postseason recognition.

Charles Ross rushed for three touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter, and Rice took advantage of six turnovers in a 30-29 come-from-behind victory over Texas-El Paso on Saturday.

Rice linebacker Justin Hill blocks Tulane kicker Ross Thevenot's punt in the third quarter Nov.

The "College Gameday" crew won't be parked outside of Rice Stadium today. The Owls are 1-9, UTEP is 3-7 and on the national landscape, this game doesn't rate.