HOUSTON, Texas —
FINAL:
TEXAS 48, RICE 13
Texas needed to bounce back from the LSU loss, and the Longhorns did just that.
Against a much inferior opponent, Texas dominated on all sides of the ball. Sam Ehlinger was clinical, only playing three quarters and completing 23 of his 27 passes for 279 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. When Ehlinger left the game, the score was 38-0. Texas held Rice scoreless for most of the game -- giving up its first points with 7:50 left in the fourth quarter -- and even scored a special teams touchdown. D'Shawn Jamison returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
If there was any way to respond to a disappointing loss, that was it.
Texas will face Oklahoma State on Saturday Sept. 21 at 6:30 on KVUE.
4TH Q:
TEXAS 48, RICE 13
RICE (Own 25):
Charlie Booker rushed for two plays on the final drive for gains of two and 14 yards. This ended the game and Texas wins 48-13.
TEXAS (N/A):
D'Shawn Jamison returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.
RICE (Own 25):
Tom Stewart's pass intended for Austin Trammell fell incomplete. Aston Walter gained nine yards on a run to the left sideline. On third and one, Walter picked up the first down with a gain of eight yards. Stewart's pass intended for Trammell fell incomplete. Stewart's pass intended for Trammell gained 13 yards. Stewart connected on a deep shot to Brad Rozner for a gain of 41 yards to the Texas four-yard line. Stewart took a shot at the corner, but his pass fell incomplete. Stewart recorded his second touchdown pass of the game to Walter with 1:07 left in the game. Texas leads 41-13.
TEXAS (Own 22):
Daniel Young gained two yards on a run up the middle. Casey Thompson completed a pass to Young for eight yards. Thompson continued his rhythm with a 37-yard pass completion to Kennedy Lewis. Texas was pushed back five yards after a false start. Thompson completed a screen pass to Jake Smith for a gain of three yards. Thompson ran for no gain. On third down, Texas was penalized for a false start again. On third and 17, Thompson's pass into the end zone intended for Marcus Washington fell incomplete. Cameron Dicker connected on the 46-yard field goal to give Texas a 41-6 lead with 3:29 left in the game.
RICE (Own 27):
Stewart's first down pass was incomplete. Booker picked up nine yards on the ground on second down. On third and one, Aston Walter picked up the first down by leaping over the pile of lineman. Stewart took a shot deep for August Pitre III, but he overthrew him. On second down, the Longhorns brought the blitz and sacked Stewart for a loss of eight yards. On third and 18, Stewart completed a screen pass to Austin Trammell. A facemask penalty tacked on 15 more yards to the end of the catch and run. Rice moved up to the Texas 45-yard line. Stewart completed another pass to Trammell -- this time for 10 yards. Stewart completed a pass to Pitre III for a gain of 22 yards. Walter picked up one yard to push the Owl offense to the Texas 12-yard line. Walter gained six more yards to cut the down and distance in half. On third and three from the Texas six-yard line, Walter picked up the first down. On first and goal, Stewart connected with Walter for a three-yard touchdown pass. Rice's kicker missed the extra point. Texas leads 38-6 with 7:50 left in the game.
TEXAS (con't):
Casey Thompson was sacked for a loss of eight yards. Texas punted the ball to the Rice 27-yard line.
3RD Q:
TEXAS 38, RICE 0
TEXAS (Own 9):
Casey Thompson entered the game for Sam Ehlinger. Ehlinger ended his day on 23-for-27 passing, 279 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions.
Roschon Johnson started the drive with a loss of one yard. Thompson's first pass was completed to Jordan Pouncey for eight yards. Thompson called his own number on a quarterback keeper for three yards and a first down. Roschon Johnson picked up seven yards on the rush up the middle. Johnson moved the chains again with a zone read carry for six yards. Thompson's pass over the middle intended for Al'Vonte Woodard fell incomplete. Thompson completed a slant route to Marcus Washington for a gain of three yards. This ended the third quarter. Texas leads 38-0.
RICE (Own 25):
Charlie Booker began the drive with a two-yard run. Booker recorded his second carry of the game, losing one yard in the process. On third and nine, Stewart completed a pass over the middle to Austin Trammell for 45 yards to the Texas 29-yard line. Stewart's pass intended for August Pitre III fell incomplete. Booker took a sweep to the right for no gain. On third and 10, Stewart was sacked for a loss of nine yards. Rice punted the ball to the Texas nine-yard line.
TEXAS (Own 9):
Sam Ehlinger opened up the second half with a screen pass to Devin Duvernay for a gain of 10 yards. Keaontay Ingram started his second half with a four-yard run up the middle. Ehlinger connected with Duvernay again -- a gain of 17 yards over the middle of the secondary. Ingram gained three yards on a zone read rush up the middle. Ehlinger evaded the rush and delivered a strike downfield to John Burt for a gain of 18 yards. Rice used its first timeout of the second half. Roschon Johnson gained six yards on the carry up the middle. Johnson's next rush was stopped for a loss of one yard. On third and four from the Rice 33-yard line, Johnson picked up the first down after gaining 11 yards. Ehlinger's pass intended for Burt on the right sideline fell incomplete. Ehlinger completed a quick stop route to Malcolm Epps for eight yards. Ingram capped off the drive with an 18-yard touchdown run -- his second touchdown of the game. Texas leads 38-0.
RICE (Own 25):
Tom Stewart started the second half with a five-yard scramble. Aston Walter ran the ball out of bounds after gaining three yards. On third and two, Stewart connected with Austin Trammell for a 10-yard completion and a first down. Walter rushed up the middle in the I-formation for a gain of three yards. Walter picked up three more yards to bring the Owls to midfield. On third and four, Stewart was hit during his throwing motion and the call on the field was a fumble recovered by Texas returned for a touchdown. The play was then reviewed by the booth. After review, the call on the field was reversed to an incomplete pass and Rice punted the ball on fourth down to the Texas nine-yard line.
HALFTIME:
Texas came ready to play and put points on the board in bunches during the first half. Sam Ehlinger continued his hot streak from the second half of the LSU game into the start of this game, going 19-22 for 226 yards and three touchdowns. He has the same number of touchdowns as incompletions. If that doesn't tell the type of game this has been for the Longhorns, what will?
INJURY UPDATE: Texas senior captain and center Zach Shackelford is out for the remainder of the game due to a foot injury he suffered in the second quarter.
STATS:
Texas:
Sam Ehlinger: 19-22, 226 yards, three touchdowns, 217.7 passer rating
Keaontay Ingram: 10 rushes, 53 yards, one touchdown
Jake Smith: five catches, 72 yards, two touchdowns
Rice:
Tom Stewart: 3-7, 21 yards, 0 touchdowns, 68.1 passer rating
Aston Walter: 7 rushes, 31 yards, zero touchdowns
Austin Trammell: one catch, nine yards, zero touchdowns
2ND Q:
TEXAS 31, RICE 0
TEXAS (Own 8):
Daniel Young ran the ball for three yards. This ended the first half. Texas leads 31-0.
RICE (Own 25):
Tom Stewart started the drive with a one-yard run up the middle. A personal foul added 15 more yards onto the end of the run. Stewart completed a four yard pass and then back-to-back incompletions ended the drive for the Owls. Rice punted the ball to the Texas eight-yard line.
TEXAS (Rice 41):
Sam Ehlinger could not find a receiver downfield and ran out of bounds for no gain. Ehlinger tried to drop one in the bucket to Roschon Johnson, but the pass was a tad overthrown. Ingram picked up two yards on a run up the middle. Texas set up for a 57-yard field goal and Rice took its second timeout of the half. Cameron Dicker nailed the 57-yard field goal. Texas leads 31-0 with 1:01 left in the first half.
RICE (Own 11):
Aston Walter carried the ball up the middle for a gain of two yards. Texas took its first timeout with 2:12 to go before halftime. A false start backed up the Rice offense to its own eight-yard line. Walter gained no yards on a run up the middle again. Texas took its second timeout of the half with 2:07 left before halftime. On third and 15, Stewart completed an out route to Austin Trammell for a gain of nine yards. Texas took its final timeout with 2:00 left in the first half. Rice punted the ball to the 41-yard line.
TEXAS (Own 35):
Daniel Young recorded his first carry of the game for a gain of 13 yards. On Young's second rush, he was stopped for a loss of two yards. Sam Ehlinger completed a swing pass to Roschon Johnson for a gain of one yard. On third and 11, Ehlinger completed a pass to Young in the flat for a loss of one yard. Rice called its first timeout of the first half. Texas punted the ball to the Rice 11-yard line.
RICE (Own 20):
Tom Stewart was sacked for a loss of two yards on first down. Walter gained seven yards on a run up the middle. On third and five, Stewart gained one yard on a quarterback scramble up the middle. Rice punted the ball to the Texas 35-yard line.
TEXAS (Own 21):
Sam Ehlinger completed a bubble screen to Jake Smith for a gain of one yard. Ehlinger screen pass to Smith in the other direction gained one yard, again. On third and eight, Ehlinger scrambled up the middle for a gain of 14 yards and a first down. Ingram gained three yards on a run up the middle. Ehlinger completed a screen pass to Smith for a gain of five yards to the 45-yard line. Ingram picked up a first down passed midfield on a 15-yard run. Ehlinger connected to Brennan Eagles for a gain of 28 yards to the Rice 12-yard line.
Ehlinger completed the drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Smith. Texas leads 28-0 with 6:33 left in the second quarter.
RICE (Own 25):
Nahshon Ellerbe took a sweep to the left for no gain. Ellerbe was dropped for a loss of one yard on the next play. On third and 11, Stewart completed a swing pass to Cameron Montgomery for a gain of eight yards. Rice punted the ball to the Texas 21-yard line.
TEXAS (con't):
Sam Ehlinger opened the second quarter with a three-yard run. Roschon Johnson picked up a new set of downs after a 10-yard run. Ehlinger completed a swing pass to Johnson for a gain of four yards. Ingram set up the Longhorns with a short third down situation after a one-yard run. On third and three, Ehlinger's pass for Devin Duvernay fell incomplete. Ehlinger rushed the offense to the line to go for it on fourth down, and Ingram took a zone read up the right sideline for a 26-yard touchdown. Texas leads 21-0 with 12:11 left in the second quarter.
1ST Q:
TEXAS 14, RICE 0
TEXAS (Own 27):
Roschon Johnson opened the drive with a 13-yard run. Johnson's next carry resulted in a loss of four yards. Sam Ehlinger completed a short drag route to Devin Duvernay, which Duvernay turned into a nine yard gain. On third and five, Ehlinger completed a pass to Duvernay for another nine yard gain. This play ended the first quarter. Texas leads 14-0.
RICE (Own 25):
Aston Walter took a pitch play to the left for a gain of three yards. Walter's next rush gained five yards to bring up third and short. On third and three, Stewart's pass was almost intercepted, but fell incomplete. Rice punted the ball to the Texas 27-yard line.
TEXAS (Own 10):
Keaontay Ingram opened Texas' second drive with a short gain of three yards. After scanning the defense, Sam Ehlinger tucked the ball to pick up 10 yards and a first down. Ehlinger completed a slant to Malcolm Epps, which went for a big gain, but was negated by an ineligible man donwfield penalty. Ehlinger looked Epps way again on the next play, but the pass was well defended and fell incomplete. Ehlinger connected with Epps on third down for 18 yards and a first down conversion. Roschon Johnson gained seven yards on a run up the middle. Johnson carried the ball again for a gain of four yards and a first down near midfield. Ehlinger took the top off of the defense on the next play, connecting with Jake Smith for a 53-yard touchdown. Texas leads 14-0 with 3:21 left in the first quarter.
RICE (Own 25):
Aston Walter opened the drive with a 15-yard carry up the middle to the Rice 40-yard line. Walter's second rush was stopped for no gain. Tom Stewart scrambled up the middle after he couldn't find any open receivers for a gain of four yards. On third and six, Stewart's pass fell incomplete. Rice punted the ball to the Texas 10-yard line.
TEXAS (Own 18):
Sam Ehlinger opened the game with a swing pass to Keaontay Ingram for a gain of 10 yards. Ingram took a draw play up the middle for a loss of one yard. Ehlinger checked down to Ingram on second down for a gain of nine yards. Ingram was given the ball on a quick snap and he picked up a first down. Ingram picked up one yard on a zone read. A false start on the Longhorns backed up UT to second and 14 from the 35-yard line. Ehlinger completed a screen pass to Devin Duvernay to bring up third and eight. On third and eight, Ehlinger squeezed a pass over the middle to Duvernay. Ehlinger completed a 10-yard out to Malcolm Epps. On first down near midfield, Ehlinger scrambled out of bounds for no gain. Ingram was tripped up on the next play for a loss of three. On third and 13, Epps converted on a 16-yard stop route. Ehlinger capped off the drive with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Roschon Johnson. Texas leads 7-0.
PREVIEW:
Texas is eyeing a bounce back performance after the tough, emotional loss to LSU in Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium last week.
With College GameDay in town, there was a ton of buzz surrounding the top-ten ranked matchup, and the result did not disappoint.
This week has felt like the polar opposite of the week prior. This is Texas' first road game of the season and are playing a team that hasn't beat them in 25 years. Rice enters the matchup 0-2, as well, with losses to Army and Wake Forest.
KVUE Sports Director Jeff Jones received word about two hours before kickoff that senior wide receiver Collin Johnson would not be playing due to a hamstring injury.
Despite Johnson's absence, all indications point to a Texas win by a large margin. ESPN's Football Power Index gives Texas a 97.5% chance of winning the game and the spread is listed at 32 points in the Longhorns' favor.
The KVUE Sports team gave their predictions for the game, which you can see here.
RELATED: Can you beat the KVUE Sports team in a Texas Longhorns pick 'em? Submit your predictions here.
Texas and Rice also have a history linked by former President John F. Kennedy. For more details on that story, click here.
Texas and Rice will kick off from NRG Stadium in Houston at 7 pm.
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