Rice Clinches Bowl Berth! First since '61

[TexasTerror]

Rice started out 0-4 after playing the UCLAs, Texas and Florida States of the world as well as C-USA West Champ Houston.

Now, they've bounced back under head coach Todd Graham winning seven out of the last eight!

A nice win over SMU today! They may have the best WR in the nation as well. Jarrett Dillard tied an NCAA single-season record while extending his overall streak to 14 gaems dating back to last season. Only Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald, who caught a touchdown in 18 straight games stands ahead of him.

This will be Rice's first bowl bid since 1961. They'll probably end up in Fort Worth playing in the Armed Forces Bowl though tickets to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, AL or New Orleans Bowl are other bowls that could bring in the Owls.

Rice Bowl History:

1938 - Cotton
1947 - Orange
1950 - Cotton
1954 - Cotton
1958 - Cotton
1961 - Sugar (Jan)
1961 - Bluebonnet (Dec)

Outside of the Bluebonnet, they've been to some really highly regarded bowl games. Bowl landscape has sure changed a bit since the Old Owls went bowling!

WAR OWLS! :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray:

[bobcatfan06]

Rice desperately needs a new stadium. Rice Stadium is a dump. I know it is historic and all, but I was there for a Texas State v. Rice baseball game and we took a walk over to the stadium. Wow, is all I can say.

Congrats to the Owls though, I've always liked Rice, but they have never seemed to put it all together. Glad they finally did it.

[Go...gate]

Congratulations to Rice! :hurray:

[Mr. C]

To put that in perspective, Appalachian State's 67-year-old coach Jerry Moore, as a wide receiver at Baylor, played the year before in Southwest Conference play against those Rice players that played in the 1961 Bluebonnet Bowl.

[blackfordpu]

Rice started out 0-4 after playing the UCLAs, Texas and Florida States of the world as well as C-USA West Champ Houston.

Now, they've bounced back under head coach Todd Graham winning seven out of the last eight!

A nice win over SMU today! They may have the best WR in the nation as well. Jarrett Dillard tied an NCAA single-season record while extending his overall streak to 14 gaems dating back to last season. Only Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald, who caught a touchdown in 18 straight games stands ahead of him.

This will be Rice's first bowl bid since 1961. They'll probably end up in Fort Worth playing in the Armed Forces Bowl though tickets to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, AL or New Orleans Bowl are other bowls that could bring in the Owls.

Rice Bowl History:

1938 - Cotton
1947 - Orange
1950 - Cotton
1954 - Cotton
1958 - Cotton
1961 - Sugar (Jan)
1961 - Bluebonnet (Dec)

Outside of the Bluebonnet, they've been to some really highly regarded bowl games. Bowl landscape has sure changed a bit since the Old Owls went bowling!

WAR OWLS! :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray:

Spock isn't too happy now though. :rotateh:

[TexasTerror]

Rice desperately needs a new stadium. Rice Stadium is a dump. I know it is historic and all, but I was there for a Texas State v. Rice baseball game and we took a walk over to the stadium. Wow, is all I can say.

Rice fixed up their stadium to some extent when Todd Graham came in to the program after you had visited...

Still a lot more to do, but they got new turf, a new scoreboard, fixed up the bleachers and have done some more (i.e tossed the crowns in the corners!)...

http://homepage.mac.com/grungy/PhotoAlbum44.html

Now Reckling Park is a beautiful facility!

[bobcatfan06]

Man, the bleachers were a disaster. Rotten old wood, pretty bad. I remember the scoreboard was like rusty and the paint was peeling. This was 2 years ago so I'm glad they got it fixed. It sure is a historic place. The site of the first Super Bowl if I remember correctly.

[Go...gate]

Man, the bleachers were a disaster. Rotten old wood, pretty bad. I remember the scoreboard was like rusty and the paint was peeling. This was 2 years ago so I'm glad they got it fixed. It sure is a historic place. The site of the first Super Bowl if I remember correctly.

Super Bowl VIII, in January '74

[bobcatfan06]

Ahh, well I said if I remember correctly.

Guess I didn't.

Either way, still a site of a Super Bowl.

Pictures from my trip to Rice's stadium...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/TxSt02/Picture644.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/TxSt02/Picture638.jpg

Me on the field
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/TxSt02/Picture642.jpg

[TexasTerror]

I have quite a few fond memories of Rice Stadium, having grown up a Rice fan, first and foremost...

Just so happy to see the reaction and the turnaround to Todd Graham on South Main...

[Pards Rule]

Rice!?!? Holy ***** - hadnt heard about that program in a long time. Being near Philly, UPenn coach Jerry Berndt left UPenn for Rice in the mid 80s and they reported it well as well as a follow up story. He didnt do well there as I recall.

[TexasTerror]

Rice!?!? Holy ***** - hadnt heard about that program in a long time. Being near Philly, UPenn coach Jerry Berndt left UPenn for Rice in the mid 80s and they reported it well as well as a follow up story. He didnt do well there as I recall.

Took Fred Goldsmith, who later left for Duke to get the program turned around...

Old Arkansas/Clemson/Air Force head coach Ken Hatfield had some success and then it got old pretty quickly...

Now Tulsa's Todd Graham has come over and he's turned this program around! :hurray:

[Ivytalk]

My sister's alma mater! Go Owls!:D :hurray:

[Mr. C]

Man, the bleachers were a disaster. Rotten old wood, pretty bad. I remember the scoreboard was like rusty and the paint was peeling. This was 2 years ago so I'm glad they got it fixed. It sure is a historic place. The site of the first Super Bowl if I remember correctly.
Super Bowl I was held at the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1967, after the 1966 AFl-NFL seasons. How I wish my dad had driven me the four hours to Los Angeles to watch my beloved Green bay Packers play in that game.

[bobcatfan06]

My sister's alma mater! Go Owls!:D :hurray:

Jeez, smart family eh? Rice and Harvard grads. :rotateh:

[Coastal89]

So it looks like South Carolina is going to the Liberty Bowl. Will Rice, Houston or S. Miss win C-USA for the matchup there?

[TexasTerror]

So it looks like South Carolina is going to the Liberty Bowl. Will Rice, Houston or S. Miss win C-USA for the matchup there?

Rice is ineligible...

It's UH or USM. USM has been trouble for Cougars during their C-USA existence. I still think Cougars will win this, so expect UH to be in the Liberty...

Rice will head to New Orleans Bowl against Sun Belt victor...that's the word. Fort Worth will get Tulsa from C-USA against Utah.