DALLAS — The Owls failed to get a yard in two critical situations Saturday.
The first cost them a touchdown in the second quarter.
The second cost them a shot at a game-tying field goal in the final minute.
Rice quarterback Nick Fanuzzi's fourth-and-1 pass was deflected at the line of scrimmage with less than 40 seconds remaining in a 27-24 season-ending defeat to SMU on chilly and blustery afternoon at Ford Stadium.
"We have to learn how to win these close ones on the road," Rice coach David Bailiff said after the Owls lost for the 17th time in the last 18 road games, including all seven this season.
Down by 10 points with two minutes remaining, the Owls mounted a comeback when Fanuzzi completed a 2-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Taylor and kicker Chris Boswell followed with an onside kick recovered by Corey Frazier at the Rice 41.
On the final drive, Fanuzzi completed a fourth-down pass to Klein Kubiak and later found Brent Hotard for a 9-yard completion to set up another fourth-down try.
At the SMU 40, the Owls called for a curl route to Donte Moore to get in position for a long field-goal attempt by Boswell that would likely have sent the game into overtime. But instead the Owls' hopes ended when SMU free safety Chris Banjo deflected the pass and sent it harmlessly wobbling to the turf.
The Owls finished 4-8 for the second consecutive season.
"We're making progress," said Bailiff, who has two years remaining on his contract and is expected to return for the 2012 season. "It might not be as fast as everybody would like, but we're a better football team than we were a year ago."
In the first half, the Owls fell behind 14-0, did not convert a first down until a 13-yard touchdown catch by Moore with 4:45 remaining before halftime and managed only 63 yards total offense.
Still, the Owls kept the game close thanks to three turnovers, including a 21-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Cameron Nwosu, a muffed punt recovery by Trevor Gillette and Boswell's onside kick.
With the game tied at 14 in the second quarter, the Owls threatened to take the lead when Fanuzzi scrambled 38 yards deep into SMU territory. The drive ended when the Owls were stopped for no gain on consecutive runs from the SMU 1-yard line.
Boswell gave the Owls their only lead of the game, 17-14, on a 49-yard field late in the third quarter. It was his 17th of the season, tying the school single-season record.
SMU regained the lead on a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown runs by Rishaad Wimbley, who finished with a game-high 115 yards. Darius Johnson had eight receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown for the Mustangs.
SMU (7-5, 5-3 C-USA) took advantage of poor tackling, rushing for 189 yards. Three of the Mustangs' touchdowns went for 45, 52 and 39 yards.
After the Owls recovered the muffed punt with less than seven minutes left, Boswell had a 45-yard attempt sail short and wide right into wind gusts of more than 25 mph.
"I've never kicked into a wind like that," Boswell said. "Off the kick it had a chance. Then as soon as it hit that wind it didn't even get through the end zone."
Source:
No comments:
Post a Comment