FLORIDA ATLANTIC at RICE
Saturday, October 4 | 7 p.m. ET
Rice Stadium (47,000/TenCate Pivot)
Houston, Texas
Television
ESPN+
James Westling, LaDarrin McLane and Smacker Miles
Florida Atlantic Radio
WFTL-AM 640
Rice Radio
Varsity Network
SiriusXM 382
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the sixth meeting between Florida Atlantic and Rice in a series between two of the American’s three Owl-monikered programs … Rice has won three of the first five matchups, including a 24-21 decision in Houston in the most recent meeting in 2023 … Rice is 2-1 against Florida Atlantic at Rice Stadium.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
1-3, 0-1 American
Head Coach
Zach Kittley (Texas Tech ’14)
1-3, first season
Notes
Florida Atlantic looks to snap a two-game slide following a 55-26 setback to Memphis last Saturday … The Owls were within five points of the Tigers early in the fourth quarter before Memphis closed the game with 24 unanswered points … QB Caden Veltkamp, a transfer from Western Kentucky, has started the first four games and has completed 121 of 139 passes for 1,198 yards and eight touchdowns against seven interceptions … WR Easton Messer, another transfer from Western Kentucky,, has 37 receptions for 363 yards and a touchdown, while WR Asaad Waseem has 15 catches for 184 yards and a team-high three TDs … Messer leads all NCAA FBS players in receptions at 9.3 per game … RB Gemari Sands has rushed for 245 yards on 38 carries … The Owls have forced only two turnovers through four game.
RICE
3-2, 0-1 American
Head Coach
Scott Abell (Longwood ’92)
3-2, first season at Rice
89-55, 13th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Rice fell to 3-2 following a 21-13 setback at Navy last Saturday … The Owls had won three of their first four games under head coach Scott Abell, who is the first Owls coach to start his tenure at 3-1 since 1967 … Rice ranks fourth in the American in rushing at 221.0 yards per game and is fifth in the conference in total defense (334.2 ypg) … Rice has three players with at least 200 rushing yards through four games, led by RB Quinton Jackson, who has 353 yards and two touchdowns on 73 carries … QB Chase Jenkins has 248 yards and three scores, while RB Daelen Alexander has 228 yards and two TDs … Jenkins has also completed 47 of 69 passes for 383 yards and three TDs … DE Michael Daley has a team-high 4.0 sacks, while LB Ty Morris has 33 tackles with 2.0 sacks.