Rice (7-5) vs. Troy (7-5)
Dec. 22, 8 p.m. ESPN2
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New
Orleans Bowl History
2005 Southern Miss 31, Arkansas St
19
2004 Southern Miss 31, North Texas
10
2003 Memphis 27, North Texas 17
2002 North Texas 24, Cincinnati 19
2001 Colorado St 45, North Tex.
20 |
By
Richard Cirminiello
New
Orleans Bowl Player profile
WR Jarrett Dillard, Rice – Rice is
synonymous with pass-catching prowess. Jerry Rice that is, not the
Rice Owls. No, this Rice, which was running the antiquated wishbone
offense before this season, has sent just three wideouts to the NFL
Draft in the last three decades and has never had a 1,000-yard
receiver B.D., before Dillard. For all the records and impact plays
the sophomore has had in 2006, what’s most remarkable is that he’s
doing it here, at a school historically known for its conservative,
grind-it-out attack. Yeah, Todd Graham and Major Applewhite opened
things up this year with the installation of the spread offense, but
the Owls still ran more than they threw, so it wasn’t as if Hal
Mumme or Mike Leach had replaced Ken Hatfield in the corner office.
Dillard, however, was destined for stardom no matter the obstacles;
double teams, injuries to starting quarterback Chase Clement, a
rugged non-conference schedules—mere pebbles in the path toward an
improbable spot alongside Georgia Tech’s Calvin Johnson and Notre
Dame’s Jeff Samardzija in this season’s Biletnikoff finalist photo.
Dillard’s numbers—82 catches for 1,176 yards and 20 touchdowns—tell
only part of his story in 2006. At just 5-11 and 170 pounds, he’s a
silky smooth route runner with next level ball skills and a knack
for making clutch grabs when the game is hanging in the balance.
Dillard is a bona fide budding superstar, riding a 14-game streak
with a touchdown catch, while helping to usher in a renaissance at
Rice. Who could have possibly imagined all this three years ago
when the wiry San Antonio kid appeared headed to Colgate on a
basketball scholarship because not a single football program was
extending a free ride? None, that is, until Hatfield swooped in
with a late offer, a program-altering moment that’ll wind up being
the ex-coach’s legacy at Rice if Dillard continues to rewrite record
books.
Best Owl Bowl Moment – Back in the day, Rice was a feisty
program under legendary coach Jess Neely, which would step up every
few years and win a Southwest Conference championship. Led by the
dynamic pitch-and-catch combo of Tobin Rote to Froggy Williams and a
cast of talented seniors, the 1949 squad was the best of the lot,
going 10-1 and capping the year with a 27-13 Cotton Bowl victory
over North Carolina and Choo Choo Justice.
Best Trojan Bowl Moment – No matter the outcome, you always
remember your first. For Troy, its first—and only—post-season
appearance at the I-A level occurred two years ago in a 34-21
Silicon Valley Classic loss to Northern Illinois. The final score
was a disappointment, however, the bowl invitation just four years
after graduating from I-AA was a landmark achievement for head coach
Larry Blakeney and the entire Trojan program
Rice's best win ...
Rice 41 ... Tulsa 38 2OT
Rice answered a 39-yard Jarod Tracy field goal in the second
overtime with a 25-yard touchdown catch from Jarrett Dillard for the win.
Dillard caught an 11-yard touchdown pass to start the scoring in the first
overtime, but Tulsa came back with a one-yard Paul Smith touchdown run on fourth
and goal. Down 20-7 in the fourth quarter after a 65-yard Dillard touchdown
catch, Tulsa got two rushing touchdowns from Courtney Tennial, and then answered
a nine-yard Chase Clement scoring run with a three-yard Smith run to force
overtime. Tulsa outgained Rice 568 yards to 356 but lost four turnovers.
Rice's worst loss ...
Tulane 38 ... Rice 24
Lester Ricard threw four touchdown passes to four different
receivers and Matt Forte ran for 178 yards and scored twice in the team's most
complete performance of the season. Rice got two Chase Clement touchdown passes
and a three-yard scoring run, but he couldn't handle the Tulane secondary that
broke up 13 passes with CB Israel Route knocking away five. The Green Wave never
trailed, but wasn't able to pull away until an eight-yard Forte run early in the
fourth.
Troy's best win ...
Troy 21 ... Middle Tennessee 20
Down 20-7 late in the game, Troy scored on a 19-yard Smokey
Hampton touchdown catch with just over two minutes to play,
recovered the onside kick, and went 42 yards in eight plays
finishing off with a three-yard Gary Banks touchdown grab with 14
seconds to play. Middle Tennessee had started off the scoring with
the first of two Colby Smith second quarter field goals and a
four-yard Desmond Gee run off a trick play, but Troy stayed alive
with an eight-yard Omar Haugabook touchdown run. When RB Desmond Gee
his Stephen Chicola for a 15-yard touchdown pass early in the
fourth, the Blue Raiders appeared to have it wrapped up.
Troy's worst loss ...
Arkansas State 33 ... Troy 26
Arkansas State scored 13 points in the final 12 minutes
winning the game on a one-yard Curtis Wilkerson touchdown run with
:17 to play after the defense came up with a safety on a Josh
Williams tackle with just under four minutes to play. Corey Leonard
threw two touchdown passes in the first half, including a 62-yard
play to David Johnson, but Troy stayed even throughout helped by a
53-yard Mykeal Terry touchdown catch and two short Kenny Cattouse
scoring runs.
2005 New
Orleans Bowl
Southern Miss 31 ... Arkansas State 19
Dustin Almond threw two second half touchdown passes to Shawn Nelson and
Cody Hill ran for 161 yards and a touchdown as Southern Miss won its
second straight New Orleans Bowl. Arkansas State took advantage of USM
mistakes to get a four-yard touchdown run and a two-yard touchdown pass
from Nick Noce, but the USM offense proved to be too much cranking out
445 yards and 25 first downs.
Player of the game: Southern Miss RB Cody Hill
ran 37 times for 161 yards and a touchdown.
Stat Leaders: Southern Miss - Passing:
Dustin Almond, 17-32, 253 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Cody Hull, 37-161, 1 TD. Receiving:
Shawn Nelson, 6-121, 2 TD
Arkansas State - Passing: Nick Noce,
10-19, 213 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Nick Noce, 17-55, 1 TD. Receiving:
Gary Vincent, 3-53
Rice Bowl History (4-3)
|
1961 |
Bluebonnet |
Kansas 33, Rice 7 |
|
1960 |
Sugar |
Mississippi 14, Rice 6 |
|
1957 |
Cotton |
Navy 20, Rice 7 |
|
1953 |
Cotton |
Rice 28, Alabama 6 |
|
1949 |
Cotton |
Rice 27, North Carolina
13 |
|
1946 |
Orange |
Rice 8, Tennessee 0 |
|
1937 |
Cotton |
Rice 28, Colorado 14 |
|
Troy
Bowl History (0-2)
|
2004 |
Silicon Valley |
No. Illinois 34, Troy 21 |
|
1948 |
Paper |
Jacksonville State 19,
Troy 0 |
|