Rice going to a bowl game for first time in 45 years

[SnoopCoog]

It's not going to make big headlines, but there's been a pretty big turnaround at Rice University in Houston, which pretty much has been a lost football program since the Southwest Conference split. (Rice did win the College World Series in 2003, by the way).
Anyway, Rice, which went 1-10 last year and started this year 0-4 with losses to Houston, Texas, UCLA and Florida State, rallied to go 7-5 and is going to its first bowl game since 1961. They've had some unbelievable rallies to win games and the new coach has really turned the Owls around.
I think they'll play Troy State in the New Orleans Bowl, which is easily the worst bowl in years. But Rice will take it.

 

[D-3 Fan]

Rice has been the "Cousin It" of the schools in Texas. It's encouraging to see the Black Sheep SMU improve and Rice going bowling.

Now, will they be throwing beads or rice towards the Owls when they pull into town?? :-*

 

[da man]

BFD. Everyone's in a ****ing bowl these days.

 

[slappy4428]

It's not going to make big headlines, but there's been a pretty big turnaround at Rice University in Houston, which pretty much has been a lost football program since the Southwest Conference split. (Rice did win the College World Series in 2003, by the way).
Anyway, Rice, which went 1-10 last year and started this year 0-4 with losses to Houston, Texas, UCLA and Florida State, rallied to go 7-5 and is going to its first bowl game since 1961. They've had some unbelievable rallies to win games and the new coach has really turned the Owls around.
I think they'll play Troy State in the New Orleans Bowl, which is easily the worst bowl in years. But Rice will take it.

East Carolina and Cinci in BHM is worse

 

[D-3 Fan]

BFD. Everyone's in a ****ing bowl these days.

Bum**** U and Idontgivea**** College are in the WeareESPNandwecandowhateverwewant Bowl in sunny and blustery Bristol, Conn.

 

[HejiraHenry]

Can't think of Rice, frankly, without thinking of Dan Jenkins.

 

[DisembodiedOwlHead]

Trevor Cobb likes it !

 

[Beef03]

Maybe if ESPN creates enough bowl games Ball State will get to go one year and at that point they can get the "Boom goes the dynamite" guy to be an analyst, because, as we all know he defintiely knows his Ball State sports.

 

[shotglass]

You know, I honestly don't think I've ever seen Rice play a down of college football. That's wild.

 

[da man]

You know, I honestly don't think I've ever seen Rice play a down of college football. That's wild.

And fortunate.

 

[Hed bust]

BFD. Everyone's in a ****ing bowl these days.

Not true. And congrats to Rice, which has personnel on the roster that I used to cover in preps.

 

[Hed bust]

It's not going to make big headlines, but there's been a pretty big turnaround at Rice University in Houston ... Rice will take it.

East Carolina and Cinci in BHM is worse

Bowls are end-of-year rewards for kids and coaching staffs

 

[slappy4428]

It's not going to make big headlines, but there's been a pretty big turnaround at Rice University in Houston ... Rice will take it.

East Carolina and Cinci in BHM is worse

Bowls are end-of-year rewards for kids and coaching staffs

Sitting in Legion Field in late December with 5,000 people is no reward, son.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Can't think of Rice, frankly, without thinking of Dan Jenkins.

Why? He went to TCU.

BTW, I've read several stories that stated Rice has now broken the second longest bowl drought in college football but I've yet to see any reference to the school with the longest drought. Anybody have any idea who it is?

Vandy's the only school that comes to mind.

 

[Hed bust]

It's not going to make big headlines, but there's been a pretty big turnaround at Rice University in Houston ... Rice will take it.

East Carolina and Cinci in BHM is worse

Bowls are end-of-year rewards for kids and coaching staffs

Sitting in Legion Field in late December with 5,000 people is no reward, son.

Okay, I meant what I said in my first post .. congrats to Rice.
The second post was a mockery of there being over 30 bowls these days.
I want there to be 18-20, and that's it.
If you can get among the Top 40 nationally, then you deserve to go bowling.
EC and Cinci ?
Yuck! Neither deserves to be bowling.
Rice and Kentucky - I think they both do.

 

[Shaggy]

I hate to say it, but Texas schools don't have much excuse for being no good. They're living in the middle of a recruiting gold mine.

 

[Armchair_QB]

I hate to say it, but Texas schools don't have much excuse for being no good. They're living in the middle of a recruiting gold mine.

Of course 95 percent of them don't have a Pope's prayer of meeting Rice's entrance standards.

 

[goalmouth]

I'd guess Temple.

Rice was always my favorite opponent, if for nothing but the impolitic cheer: "What comes out of a Chinaman's ass?"

 

[Armchair_QB]

I'd guess Temple.

Rice was always my favorite opponent, if for nothing but the impolitic cheer: "What comes out of a Chinaman's ass?"

Didn't Temple play in the Garden State Bowl back in the late 70s?

EDIT: Temple did play in the Garden State Bowl in 79. Vandy played in a bowl game in 1982 so it's not either one of them.

 

[shotglass]

BTW, I've read several stories that stated Rice has now broken the second longest bowl drought in college football but I've yet to see any reference to the school with the longest drought. Anybody have any idea who it is?

Vandy's the only school that comes to mind.

Interesting question that I'm having a hell of a time finding an answer for.

A 2003 SI story said that New Mexico State had not been in a bowl since 1960 ... have they played in a bowl the last three seasons?

A Google search turns up a lot of sources talking about Rice ending the second-longest drought -- without any mention of what was the longest.