My Football DVD Collection
A library of original TV broadcasts of NFL and college football games
this site is not associated with any sports organization






Football > NCAA > 2008 > Texas Bowl - Rice Owls vs Western Michigan Broncos college football DVD
2008 NCAA College Football Texas Bowl

vs.
Texas Bowl DVD - Western Michigan vs. Rice football DVD

2008 Texas Bowl NCAA college football DVD
recap / play by play / box score / 2008 December Bowls DVD list


2008 Texas Bowl DVD
Western Michigan vs Rice DVD

HOUSTON -- Rice ended more than 50 years of postseason frustration with a near-perfect performance in the Texas Bowl.

Fast Facts

  • Chase Clement passed for 307 yards and three TDs to lead Rice to its first bowl win since the 1954 Cotton Bowl.
  • The Owls finished the season with a 10-3 record. That's just their second 10-win season in school history and first since 1949.
  • Western Michigan dropped to 0-4 all-time in bowl games.

    Chase Clement threw three touchdown passes, ran for a score and caught a TD pass from Jarett Dillard to lead the Owls to a 38-14 win over Western Michigan at Reliant Stadium on Tuesday night.

    Just a 15-minute drive from their campus, the Owls (10-3) won a bowl game for the first time since the 1954 Cotton Bowl and reached 10 victories for the first time since 1949.

    The program has come a long way since going 1-10 in 2005 and the players hope they've set a higher standard for the future.

    "When you sit down and look back and see how everything has unfolded, it's a special opportunity and just what we've been able to accomplish," Chase Clement said. "It really sets this program in the right direction. Hopefully, those guys that are younger than us have seen what it takes to win and what it takes to be successful and hopefully they can get that going."

    Chase Clement went 30-for-44 for 307 yards and was the game's Most Valuable Player. Jarett Dillard caught his nation-leading 20th touchdown of the season. He finished his Rice career with 60 career TD catches, an NCAA record by 10, and also tied former Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams' Conference USA record for career touchdowns.

    "I was just surprised at how well we were executing," Jarett Dillard said. "With everything that happened, it was just a team effort and we really stepped out on the field and played as one."

    The performance by Rice's defense may have been just as remarkable.

    The Owls were giving up 467 yards and 35 points per game, but shut out the high-scoring Broncos for more than three quarters before Tim Hiller threw a 2-yard TD pass to Kirk Elsworth with 6:33 left in the game.

    Western Michigan, ranked 24th in total offense coming in, gained only 278 yards and went 3-for-14 on third down. Hiller, who led the Mid-American Conference in yards passing, went 19-for-42 for 198 yards with two interceptions.

    "We just needed time to grow," senior linebacker Brian Raines said. "We had a chance to get a few people back and had the chance to work and have some chemistry going into this game."

    The Broncos (9-4) dropped to 0-4 in bowls and missed their chance for the first 10-win season.

    Hiller broke down in tears at the post-game press conference and coach Bill Cubit embraced him. Cubit then revealed that Hiller played the last three games with a torn left knee ligament.

    Jamarko Simmons caught a 9-yard pass on the Broncos' first play from scrimmage, setting a school record with his 99th reception of the season. But Juan Nunez dropped a touchdown pass behind the Rice defense and John Potter missed a 51-yard field-goal try, setting the tone for the Broncos' night.

    Western Michigan safety Louis Delmas was called for pass interference to set up Chase Clement's 26-yard touchdown run with 5:21 left in the first quarter. It was Chase Clement's 12th rushing TD of the season.

    The Owls' 102nd ranked rush defense stuffed Brandon West on a third-and-1 from the Western 39, Chase Clement threw a 29-yard pass to James Casey and Clark Fangmeier kicked a 30-yard field goal to put the Owls up 10-0.

    Corbin Smiter couldn't handle a third-down pass from Chase Clement early in the second quarter, but Broncos safety Mario Armstrong was flagged for a high hit that knocked off Smiter's helmet. A pass interference call on cornerback Londen Fryar gave the Owls a first down at the 2 and Toren Dixon caught a TD pass from Chase Clement with 6:53 left in the first half to make it 17-0.

    Rice safety Andrew Sendejo leaped for an interception on the Broncos' next drive. The Owls led Conference USA in turnover margin during the regular season (plus-13). Under heavy pressure, Chase Clement threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Casey with 1:15 remaining in the half for a 24-0 lead.

    The Broncos had 90 yards and six first downs in the opening half. Hiller went 10-for-22 for 69 yards and was intercepted by Rice's Chris Jones on the last play before the break.

    "I think sometimes, it's just not your day, it's not your time," Hiller said. "We didn't play well and they took advantage of everything."

    Western Michigan receivers dropped third-down passes on the first two series of the second half, dropping the Broncos to 1-for-9 on third downs for the game.

    Rice converted a fourth down from the Broncos 25. Then, Chase Clement passed to Jarett Dillard, who threw back to a wide-open Chase Clement for a touchdown and a 31-0 lead.

    It was Jarett Dillard's first career completion and the 51st touchdown produced by the duo, but the first with the roles reversed.

    Jarett Dillard caught an 18-yard pass from Chase Clement in the fourth quarter to give Rice a 38-0 lead. The Owls had never scored more than 28 points in eight previous bowls.

    The Broncos drove for one more score in the final minute, with Hiller finding Schneider Julien open in the end zone with 25 seconds left.

    Before the game, Western Michigan announced that Cubit agreed to a new five-year contract.


    other Western Michigan Broncos football DVDs
    other Rice Owls football DVDs

    NFL football DVDs / NCAA college football DVDs / NBA basketball DVDs / Major League Baseball DVDs / NFL Europe DVDs / XFL football DVDs / Super Bowl DVDs / NFL draft DVDs / Canadian football CFL DVDs / USFL football DVDs / Arena football AFL DVDs / World Leage WLAF football DVDs / Japanese baseball DVDs / NCAA college basketball DVDs / NHL hockey DVDs / Olympics hockey DVDs / Sumo wrestling DVDs / contact


    this site does not support or condone the sale of sports telecasts in any form
    this site has no connection whatsoever with any sports league, professional or otherwise