WKU Football: Rice Q&A with The Roost
The Tops can hit bowl eligibility with a win against the Rice Owls in Houston but Rice has spoiled some big seasons for some C-USA teams in…
The Tops can hit bowl eligibility with a win against the Rice Owls in Houston but Rice has spoiled some big seasons for some C-USA teams in recent memory. Could it happen again?
To help us find out and learn more about Rice, we got Matthew Bartlett at The Roost to answer some questions for us. Be sure you check out The Roost on Twitter as well as their website!
The Towel Rack: For those who haven’t closely watched Rice this season, how would you say this season has gone for the Owls so far?
Matthew Bartlett: Sporadic? The Owls’ upset win over UAB earlier this season is one of the best conference wins across C-USA, but back-to-back overtime losses to North Texas and Charlotte teams with losing records soured that high point quickly. At 3–6, many are disappointed, particularly because we’ve seen how good this team can be when they’re play at their best.
TTR: Looking at Rice’s offense, who are some of the biggest playmakers WKU’s defense need to worry about?
MB: Quarterback Jake Constantine has put together some of the better quarterback performances Rice has seen in some time. If this turns into a shootout, Constantine is capable of throwing it around the yard, too. Leading wide receiver Jake Bailey is his go-to guy. Tight end Jordan Myers (who also lines up in the backfield) will also be very involved. Ari Broussard has emerged in the backfield, rushing for 186 yards and two touchdowns against Charlotte.
TTR: How do you see the Owl’s defense matching up against Bailey Zappe and the Hilltopper offense?
MB: Honestly, I’m not too optimistic. The Owls have done a decent job keeping receivers in front of them, but there’s been a lot of space afforded to pass catchers in the middle of the field. Western Kentucky is probably going to be able to have success there. The key for Rice will be a successful pass rush, which they’ve continued to improve on throughout the year and opportunistic turnovers.
TTR: WKU are currently 18 point favorites to win according to ESPN. What do you think needs to happen for the Owls to get the upset and get a huge home win?
MB: Rice needs to stick to the script that saw them upset UAB as even greater underdogs a few weeks ago. They’ll need to control the ball on offense, force a few turnovers and convert on their redzone opportunities. Rice upset Marshall last year, too, so playing the role of underdog isn’t something that will trip them up.
TTR: What’s your personal prediction for the game?
MB: Rice has played three straight games on some variation of 30 (or 31) — 24. But the reality is, the final score depends on which Rice team shows up. If they’re locked in and ready to go a full four quarters, this could be a close one. If they start slow and sputter early, it could get out of hand. Rice fans will be hoping for the former.
We’d like to thank Matthew for his time answering our questions! Be sure you go check out his coverage of the game from a Rice perspective.