Box Score

HOUSTON, TEXAS - Rice fullback Ed Bailey rushed for 234 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Greg Henderson added 135 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Owls to a 41-29 win over Hawai`i (0-2, 0-1 WAC) in a Western Athletic Conference opener for both teams Saturday night at Rice Stadium.

The Hawai`i (2-0, 1-0 WAC) offense parlayed two second half fumbles into 10 points, but it wasn't enough as the Warriors dropped their second game in a row. It is the first time since 2000 the Warriors began the season 0-2.

Hawai`i had chances to come away with a victory, taking a 29-28 lead with 10:12 left to play, but couldn't hold on as Henderson scored two touchdowns in the final 5:16 to seal the game for Rice (2-0, 1-0 WAC).

After the teams traded touchdowns on the first two possessions of the game, Rice seemingly took control of the game. The Owl defense stopped the Warriors on two consecutive possessions to help the Rice offense score two touchdowns and take a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter.

But Hawai`i struck back in a hurry. Chang orchestrated a 7-play, 66-yard drive, capped by a 6-yard pass to Ross Dickerson, to bring the Warriors to within eight (21-13) after a missed PAT.

The Warrior defense stepped-up before the half, halting the Rice drive and forcing a field goal attempt that sailed wide right to keep the score at 21-13 at the break.

The Owls were forced to punt for the first and only time in the game on the opening drive of the second half, giving the Warriors the ball at the Owl 41-yard-line. Six plays later, Chang fired a touchdown pass to Chad Owens to cut the Owl lead to two at 21-19, after a failed two-point conversion.

Rice answered with a 5-yard touchdown run by Henderson, putting the Owls up, 28-19, midway through the third quarter. The drive was highlighted by a 55-yard reception from Henderson to Marcus Battle on 3rd-and 13.

After the Warrior defense forced a Rice fumble, Chang drove the Warriors 75 yards and tossed a screen to Brewster who dashed 31-yards to the endzone to bring the Warriors back to within two (28-26) at the end of the third quarter. Another Rice fumble allowed the Warriors to take a 29-28 lead on a 25-yard field goal by Justin Ayat with 10:12 left to play.

But the Owls marched 80 yards on 10 plays and ate 4:56 off the clock to reclaim the lead on an 8-yard run by Henderson. A failed two-point conversion made the score 34-29 with 5:18 remaining in the game.

The Warriors got the ball back at their own 10-yard line on the ensuing kickoff, but failed to convert on 3rd-and-3. Henderson and the Owls took advantage of a 29-yard punt and scurried 43-yards on five plays, capped by Henderson's third rushing touchdown on the night, a 4-yard jaunt into the endzone with 1:27 left on the clock to seal the win.

Chang finished the game 34-of-50 for 363 yards and three touchdowns, six yards short of the second spot on the NCAA career passing list. Chang is now 1,553 yards shy of the record held by Ty Detmer of BYU (15,031). Chad Owens led all receivers with 10 catches for 91 yards. Linebacker Chad Kapanui finished the game with a career-high 11 tackles and a forced fumble.

Hawai`i will take the week off to prepare for WAC foe Tulsa on Oct. 2. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at Aloha Stadium.

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