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Photo by: Robby Illanes/Rice Athletics
10/26/2026 12:38:00 PM | Football
One of eight Manning Award Stars of the Week
Rice quarterback Gael Ochoa picked up a pair of honors after this 259-yard rushing effort at Florida Atlantic in his collegiate starting debut last Saturday.
Ochoa is one of eight quarterbacks honored this week as Manning Award Stars of the Week, while the American Conference named him Honorable Mention in its weekly release of individual awards.
He set a school record for a quarterback with his 259 yards on the ground, the second-best overall performance in school history, the third-best effort by a quarterback in American Conference history (eighth best overall), and the 11th-best all-time among FBS-level quarterbacks. He fell seven yards shy of breaking Dickie Maegle's iconic effort against Alabama in the 1954 Cotton Bowl as the most yards rushing in school history.
Ochoa's output broke a pair of American Conference records. His 21.6 per-carry rushing average bettered the previous best of 19.5 by Jaylen Lucas of Memphis earlier this season. He added 80 yards passing to his game total, and his average of 19.9 yards per offensive play set another conference record (17 for 339). Riley Ferguson of Memphis held the mark with 19.6 vs. East Carolina in 2017.
He tied the school record for quarterbacks who scored four touchdowns, all from more than 50 yards (52, 55, 69 & 78).
Ochoa's effort is the top rushing performance at the FBS level this season, while his four runs of over 50 yards vaulted him into a tie for second nationally this year.
Rice is idle this week and will return to action on November 7th when they travel to Denton to face North Texas at 3 p.m., with coverage by ESPNU. The Owls return home to First Community Stadium for the first time since October 17, when they host Tulane as part of Homecoming festivities on November 14.
Ochoa is one of eight quarterbacks honored this week as Manning Award Stars of the Week, while the American Conference named him Honorable Mention in its weekly release of individual awards.
He set a school record for a quarterback with his 259 yards on the ground, the second-best overall performance in school history, the third-best effort by a quarterback in American Conference history (eighth best overall), and the 11th-best all-time among FBS-level quarterbacks. He fell seven yards shy of breaking Dickie Maegle's iconic effort against Alabama in the 1954 Cotton Bowl as the most yards rushing in school history.
Ochoa's output broke a pair of American Conference records. His 21.6 per-carry rushing average bettered the previous best of 19.5 by Jaylen Lucas of Memphis earlier this season. He added 80 yards passing to his game total, and his average of 19.9 yards per offensive play set another conference record (17 for 339). Riley Ferguson of Memphis held the mark with 19.6 vs. East Carolina in 2017.
He tied the school record for quarterbacks who scored four touchdowns, all from more than 50 yards (52, 55, 69 & 78).
Ochoa's effort is the top rushing performance at the FBS level this season, while his four runs of over 50 yards vaulted him into a tie for second nationally this year.
Rice is idle this week and will return to action on November 7th when they travel to Denton to face North Texas at 3 p.m., with coverage by ESPNU. The Owls return home to First Community Stadium for the first time since October 17, when they host Tulane as part of Homecoming festivities on November 14.
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