Byars Paces Owls Past Huskies, 31-3

Saturday, September 5

Houston, Texas

6 PM

Rice University

1-0 , 0-0

HCU

1-1 , 1-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Houston Christian	3	0	0	0	3
Rice	7	10	0	14	31

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Photo by: Karen Warren | Rice Athletics

9/5/2026 11:43:00 PM | Football

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Owls post highest rushing total since 2004

By: Chuck Pool (cpool@rice.edu)

Houston: Tyvonn Byars topped 100 yards rushing for the first time in his career to spark Rice to its highest rushing total since 2004 as the Owls ran past HCU 31-3 in their season opener on Saturday night at Rice Stadium.

The Details: In the first meeting ever between the schools, the Huskies struck first with a field goal, covering 24 yards after stopping the Owls on downs on their first possession. But that lead was short-lived as Rice responded with 17 points on its next three drives while the Owls' defense held the Huskies to just 40 yards the remainder of the half. D'Andre Hardeman Jr. put the Owls ahead to stay with a two-yard touchdown run, and Quinton Jackson followed with the first of his two touchdowns, a seven-yard scamper to increase the lead to 14-3. Enoch Gota wrapped up the first half scoring with a 26-yard field goal, the 16^th of his career, to move him into a tie for 10^th on the Rice career chart. After a scoreless third quarter, Rice closed out the scoring with a pair of touchdowns in the first five minutes of the fourth to put the game away. Jackson capped a 11-play, 60-yard drive with a 12-yard score and quarterback Gael Ochoa scrambled for a 29-yard touchdown. Ochoa's score was set up by Jerrick Harper's first career interception, which was also the first by an Owl in their last eight games, covering 244 pass attempts. HCU appeared to reach the end zone for the first time with less than a minute left, but the Huskies were called for offensive pass interference in the end zone and two plays later freshman Tyler Lavallier picked up his first career sack on fourth down to preserve the fewest points allowed by Rice in an opener since the Owls shutout VMI 42-0 in 1970. Byars finished with 104 yards on 16 carries as 11 Owls combined to rush for 465 yards against the Huskies, their highest output since they covered 496 yards against SMU in a 44-10 win on October 9, 2004.

Next Up: Rice travels to South Bend, Indiana to take on No. 4 Notre Dame next Saturday at 2:30. The Irish open their 2026 season on Sunday night vs. Wisconsin.

Notes:
Team
• Prior to the game, Rice honored the legacy of former Owl O.J. Brigance as his parents Marcus and Barbara served as honorary co-captains and participated in the coin toss.
• Rice moves to 59-54-2 all-time in season openers.
• Rice won back-to-back season openers for the first time since winning three straight from 1989-91.
• Rice won a season-opener at home for the first time since 2018, snapping a two-game losing streak.
• The Owls opened the season at home for the second time in three years. They are 52-21-2 when opening the season at home.
• Rice's 31 points were the most in a season opener since scoring 34 against Middle Tennessee in 2020.
• The three points allowed are the fewest in a season opener since shutting out VMI in 1970.
• Rice's 493 total yards are the most since recording 550 against South Florida on Nov. 30, 2024.
• Rice's 465 rushing yards are the most since rushing for 496 against SMU on Oct. 9, 2004.

Individual

Scott Abell
• Improved to 92-61 in his career, 6-8 at Rice, and 4-4 at Rice Stadium.
• He became the first Rice head coach to win the opening game in his first two seasons with the Owls since Fred Goldsmith in 1989-90.
RB Quinton Jackson
• Jackson rushed 10 times for 61 yards and two touchdowns.
• He now has nine rushing touchdowns in his career.
• He returned on kick for 23 yards and moved past James Sykes (1973-76) for sixth-place on Rice's all-time list with 53 career kick returns.
• With 90 all-purpose yards, Jackson went over 2,700 in his career.