Week 5: North Texas at Rice

Rice is what North Texas hopes to be. The Owls are 2-0 in their conference while manning a productive passing offense that scores 32 points per game. UNT is still trying to return to its 2007 offensive form, when it touted a top-20 passing attack. Thus far, the Mean Green average less than 300 yards of total offense and 12 points per game. Quarterback Giovanni Vizza, the 2007 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, has thrown three touchdown passes and no interceptions, but he has little help from a sub-par corps of wide receivers.

Wideout Casey Fitzgerald, at least, is still producing. The UNT senior ranks third nationally in receptions after recording a school-record 111 catches last year. But he is trumped by Rice wideout James Casey, who tops college football with 9.25 catches per game. Meanwhile, Rice quarterback Chase Clement has thrown 38 TD passes to wideout Jarett Dillard, one shy of the NCAA record for a passing-receiving duo. The tandem should get plenty of scoring opportunities against a UNT defense allowing 47 points per game, second worst in the nation.

Notes:

UNT and Rice are meeting for only the second time and first since 1988. The Mean Green also has not played in Houston since that 1988 game.

UNT coach Todd Dodge coached Rice wide receiver Corbin Smiter and Mean Green players Riley Dodge (his son) and Kyle Russo at Southlake Carroll (Texas) High School.

One more win matches Rice’s victory total of last year, when it posted a 3-9 record.

Key Player (Mean Green) — Kylie Hill, S

The junior college transfer made his first career interception versus LSU in UNT’s last game. Hill could be a bright spot in an otherwise struggling UNT defense. He will have his hands full against Rice’s aerial assault.

Key Player (Owls) — Chase Clement, QB & Jarett Dilllard, WR

The duo has connected for 38 touchdowns in their careers, one score shy of the NCAA record held by Louisiana Tech’s Tim Rattay and Troy Edwards.

Rice by 13