With the offense just come off the field after two-point try fails, Coach Graham looks up at the scoreboard -- at this point, with 2:52 left, it's his enemy

Onside kick was well-placed and almost popped, but jubilation shown on ECU bench indicates Pirats have recovered the ball

Rice defense comes out sticking, as here Andray Downs drops running back for a loss...

..with a little assistance from Chad Price

After incompletion, ECU has to punt it away...

and Brandon King returns it a crucial 13 yards to set up Owls at their own 24

On fourth and ten, Shep completes 40 yard pass that's wrestled away from defender by Jarett DIllard (MA photo)

JD is up off the grass in a flash after hauling in clutch cath

Next play, he grabs another one coming across...

...cutting to the sideline to save clock but managing to pick up the first down

Now, as the clock ticks down, the Owls center the ball in front of the uprights, picking up two in the process...

Bucs call two timeouts to ice Clark Fangmeier, but Fang's cool on the field as Rice coaches pace sideline in anticipation

Mr. Cool gets all of his leg into the kick...(MA photo)

Whoa, man, the boy couldn't have split those uprights more accurately had be been using a caliper.

And one can well imagine that his teammates got just a little bit excited about that one

Hard to believe, but the Owls have just made away with a last-ditch 18-17 victory over presumed Eastern Division champs

(PTH photos)