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07 Tulane game page Tulane 45, Rice 31 HOUSTON (Nov. 18) -- The November magic is over. Winners of four straight November tilts last year, and two more this season, Rice made too many mistakes Saturday and fell to Tulane 45-31. Chase Clement continued to set new records becoming the Owl all-time season total offense leader with 3,311 yards, surpassing Tommy Kramer. But Clement, like the rest of the offense, defense and special teams, made too many errors to get a win on a dark, dreary afternoon. Tulane's Matt Forte lived up to his pre-game hype. The nation's leading rusher scored five times and increased his season rushing total to 2007 yards. Forte becomes one of only 10 players in D1 history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. Forte gained 20 yards on his first two carries, and Owl fans thought it would be a long day. But Rice's defense stiffened and held Tulane to a 38 yard Ross Thevenot field goal. After two exchanges of punts Rice took the lead on a 13 yard Clement to Jarett Dillard TD pass. It looked just like a lot of JD's touchdowns with a leap over a defender. The defense was pretty stout most of the first half. Ja'Corey Shepherd had an interception, but the offense couldn't move and Clark Fangmeier had plenty of leg into a stiff breeze, but was just wide right on a 49 yard field goal attempt. Tulane finally got untracked with two late TDs in the second quarter, both set up with big plays on third and 10. The first one was an early back-breaker, as Forte skirted outside containment caused by a missed defensive assignment, and dashed 46 yards for the touchdown, untouched, to give the Green Wave a 10-7 lead they would never relinquish. After getting the ball back at midfield when penalties backed up the Owls on their ensuing possession, the Greenies marched right down the field to tack on another TD just before the half. It seemed that a previously successful defensive game plan had gone to hell in a handbasket, and in a hurry. Rice linebacker Vernon James side it was a matter of positioning the X's and the O's. "Whenever we were in position, we made the play. A lot of times were weren't in position. (Forte) is good at doing what he does. But if we had been in position, he wouldn't have got as many yards." 'Everything has to fit' Rice head coach David Bailiff elaborated. "The amazing thing about that run is everything has to fit," Coach Bailiff said afterwards. "We had one guy who knew where to go but came too flat and didn't force him back and let him bounce outside where nobody is. I don't think it was a turning point in the game, but I thought it was a big play that gave them some success running the football that they did not have." The Rice offense, though frustrated by a hard rush off the Tulane defensive front, forcing Chase Clement to get rid of the ball, most often, far sooner than he wished, was not entirely stymied, however. Down 24-7 in the 3rd quarter the Owls put together a beautiful drive to cut the Green Wave lead to 10. Clement scrambled for 13 yards, and had six completions on the drive culminating with another patented six yard pitch to Dillard. "It was tough not being able to run the ball, but I thought that our passing game was effective," Chase said afterward. "At key times, we just didn't convert, and that's what hurt us. "It was just one play on each drive that would kill us a ball underthrown or a penalty. It was little things that put us in tough positions. It was one play on each drive that did it." One of the game's big plays Chase was referring to occured later in the period on a third and 14, as a 43 yard pass from Moore to Baptise was underthrown allowing Brandon King to get his hands on it. However, the ball was tipped and Baptise caught it falling to the turf. Three plays later Forte scored again sealing the Owls fate. Once again Rice never quit, tallying 17 4th quarter points. James Casey took a short Clement pass and turned it into a 61 yard score, getting a final block from Dillard and overpowering a defender to cross the goalline. Casey also got Rice's final TD on a 6 yard pass from Clement. In the postgame Casey was very disappointed in his play as he failed to hold on to two passes early in the game, and was also guilty of an offensive interference penalty. Clement also had an up and down game. On one third down play he was clear to get a first down, but started his slide too early forcing a Rice punt. Lack of consistency in kicking game still a sore spot Once again the kicking game suffered. One onside kick failed, and another was supposed to be a pooch kick to a big opening in the middle of the field. Luke Juist was using some rugby style punts, but he ended up kicking one for only 15 yards as he hooked it into the backside of a Tulane player. The muffed onsides kick occurred early in the fourth quarter with the Owls down, 31-17. "It was not supposed to be an onside kick," Coach said.. "That was supposed to be ... a high pooch kick down the middle because of how they were configured with nobody in the middle of their formation. It just was not executed." Had it been executed, the stage would have been set for a turnover along the lines of the one that propelled the Owls to a comeback in in the UTEP game. But it wasn't to be. The offense has such a lack of speed that to score we have to operate perfectly. One dropped pass, penalty or misfire by Clement kills the drive. Plus any running game, save a scramble by Clement, is non-existent. The defense, undersized and coping with injuries and inexperience, played hard but continues to give up big plays, especially on third and long. Only one game is left in the '07 season, and the Owls certainly ought to be ready for this one. Will emotion be enough to beat the former coach?
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