Baylor @ Rice preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2007 ) Rice 17, Baylor 42

Baylor and Rice, a pair of former Southwest Conference rivals, will try to get ready for their respective league schedules when they meet for the 78th time on Saturday in Houston.

Baylor (2-1) is still smarting from a 45-10 road loss to TCU, while Rice (1-2) will try to even its record after a 30-13 loss to Northwestern.

Baylor is led by sophomore Robert Griffin III, the only career 1,000-yard rusher in school history. He’s thrown for five touchdowns and run for three others, meaning he’s had a hand in eight of the team’s nine scores. Griffin has completed 55 of 99 passes for 703 yards, giving him more passing yards than all three Rice quarterbacks combined. He’s also rushed for 107 yards.

Jay Finley is Baylor’s top running back with 183 yards and has scored once; he’s on the watch list for the Doak Walker Award. Receiver Kendall Wright (10 catches, 137 yards) is on the Biletnikoff Award watch list. Bears offensive tackle Danny Watkins is one of the players included in the Lombardi Award watch list, given to the nation’s best offensive lineman.

“Baylor has a lot better team speed than they have had in the past,” Rice coach David Bailiff said. “Griffin at quarterback, he is someone you’ll see on Monday Night Football.”

Rice moved the ball effectively against Northwestern, but couldn’t stick it in the end zone. Quarterbacks Nick Fanuzzi and Taylor Cook found 13 different receivers and completed 30 of 52 passes for 291 yards, but the offense mustered only two field goals until late in the game.

Tyler Smith has provided a lift in the backfield, having rushed for 126 yards (4.8 yard average). Luke Willson and Sam McGuffie both have 12 catches and one touchdown. But the biggest weapon may be Chris Boswell, who has converted seven of 10 field goal tries and all five extra points. Punter Kyle Martens is another oft-used weapon; he averages 47.9 yards, has six kicks over 50 yards and stuck six inside the 20.

The Rice defense is led by Travis Bradshaw, who has 26 tackles and has recovered two fumbles. Lucio Kramer has two of the team’s five sacks, but the Owls haven’t allowed fewer than 30 points in any of their three games. Their defense is allowing 465 yards per game.

“We just try to minimize those mistakes,” Rice linebacker Justin Hill said. “You try to put together a whole game and play four straight quarters.”

Baylor leads the series 45-30-2 and has won four straight against Rice. Baylor has won seven of the last eight meetings in Houston.