Houston, TX (Sports Network) – Jeremy Eddington scored two touchdowns, including the game-winning score with less than a minute remaining in regulation to give the Rice Owls a 28-23 victory over the UAB Blazers in a Conference-USA bout at Rice Stadium.
Eddington led Rice (4-8, 3-5 C-USA) on the ground with 66 yards, while Sam McGuffie added 56 yards and one touchdown. Taylor McHargue, who rushed for 62 yards, also threw for 125 yards and one touchdown.
Bryan Ellis threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns for UAB (4-8, 3-5), while Pat Shed hauled in two touchdowns, finishing the game with 94 yards on seven receptions.
The Owls took a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter when McGuffie found the end zone on a five-yard run.
Less than two minutes later the Blazers tied the game when Ellis connected with Jackie Williams for a 23-yard touchdown.
Rice regained the lead in the second stanza when Eddington scored on a nine- yard touchdown run.
Once again, however, the Blazers evened the score, as Shed hauled in a 12-yard touchdown from Ellis, sending the game into the break knotted at 14 apiece.
The only points in the third quarter came off the foot of UAB’s kicker Josh Zahn, as he drilled a 27-yard kick earlier in the frame.
The Owls regained the lead midway through the final frame when McHargue hit Vance McDonald with a two-yard touchdown.
Less than two minutes later UAB went back on top when Ellis connected with Shed on a 32-yard pass and catch for a score.
Rice was able to manufacture a drive in the final minutes of regulation and that led to Eddington’s 22-yard touchdown run that gave the Owls a victory.