After years of falling short of bowl eligibility and remaining an afterthought in the C-USA title race, the tide was beginning to turn. Rice snapped Louisiana’s 15-game win streak and knocked off perennial contender UAB for the second consecutive season. The program’s newfound success appeared to carry over to Boca Raton in a matchup against Florida Atlantic.
But after Rice stormed out to a 14-0 start, the offense stalled for good. The Owls couldn’t notch a single point in the final three quarters, paving a pathway for the other Owls from Florida Atlantic to secure a 17-14 win, effectively ending Rice’s perfect C-USA record.