When the lights dim at Rice Stadium on Saturday night, the paths of two teams will be diverging. Florida Atlantic and Rice will have just completed the ninth game of their seasons, one that can serve as a measuring stick for two teams enduring nightmarish seasons.
For the winning team, it'll be able to celebrate its first win over a FBS team this season. It will claim its first Conference USA victory of the year. The sting of the seven previous losses will be lessened, and for one night, the injuries, the close losses and the blowouts will take a back seat to a win.