Stacy Sneed rushed for 82 yards on seven carries and a long touchdown and Houston’s defense held visiting Rice to 159 total yards in a 33-7 win in the annual Bayou Bucket game on Saturday night.
Re’Shaun Sanford II added 71 rushing yards on 15 carries for the Cougars (1-2), who opened the season with losses to UNLV (27-7) and No. 15 Oklahoma (16-12).
Houston quarterback Donovan Smith completed 12 of 21 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for two scores.
Rice managed just eight first downs and was 0-for-10 on third downs until the final drive of the game, finishing 2 for 13.
The Owls (1-2) beat Houston in double-overtime last season.
Rice quarterback E.J. Warner completed 12 of 21 passes for just 50 yards with an interception.
Sneed scored on a 65-yard touchdown run to give Houston a 7-0 lead with 5:30 left in the first quarter.
Rice went its third straight drive without a first down and Mekhi Mews returned the ensuing punt 75 yards for a touchdown, increasing the lead to 14-0 with 3:49 left in the first quarter.
Stephon Johnson caught a 44-yard touchdown strike from Smith with 7:29 left in the first half, extending the lead to 20-0.
The Cougars were stopped on downs at the Rice 7-yard line late in the third quarter, but Jalen Garner intercepted a Warner pass two plays later and returned it to the 1-yard line. Smith scored one play later to extend the lead to 26-0.
Smith added a 37-yard touchdown run with 7:10 remaining in the game to extend the lead to 33-0.
Rice’s Dean Connors scored on a 4-yard run with 1:08 left to prevent the shutout.
After both teams went three-and-out on opening drives, Sanford’s 34-yard run on the first play of the second series moved Houston into Rice territory. J’Marion Burnette’s 14-yard run pushed the drive into the red zone, but Joseph Kim missed a 31-yard field goal attempt after a shaky hold.
Rice had three first downs and 59 total yards in the first half, going 0-for-7 on third downs.
–Field Level Media
